spectra premium heater core issue ? / anyone recommend a good heater core ?

-
M

moparjon

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 9, 2009
Messages
130
Reaction score
19
ok , here is what happened so far : last year heater core failed in my 1974 valiant 225 /6 . i picked up a used stock one at carlisle just to get by . which it did get me through the winter , and had hot mega-heat . the kind you got to turn down after awhile . this week the used one pee'd on my friends leg on a short trip to get lunch . i went to autozone and bought a new heater core ( spectra premium ) and installed . just barely got warm . plenty of coolant in radiator . both hoses to core got hot . upper rad hose hot . everything else i believe went back in as it came out , cables , wires etc . cables are working properly. blower motor/fan is blowing plenty of air .

next , with the fresh air door open on passenger side and the heater control on low ( which opens the door so you can get your hand in and touch the heater core . blower motor/fan switched off , of course . don't put your hand in there with moving parts ) so , i touched that part of the heater core and it was cold . this was after driving around for 10 minutes with heater on full blast .

next , i fired up the 72 dart 318 which was cold . and did the same thing . heater core very hot to the touch within a very few minutes just sitting there . and of course hot heat .

i then pulled out the whole heater box from the valiant , removed the spectra heater core from it . and blew some air from the compressor at 20 psi and got good flow of air coming out both tubes , both ways . then i connected it directly to the heater hoses . both inlet and outlet tubes got too hot to hold but center/ rows part was almost cool to the touch at first , then started to warm up after 5 minutes or so , but still never got too hot to touch or like you can hold your hand with force on it for more than several seconds . though it seemed like the back part of it was hotter than the front part which faces the blower motor/fan . by the way the spectra core appears to be all aluminum .

then i connected the old used one to the heater hoses ( which is brass and i am guessing copper or steel ? ) and the tubes were to hot to hold almost instantly , and the center / rows parts got too hot to touch within a minute or 3 .

did anyone else experience the same problem ? is this spectra thing just happen to be defected . or made crappy ? should i return this for another one ? or am i missing something here ?

anyone know where i can get a good and / or a brass type heater core ? or have any ideas on what is happening here ?

also , some more info , my temp gauge is not working , but the hoses got very hot .
 
moparjon said:
ok , here is what happened so far : last year heater core failed in my 1974 valiant 225 /6 . i picked up a used stock one at carlisle just to get by . which it did get me through the winter , and had hot mega-heat . the kind you got to turn down after awhile . this week the used one pee'd on my friends leg on a short trip to get lunch . i went to autozone and bought a new heater core ( spectra premium ) and installed . just barely got warm . plenty of coolant in radiator . both hoses to core got hot . upper rad hose hot . everything else i believe went back in as it came out , cables , wires etc . cables are working properly. blower motor/fan is blowing plenty of air .

next , with the fresh air door open on passenger side and the heater control on low ( which opens the door so you can get your hand in and touch the heater core . blower motor/fan switched off , of course . don't put your hand in there with moving parts ) so , i touched that part of the heater core and it was cold . this was after driving around for 10 minutes with heater on full blast .

next , i fired up the 72 dart 318 which was cold . and did the same thing . heater core very hot to the touch within a very few minutes just sitting there . and of course hot heat .

i then pulled out the whole heater box from the valiant , removed the spectra heater core from it . and blew some air from the compressor at 20 psi and got good flow of air coming out both tubes , both ways . then i connected it directly to the heater hoses . both inlet and outlet tubes got too hot to hold but center/ rows part was almost cool to the touch at first , then started to warm up after 5 minutes or so , but still never got too hot to touch or like you can hold your hand with force on it for more than several seconds . though it seemed like the back part of it was hotter than the front part which faces the blower motor/fan . by the way the spectra core appears to be all aluminum .

then i connected the old used one to the heater hoses ( which is brass and i am guessing copper or steel ? ) and the tubes were to hot to hold almost instantly , and the center / rows parts got too hot to touch within a minute or 3 .

did anyone else experience the same problem ? is this spectra thing just happen to be defected . or made crappy ? should i return this for another one ? or am i missing something here ?

anyone know where i can get a good and / or a brass type heater core ? or have any ideas on what is happening here ?

also , some more info , my temp gauge is not working , but the hoses got very hot .
Click to expand...

Just playing Devil's Advocate, did you get all of the air out of the cooling system?
 
I have had pretty good luck Spectra, that being said you have to eliminate other issues before you blame the core. is your cooling system full of sludge and scale that will block the core? take the core and hold it next to a new one, it will feel heavier than the empty one. is the head gaskets pressurizing the system causing the seams to blow? the heater core is designed to withstand a certain PSI of pressure. If your car checks out, then it probably could be a bad core. Try a new one, I am assuming they are inexpensive enough, or take it back and exchange it. Parts are made overseas now and quality can be questionable,
 
It's cheap Chinese trash. I'm going through the same thing on my Dakota. If you find a good USA made one let me know. Pro source models on eBay claim to be USA made but I can't confirm.

Best option? Take the oe core to a radiator shop and get it re cored?
 
jos51700 said:
It's cheap Chinese trash. I'm going through the same thing on my Dakota. If you find a good USA made one let me know. Pro source models on eBay claim to be USA made but I can't confirm.

Best option? Take the oe core to a radiator shop and get it re cored?
Click to expand...
I gave you a link in your post to a good used OEM heater core. :cheers:
 
72Valiant4Door said:
Just playing Devil's Advocate, did you get all of the air out of the cooling system?
Click to expand...

as far as i know . i did try . i even jacked the front up to get the rad higher than the core . ran it with cap off for awhile . it is possible there was air trapped in the new core . when i had it off , i poured water in it and it seamed like it was having some air pockets inside .
 
jos51700 said:
It's cheap Chinese trash. I'm going through the same thing on my Dakota. If you find a good USA made one let me know. Pro source models on eBay claim to be USA made but I can't confirm.

Best option? Take the oe core to a radiator shop and get it re cored?
Click to expand...

Really? Do tell. It sure is funny that the Spectra plant is in Canada and they make some of the best gas tanks in the business.

We sell Spectra stuff at Oreilly and almost all of it has a lifetime warranty. Tell all these guys on here that have Spectra made gas tanks and other Spectra made products their stuff is cheap Chinese trash. I bet you'll get an argument real quick.

From me, in fact right off the bat. I have a 38 gallon over size gas tank for my 75 F250 and it is very high quality. You might want to check up on your "facts".
 
I have used the spectra tanks and they are fine, but I have also used the E body heater core and found they don't fit very well, but once modified a bit, they also work fine.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Really? Do tell. It sure is funny that the Spectra plant is in Canada and they make some of the best gas tanks in the business.

We sell Spectra stuff at Oreilly and almost all of it has a lifetime warranty. Tell all these guys on here that have Spectra made gas tanks and other Spectra made products their stuff is cheap Chinese trash. I bet you'll get an argument real quick.

From me, in fact right off the bat. I have a 38 gallon over size gas tank for my 75 F250 and it is very high quality. You might want to check up on your "facts".
Click to expand...

^^^^^ Xs2 ^^^^^

I'd check my coolant temp hot with a thermometer in the rad, or shoot it with a heat gun, to make sure the coolant is 180*ish, just to be sure it's hot enuff.

But it sure sounds like you may have a faulty core, so return it where you got it and ask for another. Mistakes happen on both ends, installer and maker..

If you can't take it back, as RRR mentions, take it to a rad shop and explain the prob, they'll likely take the end off and be able to remedy the prob for a reasonable cost, maybe free if you demonstrate the right attitude,.lol.. jmo

Spectra is a fine product.

Hope it helps.. cheers
 
Cant speak on behalf of spectra but I used a murray heater core. no issues at all plus lifetime warranty. Also have a murray radiator in my bronco.

I agree with above, just because the hoses feel (hot) doesnt say anything. Make sure are for sure getting up to temp. Also dont know on the slant six but is it possible to mix the two hoses up with one another?

http://m.oreillyauto.com/h5/r/oap/s...=Search_02709_5137346_2191&pt=02709&ppt=C0331
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Cant speak on behalf of spectra but I used a murray heater core. no issues at all plus lifetime warranty. Also have a murray radiator in my bronco.

I agree with above, just because the hoses feel (hot) doesnt say anything. Make sure are for sure getting up to temp. Also dont know on the slant six but is it possible to mix the two hoses up with one another?

http://m.oreillyauto.com/h5/r/oap/s...=Search_02709_5137346_2191&pt=02709&ppt=C0331
Click to expand...



is the murray brass or copper ? do you get real hot heat ?

can't mix the hoses on this one . one hose big , one small .
 
update : i returned the spectra to autozone . they were cool and gave me my money back . i am going to look for one that is not aluminum , just doesn't make sense to me , aluminum has to be cooler than brass , and i use the car in winter . i will check the temps when i can . though the gauge is dead . maybe a meat thermometer will work . but the leaky one makes crazy good heat . just gonna bypass it for now .

not saying anything about the quality of the spectra . but it did say made in china on the sticker that is on it . and on the box too.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Really? Do tell. It sure is funny that the Spectra plant is in Canada and they make some of the best gas tanks in the business.

We sell Spectra stuff at Oreilly and almost all of it has a lifetime warranty. Tell all these guys on here that have Spectra made gas tanks and other Spectra made products their stuff is cheap Chinese trash. I bet you'll get an argument real quick.

From me, in fact right off the bat. I have a 38 gallon over size gas tank for my 75 F250 and it is very high quality. You might want to check up on your "facts".
Click to expand...

Sorry I didn't take pictures of the cheap Chinese spectra trash radiator for my neon that didn't have a single hose nipple that was within 4mm of the right size so everything leaked, or the cheap Chinese spectra trash heater core for my Dak that had holes in the weld burned through the pipe, big enough to see daylight through, right out of the box.

I lived five blocks down from the o'reilly headquarters off the bypass in Springfield, mo for five years and had more than one lunch with their people. I know they stock cheap Chinese ****, they know they stock cheap Chinese ****.

Warranty ain't ****. I had a lifetime warranty on the crank sensor in my neon from those corporates at o'reilly. Big friggin whoop, when the parts are such pieces of **** that I have to keep a spare in the cup holder because the o'reilly trash craps once every six months. Bought the factory sensor three years ago, not a lick of trouble since. How's that for lifetime warranty? Put a warranty on a piece of ****, it's a piece of ****, and anyone that sells a piece of **** that tries to justify it with a warranty is also a piece of ****.



If you don't like what I post, ignore it.
 
If the heater hoses are both hot to the touch and the center of the heater core is cool to the touch, maybe, just maybe, the heater core is made with thick wall tubing or a material that is not letting the heat radiate out of it.
 
Stop wasting your time and money with them aftermarket heater cores and send your original out to glen Ray and be done with it. They do top notch work
 
Some arent repairable.the murray heater core i bought I believe was aluminum, everything now adays is aluminum. Brass/copper is expensive
 
If it's an original heater core glen Ray can re core it
 
This is almost as classy as the PM you sent me. Good stuff. NOBODY went after you personally. I think you completely overreacted.

Your PM was reported along with this quoted post.



jos51700 said:
Sorry I didn't take pictures of the cheap Chinese spectra trash radiator for my neon that didn't have a single hose nipple that was within 4mm of the right size so everything leaked, or the cheap Chinese spectra trash heater core for my Dak that had holes in the weld burned through the pipe, big enough to see daylight through, right out of the box.

I lived five blocks down from the o'reilly headquarters off the bypass in Springfield, mo for five years and had more than one lunch with their people. I know they stock cheap Chinese ****, they know they stock cheap Chinese ****.

Warranty ain't ****. I had a lifetime warranty on the crank sensor in my neon from those corporates at o'reilly. Big friggin whoop, when the parts are such pieces of **** that I have to keep a spare in the cup holder because the o'reilly trash craps once every six months. Bought the factory sensor three years ago, not a lick of trouble since. How's that for lifetime warranty? Put a warranty on a piece of ****, it's a piece of ****, and anyone that sells a piece of **** that tries to justify it with a warranty is also a piece of ****.



If you don't like what I post, ignore it.
Click to expand...
 
Who is the one whining? Sure sounds like you ^ not you rusty
Wow with that language and attitude i wouldnt warranty a part for him either. Sorry op to get of topic but ive never gad a issue with any warranty at any parts store. Yes it can be aggravating to have something fail, and go through the warranty process, and aggrivation of taking it back off or back apart. but calling something a cheap chinese piece of junk and you purchased it in the first place. I bet the factory sensor only had a 90 day warranty. Calling something a piece of junk because it failed isnt up to par. I had a autometer tach crap out after only being a year and a half old. Did i complain? Sure a little but sure enough i bought another autometer tach.


Oh and those corporate blanks have to honor the warranty regardless.
And the guys working there aren't corporate, they are just following rules set by corporate
 
You should see the PM he sent me.
 
Where is this spectra stuff? All ive seen is spectra air filters, everything ive ever seen from Oriellys is murray.
 
71DodgeDemon340 said:
Where is this spectra stuff? All ive seen is spectra air filters, everything ive ever seen from Oriellys is murray.
Click to expand...

There are two different companies. Spectre and Spectra.

The first is the air filter and whatnot. The second is gas tanks, radiators, fuel sending units and the like.

You're correct though. Murray is Oreilly's first line but they have Spectra products available.

I stand behind what I said, as Spectra is made in North America in Canada, not in China.
 
Aluminum or brass won't make much difference to felt heat. The aluminum will tolerate higher pressure though.

The thermal conductivity of the two materials is nearly the same. Aluminum has a higher specific heat capacity, roughly double that of brass. All that means is it will take a little longer to warm up, but it won't affect final temperature.

If you have an alum rad, the core should be too since most alum rads use higher pressure caps.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top