Is this a *new* heater core?? (4 Viewers)

[VA Mountain FJ40]

Well there you go. PO's can do awesome things in swapping parts to keep stuff working. Nice that $OR came through for you.

Here are some pics SOR sent me from the stock room while we were trying to sort things out. The black heater box at top is from an FJ 55, and the distance between the core inlet tube centers poking out of the box is the correct 3 1/4”. Correct, in that it matched the distances on the heater core and heater box I removed from the truck.

Beneath the black heater box for the FJ 55 in the stockroom picture is a new SOR replacement core for the FJ 40. The distance between the inlet tube centers on that heater core is right at 3 inches. That FJ 40 heater core will not fit in the FJ 55 heater box. Was never designed to do that.

When I saw those 3 1/4” heater core inlet measurements taken from the SOR stockroom on the heater box for an FJ 55, I knew that was what I had. The FJ 55 core was also 2 1/2” thick like the one I removed from my heater box. Even if they sent me another new FJ 40 heater core, it was never going to fit my heater box. I needed an FJ 55 heater core and hooray, they had one.

Below in metallic gray,is the heater box that I pulled out of my FJ 40, (not knowing it was an FJ 55 box). The measuring tape shows the inlet tube holes are also 3 1/4 inches apart.

 

[igotta40]

It’s cool that they worked with you to sort that out. They need to be more competitive with pricing, and in my book, shipping for profit is a dick move.

 

[Living in the Past]

More to the story than different heater core in the FJ40 and FJ55. I show the heater cores for the 40 and 55 are the same with a 9/73 change along the whole heater design change. In my collection of heaters I have a pre 9/73 FJ55 front and rear heaters. The base on the rear heater is different. On the front heater the FJ55 two defrost hoses one one side instead of one like on the FJ40. 9/73+ heater has a vent on that by passed the heater core. Never compared the 65-68 40 series heater which is different than the 68-73 but believer they used the same heater core. The duct work between the blower and heater is the same.

 

[charliemeyer007]

I was watching an EngelsCoachShop vid the other day, and he brought up his visit with Keith Rucker - VintageMachinery.org.
If you aren't charging enough to stay in business, you aren't doing anyone any good by going out of business.
Fixing things is a lot easier than making things from scratch IMHO. Preventive maintenance is usually a good investment of your time and money.

 

[timmyisinthewell]

I'm no authority or parts counter guy, I'm only presenting what I see. It appears there were only three different p/n's for the front heater cores for the FJ40 series and FJ55's for the period from 03/69 to 07/80, with both vehicles using the same p/n, year dependent. These p/n's were good as of Jan. '81 as indicated on the microfiche panel.

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

Im looking at the fiche pictures and none of them look like my heater box. My truck is titled as a 1968, so pre-69.

My heater box has a single air discharge outlet on each side. When opened, each of the heater box ends contains a well that brackets and holds in place a heater core that is 3 inches thick and sits square.

The heater core I removed from my heater box was 3 inches thick and sat squarely and securely in the recessed cap end wells of the heater box. Fits very well.

Below are the 3 inch wide recesses for the core in the end caps of the heater box

This is the 3 inch deep heater core itself

on the 3 inch thick core, the distance between the center of the inlet and outlet tubes is 3 1/4 inches.

Searching across multiple vendors, all of the replacement early FJ 40 heater cores offered are 2 1/2 inches thick, with a distance between the center of inlet and outlet tubes of 3 inches.

The 2 1/2 inch thick replacement heater core absolutely does not fit in the heater box that held a 3 inch thick OEM core. The heater box outlet holes on my heater box are 3 1/4 inches from center to center. The 2 1/2 inch thick replacement heater core outlet tubes are 3 inches from center to center.
Even a big hammer won’t make them fit.

I agree — only one part number appears in the >1969 fiche images you shared for the heater core.

Somewhere in the early FJ series family, 1968 or before, heater boxes existed with one defrost outlet on each side, with a hinged diverter inside directing air between cabin heat and defrost, and a 3 inch thick core with outlet tubes whose centers are 3 1/4 inches apart. And I have one of those. Whatever it is…

When I asked the SOR customer service representative to check the stockroom for an FJ series heater core that was 3 inches thick, he sent me back pictures that matched what I have— both his heater box and the heater core. The inlet and outlet pipes were the correct distance apart. The SOR guy told me it was listed as an FJ 55 heater box in their inventory…

And that’s how I got where I am now. At some point, Toyota FJ‘s had heater boxes with 3 inch thick cores, with defrost vent hoses at each end, which appeared to have been upgraded to 2 1/2 inch thick cores at a later date. I don’t know the exact years or models, but I have held a 2 1/2 inch thick heater core in one hand and a 3 inch thick heater core in the other hand, and they are not the same.

I seem to recall an FJ heater history in the FAQ for this forum. I think it is time. I do some research and find out exactly which truck heater box I am working on.

A little mystery and chaos never hurt an FJ 40 project…

Chip
VA Mtn FJ40

 

[VA Mountain FJ40]

This Denso sticker was on the driver side end cover of my FJ heater box. Can it help identify which heater box?