1983 FJ60 Heater Core Job (1 Viewer)

[dbsatl]

Good Afternoon!

The heater core in my FJ60 had a slow leak, and I finally got around to ordering a replacement core and getting the old one out. Total pain in the neck. I'm finally at the point of trying to put the heater core assembly back together, but I've hit a snag that I did not anticipate. I replaced the heater core in the top half of the box and reattached the two copper pipes at the top with new o-rings, but I'm not getting a tight seal. I'm trying to re-use the metal clips that bind the lips of the copper pipes and heater core inlet holes together. I ran some water through the assembly to check for leaks and sure enough I am seeing small droplets of water emerging from the fittings. I'm suspecting those clips are my issue and need to be replaced as well. I've attached a picture below. Does anyone know the name for those metal clips that attach at the fittings and where they might be available? Any other suggestions to address this? I

Many thanks for any input. Have a great day!

 

[georgebj60]

I was told the O-rings expand with the heat of the engine to make a final seal.
I have yet to test that theory however as my truck is still in project stage.

Did you use OEM O-rings?

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Clips are NLA

 

[dbsatl]

I was told the O-rings expand with the heat of the engine to make a final seal.
I have yet to test that theory however as my truck is still in project stage.

Did you use OEM O-rings?

I've not heard that before. The o-rings are not OEM. I'll keep researching a fix. I'll post anything I find out. Thanks for the replies, btw.

 

[tmxmotorsports]

Can still get the factory o rings there is a recent thread about doing the heater core.

 

[georgebj60]

Definitely source out OEM rings. Regular rubber is not suitable for the heat involved here. The Toyota part number for the O-rings I used is 96711-19016. I paid $6.98 CAD each.

 

[dbsatl]

I spoke with a local guy who specializes in these trucks, and he said sometimes the best way to go is to just solder the copper pipes into the heater core. So that's what I did. I'm not experienced with soldering joints, but it wasn't a bad job. It may not look the prettiest, but it seems to be holding a tight seal (knock on wood). I didn't have a proper propane torch, but a small kitchen torch worked just great. I touched up a couple spots with a soldering iron. Now to try and get everything reinstalled!

View attachment 1997137

View attachment 1997138

 

[Elbert]

heater core swap ? / FJ60 1986 version

well I've gotten myself a little motivated and I'm about to attack this pain in the @$$ project. One question has come to mind and I've pondered this thing recently, or should I say two questions. (1) are those clasps that hold the heater pipes to the heater core easy to break, and if they do...

forum.ih8mud.com

thread above my be helpful. to OP are you using the correct O rings?

I'm no expert and I'm learning along the same path. You might want to read through my thread....

If the pic in the fist portion of this thread is accurate as to how things look, the right side heater core pipe is not seated correctly such that the clasps would work. I assume you are not using the correct or similare OEM o ring? The flange on the pipe has to seat down on the flange with the heater core and they have to "mate" with each other....or its a no-go. The heater pipe has to sit all the way down into the heater core until the flanges mate.....no way around that. I found one of my aftermarket heater cores that that the inside diamter of the heater core side of the pipe was too small, if your heater core pipes do not sit all the way down into the heater core then thats a no-go as they say.

I too am concerned about the clasps and I don't know where the clasps are sourced, other than the used market. You might want to check specter off road, the two clasps I see in the picture appear in good shape, maybe you need to see if you can pinch them together a little bit to get the tension correct.

Another option on the pipes to heater core is to get the pipes soldered to the heater core. I would talk to a radiator shop on that if you find thats your only solution. Soldering is a viable solution according to my local radiator shop.

 

[dbsatl]

I used a ton of solder, but I absolutely do not want to deal with this issue again to the extent I can avoid it. Just did the garden hose test, and it's holding a good seal.

Thanks, btw, for sharing that thread. I also need to replace all that old foam in the heater box and in the ventilation duct seals. Good thread to have handy.

 

[Elbert]

I spoke with a local guy who specializes in these trucks, and he said sometimes the best way to go is to just solder the copper pipes into the heater core. So that's what I did. I'm not experienced with soldering joints, but it wasn't a bad job. It may not look the prettiest, but it seems to be holding a tight seal (knock on wood). I didn't have a proper propane torch, but a small kitchen torch worked just great. I touched up a couple spots with a soldering iron. Now to try and get everything reinstalled!

View attachment 1997137

View attachment 1997138

Your pics are not showing up...at least for me, I thought they were working a little bit earlier, but I just see the links and then the pics dont' work...FYI

I assume the o-ring issues goes away if you solder the flanges

 

[Spook50]

I used a ton of solder, but I absolutely do not want to deal with this issue again to the extent I can avoid it. Just did the garden hose test, and it's holding a good seal.

Thanks, btw, for sharing that thread. I also need to replace all that old foam in the heater box and in the ventilation duct seals. Good thread to have handy.

View attachment 1998041

Four years after the fact, are you still leak free? I discovered just yesterday that my front heater core is leaking. I have to deal with the bear of removing it regardless, but I'm still holding out a bit of hope that it's just the O rings that've begun to fail. I assume you removed the O rings before soldering the pipes into place?

 

[dbsatl]

Heater core is still leak free....Knock on wood. To my recollection, I don't think I was ever able to source the OEM o-rings. I'm pretty sure the original o-rings were totally shot, and I just removed them before the solder job. Sorry you're having to deal with this. Good luck with the job, and let us know how it goes.

 

[Godwin]

O-ring part number 9671001016, bought a few last fall

 

[georgebj60]

This is not a super difficult job. It’s time consuming for sure, especially the first time. But there are so many other things you can do while you’re in there, that don’t cost a lot of money, it’s really worth just diving in and going for it. Once you see the condition of all those heater boxes and flaps, you’ll wish you had done this years ago.