FJ60 Heaters SUCK (1 Viewer)

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Jul 10, 2012
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I'm so over the stock heater in my 1981 60, it never worked worth a dam when it was working.... the heater core started leaking, tore the dash apart and had it fixed at a radiator shop.... started leaking again.... and yes i tried all the crap on how to fix/upgrade the stock heater and none of it worked in my application.

At its best on a cold day it kept the windshield and a small patch in the front doors de-fogged. has any one swapped out heaters for a aftermarket option in their 60? i don't care so much about AC, just want something that works. i have been looking at the auxiliary heaters from JEGS

JEGS 70602: Auxiliary Heater Assembly 300 CFM | JEGS

300 cfm
40,000 btu

i have installed a few in fj40's for people but not in a 60, i was thinking about ripping most of the old heater out and adapt this under the dash, tie it in to the defrost and floor ducts, wire it into the dash fan switch. just wondering if any one else has been down this road before i start tearing into it
 
I will follow this one. With a diesel I barely have any heat. I have changed the core twice and had it upgraded as well. Just not hot enough in winter.
im putting a webasto in the truck I hope will help but I realize probably not with the defogging.Im hoping an anti fog glass coating will help keep the water off this winter
 
The heater core is essentially the same thing as an oil cooler - just bigger . Couldn't the old core be tossed i in a dumpster and a big badass oil cooler or aftermarket heater core be installed in the box instead?
 
have you verified proper heater valve operation in the engine bay?
 
Hi, We have probably owned over 20 cruisers,never had a heater problem. In fact rarely turn on the rear heater it’s just too hot. Very warm down into weather in the 16 degree range. I don’t rebuild heater cores or radiators ,they don’t last. I would flush your cooling system repeatedly ,it’s full of crud. Mike
 
The heat cranks in my 60 as well. But I’m in Arizona so it never gets cold anyways. It was 45 the other morning and I thought I was going to die.


South Carolina here so I am thinking the same thing, our cold is not Idaho cold. When it does get "cold" my heater is like the fires of hell and frost is gone in a few minutes.

What about ductwork condition, heater valve, etc.
 
cardboard in front of the radiator oughta do it.
 
weird....The heat in my '87 blows me outta the rig + i never turn on the back heat. Im in Colorado at 9400' or so and it gets colllllllld, as in -15 thru +20 degrees just about all winter.
 
I'm so over the stock heater in my 1981 60, it never worked worth a dam when it was working.... the heater core started leaking, tore the dash apart and had it fixed at a radiator shop.... started leaking again.... and yes i tried all the crap on how to fix/upgrade the stock heater and none of it worked in my application.

At its best on a cold day it kept the windshield and a small patch in the front doors de-fogged. has any one swapped out heaters for a aftermarket option in their 60? i don't care so much about AC, just want something that works. i have been looking at the auxiliary heaters from JEGS

JEGS 70602: Auxiliary Heater Assembly 300 CFM | JEGS

300 cfm
40,000 btu

i have installed a few in fj40's for people but not in a 60, i was thinking about ripping most of the old heater out and adapt this under the dash, tie it in to the defrost and floor ducts, wire it into the dash fan switch. just wondering if any one else has been down this road before i start tearing into it

These vertical heater cores have inherent problem with entry and exit at top. So crud settles in the bottom and very hard to remove. Get the core flushed properly. Ensure the connector clips are good. Make
sure you have no old fluid or air when you are done. I flushed my heater using a shop vac cleaner on ‘blow’
to ensure I flushed all the old stuff and contaminated crap out of my heater last time. Shop vac doesn’t have enough pressure to damage anything. Don’t go running 150 psi from your compressor thought there. That could end badly. Mine is way better than before.


The heater core is essentially the same thing as an oil cooler - just bigger . Couldn't the old core be tossed i in a dumpster and a big badass oil cooler or aftermarket heater core be installed in the box instead?

No. it has to fit the surround perfectly in order for the flow to work. That’s why they have the foam as well.
 
My heater barely worked in my 62 when I bought it. I found out the thermostat wasn’t working and kept circulating coolant through the radiator, preventing it from getting up to operating temp.

It blows nice and hot after putting in a new thermostat.
 
check the heater valve in the engine bay, as @cruisermatt mentioned. check the electric fan, make sure its not jammed up with crud. check your thermostat too. A properly functioning 60 heater will blast heat.. more than sufficient in the Northern Rockies.
 
Idaho winters are certainly way different than AZ or So. Cal (for me), but I've never heard anyone complain about the 60-series heaters before, even the defrost... particularly if your rear heater is working. Must be something else going on. Mine was weak until I replaced the blower.

That Aux heater from Jegs looks very robust, but is sure gonna take up a lot of real estate.
 
Try this thread:

Run both rear and front heaters full blast on a freeway, do a flush, HTH
 
Mine blows me away at its warmth since I’ve been driving it again after a full rebuild. Very toasty.
 
have you verified proper heater valve operation in the engine bay?
Not only this, but buildup in the heater core itself. Mine doesn't perform nearly as well as it used to, so I suspect this is the issue since I verified my valve functions correctly. Next spring will be a complete system flush, replacement of hoses and clamps and a new OEM water pump.

If everything's working the way it should you should be sweating as soon as the engine's warm.
 
These vertical heater cores have inherent problem with entry and exit at top. So crud settles in the bottom and very hard to remove. Get the core flushed properly. Ensure the connector clips are good. Make
sure you have no old fluid or air when you are done. I flushed my heater using a shop vac cleaner on ‘blow’
to ensure I flushed all the old stuff and contaminated crap out of my heater last time. Shop vac doesn’t have enough pressure to damage anything. Don’t go running 150 psi from your compressor thought there. That could end badly. Mine is way better than before.




No. it has to fit the surround perfectly in order for the flow to work. That’s why they have the foam as well.

Tell me more about flushing with a shop vac. Is this with the core removed?
 
Tell me more about flushing with a shop vac. Is this with the core removed?
No, core must be in place. Open HEATER valve to Hot. I have a heater hose duct taped to a cheap
plastic reducer from the 2” shop vac hose. Then I attach the blowing part to the heater inlet hose. Disconnect the heater outlet hose so it can drain into a bucket /floor whatever you are comfortable with. Turn the vacuum on and it will blow the fluid from the heater core completely. If you pour a flushing agent, rad flush, an extreme option is diluted muriatic acid, but this is caustic and you want to make sure you don’t leave any of that in there. You can flush the rad flush agent using a garden hose, but then blow it out again with the vacuum air pressure to remove all the water so the system is cleaned right out.
To make it easy when you reinstall everything, pour anti freeze using a funnel directly down into the heater so it’s full with just new antifreeze.
I flushed my 12HT engine block the same way, just blew vacuum pressure air into the heater return line. It makes sure all the old fluid is out. Last time I did this, I was within 100 ml of full of what the manual said it would hold when I refilled with new. So I knew the system was completely flushed.

BTW, I just spent 90 min tearing the entire interior and dash out. Next step is to find a leak that has filled the floors with antifreeze. I have no idea yet. The bottom of the heater box is dry. 😣
Tomorrow should tell me what the heck is going on. I’m suspecting copper heater line connection but so far that’s not found out.
 

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