Did I mess up this core?

[Rockin Lab]

Was in the process of restoring my heater core and may have damaged it.
I bought this 78 a month ago and everything I try to improve keeps getting messed up more. Pulled out the insides to repaint, etc...turned out I needed a new gas tank. Pulled the hoses off radiator, then pulled radiator. So I bought a new radiator. Perhaps I should stop "improving" stuff. Ok enough ranting.

Anyway, I want to salvage this if possible. Tell me what you think - Two questions: does this core still look good to you. And is there a way to test it before reinstalling it?

 

[camcruiser13]

run it, looks fine to me. bend some of those fins back up and youll be fine,


you are talking about a cruza, every time you undo one bolt you have to replace 2, just the way it is, the are old

 

[tcarlson78]

It looks good to me too, take some time and rebuild the whole heater . There are kits available to rebuild and they work great. Since you have it out, call around to a few radiator shops to see what they will charge to clean and test it. I had mine out due to leaks and the repair shop told me to buy a new one when they found out the price of a new one I had sourced from Auto Zone. If I recall correctly and it was a reasonable price too.

As you work through projects remember to take pictures, take notes mark your parts and try hard to start and have no more than 3 projects at a time. Trust me Its easier to do it this way rather than remember what the reverse order of disassembly is later.

good luck

 

[fj hunter]

3x , except ...

be careful when your bending back those fins. use a plactic tool, like a broken pan cake spatula.

if it is not leaking, you are good to go as is,,,, i would not even take the chance, personally.

let the sleeping dog lie there and snore.

 

[Rockin Lab]

Thanks Cam and TCarlson

My problem is I take 2 nuts off and not only need to replace them, but the item they were holding. Did that with the gas tank, radiator, and now perhaps the tailgate. But can't complain. Kind of like tinkering with it.

Is there a secret to bending them back? I assume just take some pliers and carefully bend, or wedge a flathead between them? The thing was working fine when I took it out. I bought a restore kit to improve it (as well as about to paint it), and I believe I bent the fins while removing it.


Part of my problem is I have 6+ things going at once - reinstalling inside seats, redoing intake manifold, new master clutch, heater, 2 rusted doors, sending unit ground issue, etc. I did finally right down a process and prioritize so as to keep sane. Don't take pics, but do make drawings, which usually works except for the times it looks like greek or some alien language.

Thanks for the tips.

 

[Rockin Lab]

Thanks Hunter

Do you mean you wouldn't take a chance on bending it back, or take a chance on the unit itself. Does water leak through broken fins?

 

[wickedfj]

A good set of tweezers work wonders for fix bent fins. I would leak test it just to be sure before you install it. Looks fine to me but you would hate to have to take it back out. Another option would be to take it to a radiator shop and just have them recondition it. They will clean it inside and out and leak test it. Shouldn't cost that much.

 

[camcruiser13]

a little dent like that just leave it unless you need it to look good then fix it. mines all hammered up and works just fine.

 

[camcruiser13]

oh and your welcome. i like to get second opinions all the time

 

[Michael Hanson]

IT looks fine, old saying if it aint broke ,leave it alone! 2 cents Mike

 

[middlecalf]

Stick it in a bucket of water up to the inlet/outlets, plug one of them with a wine bottle cork, and stick your air hose with rubber spray attachment in the other side (it should just be an interference fit) and gently pressurize the core (keeping pressure on the cork as well). If you see bubbles, it needs recoring/replacing, if not you're good to go. Another way to test is to make sure it's completely dry on the outside, fill up the core with water and let it sit standing up on some absorbant paper for several days. If it's leaking you'll see water evidence on the paper, if not, then good to go again. Most of those bent leaves are on the edge, and not much air moves through that part of the core when installed.

 

[Rockin Lab]

Thanks middlecalf. That is just what I need - a way to do it at home.
One question - I have a wine cork and air compressor. When you say "rubber spray attachment" are you referring to the air nozzle used to blow forced air? I don't have a way to regulate how much pressure is coming out the end of the nozzle except to gently squeeze the trigger. Will that work, or do I need another way to regulate the air pressure?

Thanks for the tip. That idea should work.

 

[O'Shell]

I'd say ts fine. The fins do not hold water, they transfer the heat from the flattened tubes they are attached to. If you punctured one of those tubes you might be worried. The air flow is what you damaged and barely. Take a thin but firm wire and put it through each fin and ether pull out or push in depending on the direction that fin is orientated. Just be gentle as the fins are weak and will break. I cleaned up the one on my 69 with great success. Blew out most of the fuzz and used the same wire with a little hook bent on the end to pull out the remaining lint balls. (edit: even broke a few of the fins but no prob)

Just don't pour CLR in it like I did with my 78 I think the same crusty stuff that was clogging mine was also blocking a leak.... I was lucky to have an extra one on my donor rig..

 

[middlecalf]

...are you referring to the air nozzle used to blow forced air? I don't have a way to regulate how much pressure is coming out the end of the nozzle except to gently squeeze the trigger. Will that work, or do I need another way to regulate the air pressure?

yes, the air nozzle you describe. Mine has a rubber tip that is just the right size to make a reasonably tight fit into one of the holes. Can you dial back the pressure at your tank? I set mine at 10 psi, doesn't take much. BTW, this is the way the local shops check radiators, saves of trip to the recorers sometimes.

 

[Rockin Lab]

Thanks O'Shell for the info. That clarified somethings.

Middlecaff I have one gauge that tells the amount of pressure in the tank. I can cut off the power when it reaches 10 and then use it. That should work. Thanks for the pressure amount. Think I will try it today.

 

[GarageRat]

Thanks O'Shell for the info. That clarified somethings.

Middlecaff I have one gauge that tells the amount of pressure in the tank. I can cut off the power when it reaches 10 and then use it. That should work. Thanks for the pressure amount. Think I will try it today.

If you use air tools or plan to use air tools in the future I'd recommend getting a regulator/water trap. Air tools have different pressures they like and too high can destroy the tool plus it's nice to be able to regulate the pressure without shutting down the compressor so that it can't rebuild what it loses. I put a kobalt setup in my hardline air system to regulate an 80 gallon compressor. Not as fancy as the old man's DevilleBiss compressor and regulator/watertrap/dessicant/toaster oven system but it does the job.

 

[emtee]

Another tool that works great for straightening radiator fins out is a stiff toothbrush...if the fins aren't too badly folded over, you can just brush things back to almost stock-looking condition...

 

[fj hunter]

well ...

since it is so fine. just use it.

 

[craptabulous]

i would straighten it out or just leave it .

its to bad it has that style of fin , there is a actual tool to fix longer runs of fins called a fin comb . they work like magic and are fast . unfortunately it won't help with that style of fin .

 

[Rockin Lab]

Thanks again.

GarageRat - I have a water trap, but not a regulator (other than the one that shut it off at 125 psi. Time to replace the trap, so will look into a combo.

My plan is to test it as mentioned above and work the fins, but not worry about the ones to flat. My main concern was to test it before replacing it. Don't want to get it all together, go for a drive and have the stuff start peeing on me. Thanks again for all who responded. This sight is like having a 24 hour class room...without the test...or perhaps the test is what actually happens if I bugger it up.