It's 20 deg. during the day, 9 deg. at nite, my heater core is springing a leak and the windshield is fogging up. Anybody know a vendor for a heater core for a "01" 5.9L 2500 Ram that doesn't charge an arm & leg yet is still a quality product? Any help would be appreciated.

Stay safe & watch yer back. - Frost

 

I'd recommend either a factory unit or the one NAPA sells. I've used Autozone units before, and they seemed to fail quickly.

 

How much is an arm and leg?

 

I installed a Napa heater core about 3 years ago...Knock on wood,it's still ok...

 

Thanks for the info!

 

Mine costed 3 years back....About half a finger..($70)....But the way things have gone up...Could be two fingers and a thumb by now...

 

I just changed mine out with an original dodge one. $190.00. I did not want a cheap one in case it leaked.

 

The core is a part you do not want to be cheap on. Once you change one you will understand. Not something you want to do twice.

 

Napa has worked for me on several.

 

BEWARE!!! I would NOT buy a NAPA heater core. The one I got was GARBAGE.

DO NOT buy ANYTHING that has the stoopid swivels on it. They WILL fail. The O-ring that seals it is sealed on the ID on the pipes, but on the face on the core side. The pressure on the O-ring is from the crimp on the core side of the pipe- and they almost always leak. Most of them are also PAPER thin aluminum.

I put a Napa one in, and it leaked, so I got another manufacturer with a similar heater core and it leaked the same way. I pulled it and TIG welded the pipes and put it back in, then the damned core itself sprung a leak.

Now after having the dash apart all these times it is cracked, and I wound up putting in a factory heater core which works way better regardless of leaks. It looks to me like the cheapo ones dump hot coolant in the top tank of the core and leave it to chance to have any flow through the core- it can simply flow through the top tank and never pass through the core.

The factory one has the top tank baffled so that the coolant has to flow down through one side, the into the bottom tank and back up through the other side of the core to get to the other pipe. It is also thick brazed brass (?) construction that won't act as an anode that will corrode away as I have heard happens on Fords routinely with these aluminum cheapos.

Save yourself a headache and cut the pipes so you don't have to take the AC evaporator out. I just ran heater hose all the way to where I cut it, but some folks use short sections of heater hose to connect the pipes back in.

Also, make sure to seal off the hoses or engine blowby stench can get in the cab. I used a bit of polyurethane to goo off the hoses where they pass through.

If you do it this way it's not too hard. Easier than you might think. Move seats all the way back and disconnect battery negatives. Pull lower plastic cover under column and remove two nuts on the steering column, and lower the wheel down (be careful of the sharp bracket that will try and pinch the wires against the column!! piece of cardboard will protect them) Remove the screws across the front of the dash by the windshield and pull the door base trim and the front pieces can come out and then there are two bolts on each side. I can't remember for sure, but I think one stays in on each side and you just pivot the dash forward and you can contort in to get at the core.