Heater Core for boat heater

[Sherwood]

I have a 02 SN 196 and need a new heater core for the heater. Did some research and it looks like they changed the  cores in 04 so I would need and the older one. Has anyone had the same problem and found a solution? I looked on Ski Dim and they sell the whole unit (core and box) but not just the core. Thanks.

[RichardDoane]

a good radiator shop could fix your old core, just carefully take the box apart to remove

[Ed_Obermeier]

Heatercraft sells just the core on their web site, see link below.  http://www.heatercraft.com/category.aspx?categoryid=19&startpage=0

[RichardDoane]

but only if you have the latest heater box, if you've got an older version they recommend buying a complete unit

[Sherwood]

Thanks guys.

 

I did some more research and found out it's a heater core from a Ford Econoline Van from 79-84 with w/o AC with a standard output heater. O'reilly's has them for $23.99. One store close by has one in stock and they are open on Thanksgiving. Advanced Auto and Autozone also have or can get them. I will need to go to a hardware store and get some foam tape to line the outside of the core.

 

Thanks again.

[thager]

Sherwood, Is that for the two or the three outlet Heatercraft model?

[Sherwood]

Thager-- That is for the 2 outlet model. The high output heater core is 1 3/4" longer so they may use that for the 3 outlet model. But that is just a guess on my part. I found out that Heatercraft changed the cores and suppliers for their cores in 04 and the old and new cores are not interchangeable. The new cores do look more robust but i would need to buy a whole new unit (Ski dim has the 2 holer for $110.00), since I'm in TX and don't use it all that often the $24 seemed to make more sense. Plus I would have to re-drill to install the new box style.

[DW]

I have done the same research and found that the Ford core is generally what is used, or at least the Ford design, the 3 oulet long core is pretty hard to find.  You can go to the Napa site, along with a couple of others and look through cores by dimensions and you will eventually find the one that fits.  You also have to keep track of the inlet and outlet configuration as there are different options available.  The hard and generally abraisive water from the lake is very hard on these cores and thus causes premature failures as antifreeze provides protection to the materials.  My recommendation is to only run water through it when you actually want to use it.  The other failure mode is freezing in winter as they are actually very weak and not the easiest to drain.

[thager]

Thanks for the response. I put a two hole in my 02 last year. Will add that info to the data bank. For what it's worth anyone thinking about installing their own heater it is much cheaper if the Heatercraft unit doesn't say "marine" on it. Got mine on evilpay. Same units. Same replacement fans. I did mine for less than 230.00 with two hot tubes.

[Sherwood]

DW- You are correct the inlet and outlet on the Fords are the same size 5/8. Some others have different sizes usually on the outlet side. The last core lasted 8 years so I'm hoping to get at least that out of the new one. I do drain it in the winter even here in TX. When I drain it I blow it out with air to get as much water out as possible.

[Sherwood]

Thager- If you purchased a new unit last year it has the new core and I don't know what core would replace it. I know Heatercraft has them for $92. They do appear to be more robust than the one I need. I hope you get a long service life from your unit and won't need to replace the core.

[thager]

Thanks Sherwood, I recall seeing on CCF or somewhere that the replacement core was a Ford Mustang unit. I'll have to dig up the source of that one.

[Ed_Obermeier]

I've been told by more than one source that the cores Heatercraft i.e. uses has some sort of coating in them to allow them to be used with raw water so they won't fail prematurely (in theory anyway...).  Heard many stories of early failures from just using an inexpensive automotive core to replace a "marine" core.  As DW said the automotive version is protected from corrosion by anti corosives in antifreeze.  In raw water there needs to be something else to protect the innards or they corrode causing early failure.

As hard as it is to get to in the boats I'm familiar with, it would be a huge PITA to keep having to replace the core every couple of seasons just trying to save a few bucks.  Personally I'll spend the bucks for the marine version.

Ed

[Sherwood]

Ed- You may be correct with the newcores, post 04. In my research the pre 04 cores did fail more often hence the need for the change. The new cores have visible copper tubing running through the core. This type of of core would accept a coating much better than the old which is just honeycomb except for the caps and inlet and output tubes (no visible tubing in the center of the core).

[thager]

Ed, The only failures I have seen came from improper winterizing. If mine does fail I've got nothing to do for 5 months here anyway.

[A_B]

The older Ford Bronco cores work as well.

 

I have a '99 SN and seems like every 3 years it leaks.

First time I has it soldered at a welder for $20 then I just started buying the cheap Ford auto cores.

 

I keep the bypass plug handy.

[thager]

AB, I installed shutoff valves in each line just in case.

[Sherwood]

My 02 SN isn't too bad for getting the heating unit in and out. I am considering shutoff valves but here in TX we don't get really hard freezes very often.

[A_B]

Mine gets antifreeze run through it for winter and sits in my garage all year. I keep a

Plastic water bottle in the garage to see if it ever freezes. And never in 10 years has

It froze.

 

My leaks in the heater have always started in summer. Never had one start out of the gate in Spring, so it

Isn't from freezing. Probably bouncing around pulling tubers at the lake!