1989 Heater Core replacement
#1
Racer
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1989 Heater Core replacement
Hello Everyone!
I have not been signed in since 2009 mainly because we've been driving our two corvettes and not working on them and the other reason is I misplaced my password…. finally remembered it! Ha ha.
At any rate about a year ago the heater core on the 89 blew. I had been smelling anti freeze for sometime then one day I was playing with a mustang on the highway and she started puking antifreeze on the passenger compartment big time. I bi-passed to core and drove it fully planning on doing a swap out last winter but it was so cold I decided to wait till now. Did a lot of research and really enjoyed & used the write up Agent 86 did. I knew it was going to be a bitch but figured if I took my time I could pull it off.
Finally got the old core out and went to several local parts houses and chevy dealers figuring I could find something close to the original part but no go. Autozone and O'Reilly both had a really cheap knock off alum one. So then I decided to order one from Zip being as I have had decent luck with them in the past. They sent me one that looks nothing like what they have picture in their catalog. It is also aluminum and looks like its better quality than the auto zone or o'reilly's but I want what they showed in there catalog. I called them and voice my displeasure with them doing what they did. They said they would check with other vendors and get back with me.. so I am still looking for a oem core but everybody is telling the same thing…they are not made anymore.
I knew this repair was difficult but I did not figure on finding a replacement core to be a major problem.
Any ideas? I put the one ( a aluminum one) in and got it to fit but when I try to get the housing/cover on there seems like there might be some interference at the top probably from the inlet/outlet pipes.
Any ideas would be much appreciated. Glad to be back after 5 years!
Bob
I have not been signed in since 2009 mainly because we've been driving our two corvettes and not working on them and the other reason is I misplaced my password…. finally remembered it! Ha ha.
At any rate about a year ago the heater core on the 89 blew. I had been smelling anti freeze for sometime then one day I was playing with a mustang on the highway and she started puking antifreeze on the passenger compartment big time. I bi-passed to core and drove it fully planning on doing a swap out last winter but it was so cold I decided to wait till now. Did a lot of research and really enjoyed & used the write up Agent 86 did. I knew it was going to be a bitch but figured if I took my time I could pull it off.
Finally got the old core out and went to several local parts houses and chevy dealers figuring I could find something close to the original part but no go. Autozone and O'Reilly both had a really cheap knock off alum one. So then I decided to order one from Zip being as I have had decent luck with them in the past. They sent me one that looks nothing like what they have picture in their catalog. It is also aluminum and looks like its better quality than the auto zone or o'reilly's but I want what they showed in there catalog. I called them and voice my displeasure with them doing what they did. They said they would check with other vendors and get back with me.. so I am still looking for a oem core but everybody is telling the same thing…they are not made anymore.
I knew this repair was difficult but I did not figure on finding a replacement core to be a major problem.
Any ideas? I put the one ( a aluminum one) in and got it to fit but when I try to get the housing/cover on there seems like there might be some interference at the top probably from the inlet/outlet pipes.
Any ideas would be much appreciated. Glad to be back after 5 years!
Bob
#3
Racer
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I think somebody could really make a killing making classic car parts that aren't made anymore.
#5
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#6
Racer
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Corvette Central shows this one:
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....5Z50000050F~~~
http://www.parts123.com/parts123/yb....5Z50000050F~~~
Latest update, core is in. Everything is working great the red devil is back on the road. I plan on uploading some pictures of what I did and a couple little tricks I used and tools I made. This is a difficult procedure but if you work on your own car its one that you can pull off by taking your time and thinking things through.:yes nod: