Heater core isn’t fitting in Plymouth Duster

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Dakota Smith

Dakota Smith

1976 340 Feather Duster
Joined
Feb 17, 2018
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Location
Georgia
The two pipes that go through the firewall and into the engine bay do not fit into the grove underneath the dash. One of the pipes is bent in such a way that it is impossible to work. I’ve already broken the pipe once trying to bend it in place and I had to take it to a radiator shop to get it welded. It is the correct part. Has anyone ran into this problem before and what do yoy’all guys suggest to do to get it fixed? It’s a 1976 Plymouth Duster without AC.
 
0AA5FF46-E6C8-4615-9C4C-A102AFE48F38.jpeg
This is very close to what the heater core looks like. The pipe on the left is what is scrubbing (where the red arrow is pointing). If it was shaped like the right pipe, it would fit into the groove fine. It is bent in the worst place, causing the entire heater core not to line up with the holes for the screws.
 
How do you know it's the correct heater core? Not being a smartass here.
Show pics of the broken core.
We had a slight issue with our 67 cuda heater core. Just a slight tweak/grind and it was fine.
 
4spdragtop said:
How do you know it's the correct heater core? Not being a smartass here.
Show pics of the broken core.
We had a slight issue with our 67 cuda heater core. Just a slight tweak/grind and it was fine.
Click to expand...
I accidentally got the one without AC and took it back and they gave me this one and they said it was the right one for my car. I think I’m going to take a dremel to the box that the heater core goes into, so that the pipes fit in. I think that would work.
 
Who from? I use Rock Auto for a reference for part #'s and pics. If it was me I wouldn't be grinding the box to fit.
I also have a parts manual so I can Google original mopar part numbers.
Dakota Smith said:
I accidentally got the one without AC and took it back and they gave me this one and they said it was the right one for my car. I think I’m going to take a dremel to the box that the heater core goes into, so that the pipes fit in. I think that would work.
Click to expand...
 
I got it from advance auto. I’ll try to hunt the receipt down later today. If I grind the box, it would only be less than half an inch because it’s barely not fitting.
 
In post #1 you say your car is, "1976 Plymouth Duster without AC"

In post #4 you appear to say you got the one without AC, and went back and got the one for an AC car.

If you do have a car without an AC, then the one in the pic is wrong for your application.

These should be your part numbers if for an AC unit, Chrysler: 3502462, 3502765, 3780551
 
MOPAR4Me said:
In post #1 you say your car is, "1976 Plymouth Duster without AC"

In post #4 you appear to say you got the one without AC, and went back and got the one for an AC car.

If you do have a car without an AC, then the one in the pic is wrong for your application.

These should be your part numbers if for an AC unit, Chrysler: 3502462, 3502765, 3780551
Click to expand...
It doesn’t have AC at the moment, but it has all the hook ups for AC. The one without AC looked nothing like the original, but the one with AC looks the same as the original.
 
Dakota Smith said:
It doesn’t have AC at the moment, but it has all the hook ups for AC. The one without AC looked nothing like the original, but the one with AC looks the same as the original.
Click to expand...


Why grind on the box? The factory didn't do that? WTF? That kind of stuff is what wrecks cars. Fix it right. Go get the correct Hester core and it will fit.

Just because the dude at the parts store says it's the right one doesn't mean a thing.

Out the grinder down, get the correct part, do it right.
 
An AC heaterbox AND heater core are DIFFERENT from non AC. Just because AC isn't hooked up doesn't mean that the heatercore is now magically a NON AC heatercore. You need to post pics
Spectra is another quality brand.
Get the right one
 
Take it back, and get one that fits correctly, you may have to upscale your search. In situation like this you may have to find a place for this type of specialty item, such as the two names that was mention earlier in the thread.
Maybe some day......... the parts stores will stop out sourcing parts from overseas after the warehouses get full of this crap. LOL But there will always be the ones, that will make it work, so the cycle continues.
 
I would have had the guy at the rad shop who repaired the broken pipe simply modify it to fit...
 
I had to unsolder one my tubes and resolder it where it belonged.
All the angles were right but the rotation of one tube needed adjusting.
 
I bought one from Classic Industries for my 73 Dart Sport. Had the same issues. Sent it back, bought one from Rock Auto, and it fit perfectly. On the AC side I had to carry it to a radiator shop, with the old one, and have then bend and re-solder the new one to the same specs as the old one.
 
supertruck said:
I bought one from Classic Industries for my 73 Dart Sport. Had the same issues. Sent it back, bought one from Rock Auto, and it fit perfectly. On the AC side I had to carry it to a radiator shop, with the old one, and have then bend and re-solder the new one to the same specs as the old one.
Click to expand...

Do you happen to have part number for the heater core you got from rock auto? I just bought one from them but it was completely wrong. I thought I pulled the right one w/ AC but it didn't even come close to fitting.

SPECTRA PREMIUM 94507

20181222_181618.jpg


20181222_181639.jpg
 
Same number from Spectra website. Is the part # stamped on it or on the box? Could be misboxed? Call Spectr Tech dept and get dimensions?
Products
 
Dakota Smith said:
I accidentally got the one without AC and took it back and they gave me this one and they said it was the right one for my car. I think I’m going to take a dremel to the box that the heater core goes into, so that the pipes fit in. I think that would work.
Click to expand...

In your original post you say the car is without AC. In the above post you say you "accidentally got the one without AC and took it back and they gave you the one you have now." If both those statements are correct, you have the wrong core.
 
as a young man said . and pics u have . the rad repair shop should b able not only 2 repair ….;..; FIX.
 
O I found year one has a Deal on A body engine mounts 4 169.00 rear munt 59.00 my old stuff was 295.00 4 lft mount and 200.00 for pass side. I bought. and the were were old . do not trust any body but retail people.
 
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