93 with air. Leaks and is partly plugged (stop leak no doubt). Is it repairable. Where can I find a good new one?

 

I think I remember Jim Lane had an post about changing a heater core, the big thing was taking your old one with you to match them up

 

Been many years since I put a new heater core in a 1st gen, but I do remember that the inlet/outlet tubes on the new units were not bent correctly, or very very poorly....we had to drive all over town until we found one that was close enough that we could bend it to work. So yes bring your old one with you to compare.

 

J martin, wondering what you did. Years ago I replaced mine with one through NAPA. What a piece of crap, barely fit in the HVAC and had to bend tubes to make it work. It eventually leaked. Fortunately I had kept the original and took it to a local radiator shop, they cleaned it and properly set the tank that wasn't done right from the factory and has lasted a few years now.

 

I've been meaning to ask about this. Is it possible to back flush a heater core? It doesn't leak but there's very little heat coming out of it.

 

The heater core in my A100 was clogged. I filled it with Vinegar & let it soak. The Vinegar did an excellent job of cleaning it out.

 

Tri-sodium phosphate and straight water. Drive it and it will eat the scale out. Not a good idea this time of year.

 

Why? Because it might create a leak?

I just flushed the system with chemical radiator flush fall of 2000. I think it probably loosened some stuff up which found it's way to the heater core. The radiator could be partially plugged as well. The gauge in the truck went all the way over towing the trailer out here from SoCal in September. It's didn't boil over however and everything seemed OK so IDK how accurate the stock gauge is. It normally runs about 2 ticks from the low end.

Thanks for the replies and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Edwin

 

This time of year TSP and straight water will FREEZE.

 

OH. DUH! I could plug it in at night. It's been fairly warm this Christmas. 72 outside right now. short-sleeve weather.

 

I actually never took one apart, the old Chevy trucks you could unsolder the tops and then service them. It was copper and easy to repair. The coolant never did go to the fins like a radiator but just used liquid mass to heat the area.