[JIM]

'70 without air. My heater core had not been hooked up for over 20 years. I remember replacing it about 25 years ago, after I had an antifreeze fog inside the windshield. Then a few years later just disconnected it to clean up the engine bay because I never drove the car in cold weather.
Now i want to get it hooked up again. I pulled it out and pressure tested it. It has a pinhole at the solder joint where the larger tube meets the end cap. I was thinking of having it repaired but the wondered if another leak will pop up a few months from now.
For a replacement, what do you recommend? The replacements shown on Ausleys or Ground up? Carquest?
How about an all aluminum one from Rock Auto like the UAC HT398229C /

 

[Kopfjaeger]

Steer clear from the aluminum units. Repair yours, if possible or go with a brass replacement.

 

[Capt Casey]

Good rad shop will fix that pinhole and all others with an overall soldering...they will tell you if it is worth it as to how thin the brass is due to corrosion.

 

[JJ'65]

'70 without air. My heater core had not been hooked up for over 20 years. I remember replacing it about 25 years ago, after I had an antifreeze fog inside the windshield. Then a few years later just disconnected it to clean up the engine bay because I never drove the car in cold weather.
Now i want to get it hooked up again. I pulled it out and pressure tested it. It has a pinhole at the solder joint where the larger tube meets the end cap. I was thinking of having it repaired but the wondered if another leak will pop up a few months from now.
For a replacement, what do you recommend? The replacements shown on Ausleys or Ground up? Carquest?
How about an all aluminum one from Rock Auto like the UAC HT398229C /

As I read your post, you replaced the original core with another one. OE replacement brass/copper or aftermarket aluminum? Was it OK when you disconnected it? If so, how did a pinhole leak develop while it was disconnected. How did you pressure test it? How much pressure? Where is the pinhole? In solder?

I had my '65's heater core leak repaired at a radiator shop. I just gave it to them and said "it leaks". They said could fix, but no guarantee. They fixed it just fine; probably just unsoldered the tanks/fittings, cleaned the core, and put it back together.

I had the '72 Valiant original radiator re-cored at 185,000 miles. Worked primo, but developed pinhole leak in the top tank brass. Shop soldered it up OK and advised that thousnds of heat/pressurize/depressurize/cool cycles takes a toll on the material...just like your body. Eventually it fail from metal fatigue.

Long rap to my $0.02. Yes another leak might develop if you have a radiator shop work it. Not easy to find a willing/able shop nowadays. If it was me, and the core is original or copper replacement, I'd have it reconditioned.

I see three on Rockauto. The cheapest one may be brass/copper. The more expensive are aluminum. Now way to know what your extra twenty bucks gets you. They all say they're good.

I had bought a new one for my '65, cuz I didn't want to screw with it. New one was defective. Crack at the solder joint. Local, and I returned it and got my $ back. Mail order returns are a hassle. If I wanted a new one, I just go over to NAPA and get one.

 

[JIM]

I had replaced it with an OE brass copper. I pressure tested it by taking a old bicycle inner tube, cutting it and putting an end on each fitting with hose clamps. Used the Schrader valve and a bike pump to get it to about 5psi. Stuck it in a large bucket of water. Saw the stream of bubbles. I have no idea how it developed a leak after all of these years, but it does. I'm just glad I tested it first.

 

[JJ'65]

Good idea! Pressure test. It's a lot of work R&R these things, even in a non-AC like my El Camino was. When it started leaking, of course it contaminated the carpet, which was no big loss. I was more concerned because it was winetr in Alaska, and I thought about chemical vapors from the anti=-freeze. Good idea about how-to-pressurize, I'll have to remember that one.

 

[69SS454]

Milliions of cars have aluminum heater cores without any problems. I think the reason people have problems in these old cars is they way the core mounts in the metal box. New cars use plastic boxes. The metal box rubs a hole in the metal core because of vibration and galvanic corrosion due to dissimilar metals. I suggest using 3M strip caulk between the box and core anywhere they touch, between the hold down clip, and around the nipple thru the firewall.

 

[JIM]

 

[vortec710]

Brass/copper radiators and heater cores can be repaired by radiator shops up to a point, aluminum...not unless they can TIG weld it or a temporary epoxy job, if you can find brass/copper replacements it would be the preferred replacement. Yes, there are a lot of aluminum radiators/heater cores out there, mainly because they are CHEAPER to make.

 

[JIM]

I'm getting a new brass/copper from Ground up along with the heater box gasket kit.
I'll take the old one to a shop and see if I can get it fixed for a good spare.

 

[69SS454]

I bet everyone that hates aluminum heater cores, love aluminum radiators.

 

[RAMBO]

FWIW, I put a new Aluminum Repop in my 66 olds from a local parts store in 12 years ago... Still working fine for the new owner today.
I put another new repoip Alum in my 68 chevelle 4 years ago, still working fine today...

Keep your original, save it. Buy a repop and run it. If it leaks someday, you can get another one. Yes its a pain to swap when you have to- but its so rarely needed you likely won't be doing it again. Most from parts stores have a lifetime warrantee too... Buy it, install and forget about it.

My $.02

 

[Chevelle_Nut]

FWIW, I put a new Aluminum Repop in my 66 olds from a local parts store in 12 years ago... Still working fine for the new owner today.
I put another new repoip Alum in my 68 chevelle 4 years ago, still working fine today...

Keep your original, save it. Buy a repop and run it. If it leaks someday, you can get another one. Yes its a pain to swap when you have to- but its so rarely needed you likely won't be doing it again. Most from parts stores have a lifetime warrantee too... Buy it, install and forget about it.

My $.02

Pain is a relative term. Have you done a heater core in a newer vehicle? Some require the front doors to come off to get the dash loose. Chevelle heater cores are easy!

 

[billdini]

I bet everyone that hates aluminum heater cores, love aluminum radiators.

and heads, manifolds and maybe blocks

 

[Road Roamer]

I've replaced my heater core twice since 2005. The first one that I pulled out was the below pictured brass/ copper one. As you can see, those go bad just like aluminum. Don't buy from your usual Chevelle suppliers online because they sell the same core as your local auto parts store but charge twice as much.

 

[billdini]

I've replaced my heater core twice since 2005. The first one that I pulled out was the below pictured brass/ copper one. As you can see, those go bad just like aluminum. Don't buy from your usual Chevelle suppliers online because they sell the same core as your local auto parts store but charge twice as much.
View attachment 702786

Wow that looks like some serious pressure built up and took that out. Two failures since 2005 tells me you have something else going on.

 

[Road Roamer]

Wow that looks like some serious pressure built up and took that out. Two failures since 2005 tells me you have something else going on.

Any theory's?

 

[Olle]

I've replaced my heater core twice since 2005. The first one that I pulled out was the below pictured brass/ copper one. As you can see, those go bad just like aluminum. Don't buy from your usual Chevelle suppliers online because they sell the same core as your local auto parts store but charge twice as much.

Yes, the ones from the resto places are more than likely the same you can get from NAPA, Autozone and other stores. I bought mine from Autozone 10-15 years ago, a nice, heavy brass unit just like the original I pulled out. I wrote down the info on the box, in case I ever need another one: Ready-Aire 398229, Napa 3027, Everco 2251, Stant 90642, Murray 279103, 4 Seasons 94532.

If you search for those numbers you'll find them in the $50 range, here's one: https://www.ebay.com/i/323987868792?chn=ps . Some of them appear to be made of aluminum, so make sure it's actually brass before you order.

 

[billdini]

Any theory's?

Radiator cap not releasing pressure. Are you overheating? Do you have a recovery system? You are building pressure and not releasing it.

Edit: Do you have the proper retainers to hold it in place? Also that top tube has some pretty sloppy soldering that is not factory unless it melted somehow.

 

[Road Roamer]

Radiator cap not releasing pressure. Are you overheating? Do you have a recovery system? You are building pressure and not releasing it.

Edit: Do you have the proper retainers to hold it in place? Also that top tube has some pretty sloppy soldering that is not factory unless it melted somehow.

That core was in my car at the time I bought it. I have no idea how long it had been in there. No, it wasn't overheating back then with that engine. Yes there's a recovery system. I bought the car in 2005 and that brass/copper core failed in 2007. The next replacement aluminum core that I bought from Autozone (Aluminum) only lasted 5 more years. The one that it's there now is 7 years old and still holding (3 engines later).

 

[billdini]

That core was in my car at the time I bought it. I have no idea how long it had been in there. No, it wasn't overheating back then with that engine. Yes there's a recovery system. I bought the car in 2005 and that brass/copper core failed in 2007. The next replacement aluminum core that I bought from Autozone (Aluminum) only lasted 5 more years. The one that it's there now is 7 years old and still holding (3 engines later).

Can I assume it was just a normal type leak at a solder joint or did you have another bulge like the pic shows.Your first pic looks like someone tried to repair it but failed.