Topic: No Heat Out of Heater Core

[emsvitil]

Jump some wires directly to it from a battery and see how fast it goes.


Lube the bearings.

Change the brushes.

[Cheesemaker]

Unless your blower contacts looks like mine did!! 

http://board.marlincrawler.com/index.php?topic=32961.msg1036158#msg1036158

[Axman [OP]]

So I finally got around to replacing my heater core... again 

The first time I replaced it with a core I bought from NAPA which was a Chinese knockoff that dident even fit the stock heater tubes that go through the firewall. So I ended up grinding the core inlet and outlet smooth and clamping heater hose to it and running it through the firewall. Now as I started this thread, for some reason this fix did not work, as you can read in my first few posts.

I found another heater core from Autozone that was different from the first one I bought with a different part number. On the website they claim that this core is made of brass and copper and that it is a direct OEM replacement guaranteed to fit. Well after buying it, it turned out to be another cheap Aluminum core made in china that did not even remotely fit to the stock hard brass tubes through the firewall.

So I found myself with 2 options: 1.) I could buy a new core from Toyota that would cost anywhere from $250-$500, or: 2.) I could go to my local wrecking yard that specializes in Toyotas and buy a used core for $75. I opted for option 2.

After spending an entire day tearing apart my whole dash and replacing the core with a factory used one from a wrecking yard, I checked to make sure it worked first before putting my dash back together. learned that lesson from the first time.
And as you may have guessed, the heater works great now!!! 

I went up to the mountains the other day to play in the snow and test out the heater, and it works great. It gets nice and toasty inside now. Even had to crack my window to cool off!

After I got back I decided to cut open the New heater core I bought from NAPA and find out why it did not work. And much to my suspicion, the problem was the core was not built with a divider in between the inlet and the outlet. So the hot water was not forced to go down the core and heat it up. Instead the water just flowed right across the top of the core and right back out to the engine, never heating the core at all. which explains how I was getting hot water to flow in and out of the core with out the core ever getting hot at the bottom where the blower forces the air through it. I took some pictures of it as I cut the top off.

[emsvitil]

So, I was correct........  (reply #13)



 

[redneckcustoms13]

Cheap junk. I'm glad you got it fixed. Nothing better than a good heater.

[Axman [OP]]

So, I was correct........  (reply #13)



 

yes I knew from the beginning this might be the problem but I just dident want to believe that manufactures would sell junk from the factory, and I REALLY dident want to change the core again... oh well. Hopeful wishing only gets you so far, then you have to deal with reality, haha

Cheap junk. I'm glad you got it fixed. Nothing better than a good heater.

Yeah, i'm actually pretty ticked about the whole situation. I mean I know when you buy cheap Chinese parts that they arent built with the same quality and wont last as long, but at least they always fit and work like they are supposed too. I dont understand how they can get away with selling a part (two different cores I tried with different PT#'s)that not only does not fit, but dosent even work either!
and to top it off these are the only aftermarket parts available. so you can not even buy a new one that fits unless you buy the direct OEM one from Toyota, which is ridiculously expensive.

Has anyone else had these problems? I want to call the parts house district manager and see whats going on...

[Redline_MI]

I have been battling the same problem on my 79 pickup, poor heat, swapped it out with an ebay "HVAC Heater Core OSC 98672 fits 79-83 Toyota Pickup 2.2L-L4" Same thing no improvement.

I cut the top off the old one, and the same thing, no divider, am I to assume that this was an aftermarket heater core? Has anyone opened up an OEM core to prove that it does infact have a divider in it???

I was thinking about slotting the top of the core and then silver soldering in a divider, or do the redneck hack and just hammer/dent in the center enough to force a bit more through the core whats the worst that could happen? have to replace the defective piece of junk

I am with you though how frustrating it has been messing with this, I have had the core out more times than I want to count. Its going to really piss me off if they are truly just designed incorrectly, by having the divider missing.

[emsvitil]

Are the problem cores brass/copper or aluminum?

[Axman [OP]]

Is your heater core Aluminium? In my experience so far I have found that the stock ones are made of brass and copper, and the aftermarket ones are made of Aluminium. I can almost guarantee the one you bought off ebay is a cheap Aluminium aftermarket one, because as far as I know you can only get the stock copper and brass one straight from Toyota which is big $$$

As far as the stock ones having the divider, I would assume they would, otherwise the water would just flow right across the top, and not be forced down and back up. Its basic physics that water will flow in the path of least resistance.
I may be able to convince my brother to let me cut open his stock one since it is rotted at the bottom, and if I can I will post pictures

[Axman [OP]]

Are the problem cores brass/copper or aluminum?

In my experience so far, the problem cores are the Aluminium ones.

[Redline_MI]

I will upload pictures of the one I took apart, I think its a little different, just because of the year difference, but still no divider.

Any idea on the oem part number, I would be curious looking it up.

Also, really interested in seeing an OEM one opened up. (It's not that I don't disagree, but you know what they say about assume.....)

[Bryson22r]

sounds so familiar I have had similar issues in the past. hopefully you get to the bottom of this.

[Redline_MI]

sounds so familiar I have had similar issues in the past. hopefully you get to the bottom of this.

Did you find a solution?