The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Interiors Heater leak.

New on here but here goes. Had a bad heater element leak on my '55 Chevy 3100. I couldn't get it repaired and the only other option was a replacement core at £300 ($450) which I thought was expensive, So I had a go myself. I removed the old core and replaced it with a coil of 10mm (3/8") soft copper micro bore tubing. Well it works ok, Not perfect but it works and at £8 ($12) total cost is good enough for me. I would post pics on here but cant see how to do it. Sorry

You have to register with one of the free photo albums like
Photobucket and post your pictures there. I'd like to see your
'new heater core'.
I have a friend with the same problem and who come up with the
same solution. Haven't heard if he's tried winding the new
coul yet. He's was one of the brand new reproduction heater
cores, which was purchased last year and was only in use for
a few hours.
I had my doubts for several reasons.
1. Without the fins I don't think the area is large enough to
transfer the heat efficiently.
2. The coolant in a core is distributed thru multiple fined
tubes between the upper and lower tanks, which means there is
a much greater volume of coolant available for heat transfer.

DG

I have had a Photobucket account for years and have not used it for years. Too much hassle and time consuming.
If I get time I will have a go.

Is this a first or second series 55? I always wondered if that would work. Coiling up some copper tubing inside and let the blower blow thru it. Can you slow the flow of water enough? I/E. valve still there? As Ed China says...Result! Well done Eddie!
Was pushing this idea in 2012. Scroll down to "bartamos". Credit taken.
https://www.stovebolt.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/888015

My deluxe heater blows so much hot air, I can barely stand to have it on low very long. I do not have a ranco valve, so maybe I am lacking the proper amount of restriction in the system.
Having said that, it stands to reason that simple coils of copper tubing, with no restriction in the system, should provide adequate heat. (bartamos validated)
Carl

The flow rate is important. Too low would, of course, be bad. Probably a good idea not to have any restriction. My question about "can he slow it enough", is not a good message in Eddies case. Slowing will allow a temp drop. He may be saying the heat is good but not great. If a system is too hot, it would be necessary to slow the flow. In the case of real cold climate you could add another coiled up tubing outside the case, in front of the air intake or discharge. That would really look neat too! You could run tubing under the carpet, under the seat covers or get 12V thermal underwear..... just trying to cover all my copyrights in one post.

Also there is baseboard heat exchange tubing with fins.

A person can shape/coil a piece of Home Depot flexible water heater connection pipe.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman-...Water-Heater-Connector-0436324/205807731

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Eastman-...e-Water-Heater-Connector-48231/205364821

Or regular flexible stainless steel sink supply hose.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Homewerk...d-Stainless-Steel-7223-30-38-2/203082363

No one knows you are not stock because it's all inside, for a fraction of the cost of a new, stupid core. I have to stop here, I'm giving away too much money. But I'm still an awesome idea guy, aye?

Someone had fashioned one in my 58. It was copper tubing in a cage type design. The cage was so hot you could barely touch it but when the air from the fan passed thru it was barely warm enough to detect. I ended up using a core for a 72 ford pinto with some fabrication. The core was aluminum around $25 bucks at autozone

A regular "Deve" in my books.
Carl

Another option would be salvaging the coil out of a household A/C unit or heat pump.
I'm talking about the ones with the tinsel-looking stuff on the coils. That would improve the thermal transfer.
Carl

I thought of that already.

Of course you did!

dg

OK, maybe I didn't. But I would have.

Good call DG!
Nice try bart.

My new core leaked in less than 4 hours of use. Wasn't happy with 17# of pressure from my SBC engine. What do you expect from something made
a third world country. America can't build sh#t anymore, what a shame.
Copper coils would work but not very well. One of those ideas that looks good on paper. In actual use it would throw some heat but not enough surface area to be properly effective.
Gonna buy a Vintage Air System and quit F'n around with old crap.

Well I run 140psi through a Lincoln towncar heater core all day long (makes a great condensation unit in my air supply line) and while it did bulge out a bit it's held air for over a year.
It is the square type so no help for round units but the idea of fragility is kinda funny if you ask me.

Even the original Harrison Deluxe AD heater cores were only
made to take 7psi max. When you get them up to that pressure
and hear them creaking you may have gone to far. Ask any of
the old time radiator repairmen if you doubt me.
I don't know, but the reproduction ones they are selling today
may, like so many other things that are copied from an
original, just may be marginal also. Example, door latches,
headliners, light switches, tail light housings, rubber
parts, etc.

Your Lincoln Towncar heater would have been made to take the
higher pressures that the newer cars carry. But I am surprised
you're running air supply (120-150psi) thur it and that is
hasn't burst one of the tubes.

DG

For anyone that is going rogue and just needs heat, check out a Mojave by Flex-A-Lite. Free ship.
http://www.amazon.com/Flex-a-lite-640-Mojave-Heater/dp/B000CNJBPU

I was too.
I only tell the story to illustrate there is a range of pressures at which things fail... or not.

Its a '55 series 0ne. I do have a flow adjuster that controls the heat. I pressure tested it by connecting to the house water main, so that should be ok. But I'm having trouble with the fan. I cant get a switch for it to control the air flow. Comes out like a rocket. Looking at another thread it may be that its still 6v? That's why it was disconnected. How can I tell?
I may have to get a 12v to 6v reducer. One thing after another.

I took the easy route Eddie,I fitted the self contained unit from a good old Mk2 Austin Mini,and managed to tuck it up tight under the dash so only the control panel is visible just under the bottom of the dash in the centre and used the choke cable to regulate the control valve.
It chucks out plenty of heat for the small cab,the demist hooks right up and gives the passenger a little more leg room too.
Parts are readily available (and cheap) here in Blighty too.
Which reminds me I need to order a heater matrix for mine (£40) before the full Scottish winter kicks in!

The downside of course is I have a perfectly good original deluxe heater (minus heater matrix) lying in my garage gathering dust....

If the truck was original when you bought it it'll more than likey still be 6v,there are 12v motors available.