Huge Problem

[pokesmot]

car has been dripping coolant for a while, and it started getting worse, so I jacked up the front end and put it on jack stands.

Noticed it was coming from the heater core lines, I wiggled the line a bit to see if I could find exactly where the leak was coming from (a hole in the line or a loose clamp), and the whole damn line snapped off the heater core!!! coolant everywhere :cry:

trying to figure out the best way to go about fixing this...

its friggen cold outside and I need my car to get to work...

should I bypass the heater core from behind the engine? (where there not much room to work with :()
or should I rip apart the dash and bypass the heater core lines from within the fan box temporarily until I can get a new heater core?

[Matt95GT]

Use a coupler to connect the hoses together temporarily under the hood and remember to top off the coolant. That will get you to work, but without heat.

Time to spend an afternoon and replace the heater core soon.

[pokesmot]

EDIT:

alright ive concluded that I cant drive without heat, so I'm going to get a new heater core, and swap it out all day tomorrow.

I've seen aluminum heater cores for about $27 would something like that be good?


or should I pay $68 and go with the prone to failing plastic AC Delco ones?

[Chain]

wow I figured aluminum would be highter...

Honestly not sure which would be better.

[Matt95GT]

This is one of the few cases where the non-GM part is better. Many have reported better longetivity with the aftermarket ones that are all metal.

[Quantum]

Go with the aftermarket one. The problem with the GM one is the fact it is made of two different materials.

The lines expand at a different rate than the nipples of the heater core where they are glued onto. After hundreds of heat up and cool downs, the glue is so dried up and strained that it lets go.

Why they make them with two different materials? I have no idea. Get the all aluminum one.

Regards,