Heater core/box....lil help.

[NF65Fleetside]

My box started to leak into the interior today but not too bad. I just dont want it to fully go on me. Any of you guys know how to fix and or fully unistall the heater core/box? Also is there anyone that makes a block off plate for the engine bay firewall? Fotos or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[rickf]

I am presuming we're talking about the heater with the box and blower in engine bay. If water is running into the cab then your heater core is most likely shot.

As a temp fix when I was working on mine, I made a U-turn fitting from common plumbing parts and connected the heater hoses to that, so the core was out of the picture. Drove it all summer like that, just finished fixing the heater three weeks ago (it came out in something like April).

To get the box off there are a few bolts or screws around the rim where it connects to the intake vent that is in front of the windshield. And the tricky not so obvious part is there are two nuts on the firewall, inside the cab, up behind the glove box. I finally gave up on working around the glove box and just pulled it out to get to the nuts.

With those nuts and bolts out, and hoses off, and heater motor unpluggedd, you can pull the whole heater box out and put it on the bench. Then start taking out all those little screws to take the box apart.

The core is a nuisance because it is underneath the second layer of sheetmetal inside the box, held in place with two clamps. You can get the clamp screws off after taking off the top cover, but the core is too big to pull up through the hole. At least, I couldn't get it to happen. ANd even if you did get it out, it would be near impossible to keep the mounting clamps in place to get it back together.

So just take the next layer of the box apart, there is the core. Napa has replacements. They're poorly made, in my opinion, but I got one anyway, as the cheapest quickest solution. I actually had to inspect three before one was acceptable.

They varied in thickness, and thickness matters. If too thin the clamps won't hold it still and it will rattle (though I suppose you could re-bend the clamps). I also saw problems with the hose spigots. They were not always parallel at the end, one core had spigots so close one could not get both hoses on without bending a spigot.

It was made in Mexico. I went to a genuine radiator shop (Mac's in Portland) thinking I would get something better. Turns out they had the exact same cores from Mexico, for $5 more than Napa.

I kept my original core, it has US stamped on it, not sure if that really means it was made in US or if US is a brand. Next time around I just might get that one re-cored (for twice the Napa price).

If your blower motor is the least bit squeeky or rattly, replace it now. It'll never be easier than with the box on the bench.

[04Xrider]

Here is where I just bought one. The quality seemed good, the price is right, and they shipped it right out. I had it in three days. http://www2.partstrain.com/v5/produc...294967270+2524

[NF65Fleetside]

you guys rock! Thanks for the info, Im getting rid of it tomorrow morning. How about a cover plate for the hole where the box used to sit on the firewall, should I just fab one up myself?

[rickf]

Originally Posted by 04Xrider

Here is where I just bought one. The quality seemed good, the price is right, and they shipped it right out. I had it in three days. http://www2.partstrain.com/v5/produc...294967270+2524

Nice link. I just took a look, basically $40 for the core and $5.50 shipping.
So, $45.50.
My Napa unit was $60 or $65, I forget exactly, I got it back in April when I took the heater apart.
Since it took me half a year to get around to putting it together, three days shipping would have been no issue at all.

Did the box happen to name a brand or state a "made in xxx"?
I wouldn't be too surprised if it was still the same as what I got from Napa (or Mac's).

But the price is better, and possibly it is in fact a better built unit.

[rickf]

Originally Posted by NF65Fleetside

you guys rock! Thanks for the info, Im getting rid of it tomorrow morning. How about a cover plate for the hole where the box used to sit on the firewall, should I just fab one up myself?

There is a factory cover plate for that. There was a heater option that has the whole heater, core and all, inside the cab and that hole is blocked off with a plate. But I don't know how hard it would be to find one, don't know if LMC or the like supply it.

If you are talking temporary solution until the heater is fixed, I'd just cut one out of sheet metal.

[04Xrider]

Originally Posted by rickf

Nice link. I just took a look, basically $40 for the core and $5.50 shipping.
So, $45.50.
My Napa unit was $60 or $65, I forget exactly, I got it back in April when I took the heater apart.
Since it took me half a year to get around to putting it together, three days shipping would have been no issue at all.

Did the box happen to name a brand or state a "made in xxx"?
I wouldn't be too surprised if it was still the same as what I got from Napa (or Mac's).

But the price is better, and possibly it is in fact a better built unit.

There was a brand name, but I can't remember what it was.

[Iron-Butt]

I had the complete heater unit under the dash in the 63. it was not hard to change the heater core. my 65 has the heater under the hood but going to remove it when i put in the new vintage heat and air unit.

[NF65Fleetside]

yanked mine out today, just need to make a small block off plate now and spray the area flat black!

[SkylineNXS]

Hey, since this is about heater cores, i have a 66 custom cab and i know theres supposed to be a cable that runs from the control "pod" on the dash thats supposed to control how much heat is let out, and it runs through the firewall and ends right next to the core "box". I was wondering if anyone knew where i could get the adjustment piece that goes in the "box" that his cable runs to, cuase mine is missing...Thanks...(sry for the highjack)

BRAD

[SkylineNXS]

ttt

[NF65Fleetside]

check out this link, should be on either this page and or the next....

http://www.truckandcarshop.com/trucks60_72/t60_036.html