seal heater core?

I have never ever seen anything that would work. You can buy some indeterminate amount of time, days or weeks, at most. The hardest part of a heater core job is getting over the hump of deciding to get started on the work.

You're only putting it off when you do that.... when I bought an aerostar whose owner had recently done the same, I found that once that core finally went, it THEN went out with vengeance and the coolant POURED out in the middle of a 60 mile interstate trip.

Of course, once I changed the core and replaced the coolant - first the radiator, then the water pump went out in the next few thousand miles.

"Dark1" wrote in news:UhP0f.78372$ snipped-for-privacy@tornado.ohiordc.rr.com:

Well, I've had good luck with several products - one of which is Knights sealer. I have had 7 plus years of no leaks on one vehicle with this product.Have used it MANY times - always with good mid-long term results (meaning I have not had a failure in less than 3 years)I have also used the MotoMaster stopleak cube from Canadian tire MANY times and am not aware of a leak coming back in less than 2 years on any leak that was initially sealed by it.

On Radiators the success rate was somewhat less, as the damage is USUALLY more extensive (external corrosion, loosened fins, etc)

Only use such "stop leak" products if you don't mind replacing your radiator and hot tanking your block and heads. Those products will coat everything inside your cooling system, reducing it's efficiency. Just fix it right. Believe it or not, eggs will stop leaks temporarily if you're in a bind!

If you want to patch up the heater core remove it and thoroughly clean and dry it. Then use an abrasive (sandpaper works fine) on the bad spot and JB-weld it. If it's not on the tank of the heater core you can pinch tubes. It's not worth doing such a ghetto fix to a heater core. I've used JB-weld to avoid buying a new radiator when the hose snout to tank joint failed. I've done that several times and never had any trouble. Saved me a couple hundred bucks between two cars, and I've saved froends money that way too. Crimping tubes works for leaks in the core area, but at that point I would ahve my radiator re-cored or buy a replacement.

Anyhow, as for your heater core... Just replace it. Remember to seal up the heater box nice and good with silicon caulk and foam (get new foam if your original stuff is degraded and disintigrating). I'm in the same boat as you with my '68. My heater core (new heater core too!) sprung a leak (either that or a hose did) and to get to it I've got to remove teh passenger side inner and outer fenders. I did it last winter when it was freezing out and that was no fun, so as soon as I recover some more from my car accident I'll be replacing that so I can get through the winter.

Cory

How long is temporary?

I know a Rover 2000TC that blew a head gasket, and the bloke that owned it sealed it up with a couple of eggs and drove it for 2 years that way. He replaced the head gasket before he sold it to return to Scotland. He was a teacher in Zambia, and had gone to Bulawayo Rhodesia for holiday (not allowed in those days) and blew the gasket there.Had to get back to teach - did NOT want to have to explain why he wasn't there.

I've also seam coarse ground black pettor work pretty good.

As for coatint the interior of the engine and reducing cooling - doesn't happen with the good stuff. It only sets up in the presense of AIR.

Particularly not when it takes 4 hours and 3 square inches (minimum) of skin to get it out. You either fix it RIGHT by replacing it once it's out, or you take your chance with the "labour saving" method.

With todays crappy quality parts, anything that requires ANY amount of labour to replace should be checked, as much as possible, before installation. Heater cores, condensers, evaporators, and radiators in particular have a VERY high "infant mortality rate". Chinese manufacturers (as well as many others) have absolutely NO concept of Quality Control.

..... With todays crappy quality parts, anything that requires ANY amount of labour to replace should be checked, as much as possible, before installation. Heater cores, condensers, evaporators, and radiators in particular have a VERY high "infant mortality rate". Chinese manufacturers (as well as many others) have absolutely NO concept of Quality Control.

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I recently bought a radiator with an integral engine oil cooler. I had to grind my engine oil lines shorter because I discovered the cooler was built too close to the bottoms of the connection ports. If I had not checked it before installation the collars on the oil lines would have sheared off when the collar nuts were tightened, and the oil lines ($55 each) would have been ruined.

This radiator was made in China, but wherever auto parts come from, it's a good idea to inspect them before installation.

Rodan. ____________________________________________________