I will admit that I'm asking this question out of pure laziness, but is there a way to "re-seal" a leaking heater core? I discovered mine was leaking at the beginning of the summer and since I was already replacing the water pump, I just blocked off/bypassed the heater core since I knew I wouldn't need it for a while and now I'd like to get the usefulness back without having to remove my dash/find a place to recover ac refrigerant. I'm seeing K-Seal Pour & Go listed as a solution elsewhere, but I didn't know if anyone had any luck with the snake-oil-y coolant leak fixes?
Leaky Heater Core Question
- Thread starter vrtillman
- Start date
Since anything that could plug holes in a heater core could also block water passages elsewhere I wouldn't even consider doing that.
Pour some tire sealant into radiator, see if that does a trick.
In time you spent typing this up, you could have steering column disconnected. Few more responses and entire dash could be out... but no ... you will still be a lazy fuck looking for a magic potion
In time you spent typing this up, you could have steering column disconnected. Few more responses and entire dash could be out... but no ... you will still be a lazy fuck looking for a magic potion
MountaineerTom
LJ Enthusiast, Retired USAF Weapons Loader
Supporting Member
Ride of the Month Winner
I have seen "stop leak" fix leaky radiators in the past. BUT - it doesn't seem to work with the heater core in a Jeep TJ at least. I tried it. And failed. So I just bypassed it for the foreseeable future - who needs a heater in Florida?
A pox on Jeep for installing a sub-standard heater core in an pain in the ass location/manner!
A pox on Jeep for installing a sub-standard heater core in an pain in the ass location/manner!
that .. just .. got clip on panel removed and top 4 bolts unscrewed
Jerrys angry face alone is worth a phone call and scheduled appointment to drain freon
Florida winters can actually get brutal, temperature may not get to or barely touch 0 Celsius, but it feels like -15. Cold moisture in the air pierces through cloth. Same thing in the middle east, 60 Celsius in August and then in September cant get out without full winter gear.
Ohh look at that, all the wires just got unplugged, magic.
Few more posts and dash will be out.
I just did mine. IMHO replace the AC exchanger and drier while you have it open and drained.that .. just .. got clip on panel removed and top 4 bolts unscrewed
Jerrys angry face alone is worth a phone call and scheduled appointment to drain freon
Florida winters can actually get brutal, temperature may not get to or barely touch 0 Celsius, but it feels like -15. Cold moisture in the air pierces through cloth. Same thing in the middle east, 60 Celsius in August and then in September cant get out without full winter gear.
Ohh look at that, all the wires just got unplugged, magic.
Few more posts and dash will be out.
And test all the actuators with a vacuum pump.
-Mac
Decades ago the couple random heater cores I've used it on did end up sealed...to the point that not enough hot coolant would pass through to give me heat.
With my TJ being 15 yrs old and only having 75,000 miles so far I hope that TJ heater core problems are more closely related to owner errors like never changing the coolant, adding not-distilled water or doing something else not quite right.
With all the posts about air not blowing out of center vents, for a good amount of TJ owners that alone should be good enough reason to get in there.
Ohh wow, look, radio is disconnected and out
I sure would hope so, although it seems that the lifespan of a Jeep radiator is ridiculously short as well. *shrug*
I have yet to encounter anything even *close* to "brutal" here - but I've only been here 5 years so it may be coming! If I get annoyed with it enough, I'll replace the core. Until then...
As it is, I'll be out and about in the winter, wearing a T-shirt, flip-flops, and shorts or a knee length skirt - and the natives here are bundled up in heavy winter coats! "Aren't you *cold*?!?" - "No, this is a warm day in California!".
I see I see, you are in southern parts. My friend from Miami says it never drops below 70 there, but I never been down there during winter time.
I am in north western part, temps do drop to 30F and below.
Yea, I'm in the Space Coast area - it can get down to freezing or slightly below a few nites a year, but I have yet to experience anything below the high 50s in the daytime.
Gunnersmate
TJ Enthusiast
Lewis9781
New Member
I would avoid all the quick fixes that require dumping some sort of magic potion into the cooling system. Back when I was a kid and broke all the time I have been guilty of using a few bottles of Bars Leaks to save a buck, but in the end it was only a band-aid.
I am on the verge of pulling the dash in my '00 to replace the leaky heater core. I was losing nearly a gallon of coolant every 600 miles. It took a long time to determine the location of the leak. Replacing the core is a long, tedious job but not too technical. There are a couple of write ups in the Jeep forums that detail the procedure quite well.
Like the OP, I'd really rather not do it, but I feel it's worth the effort. I don't want to be on a trail 50 miles from anywhere when the heater finally decides to blow out completely and leave me having to pull a McGyver to get my a$$ back home.
I am on the verge of pulling the dash in my '00 to replace the leaky heater core. I was losing nearly a gallon of coolant every 600 miles. It took a long time to determine the location of the leak. Replacing the core is a long, tedious job but not too technical. There are a couple of write ups in the Jeep forums that detail the procedure quite well.
Like the OP, I'd really rather not do it, but I feel it's worth the effort. I don't want to be on a trail 50 miles from anywhere when the heater finally decides to blow out completely and leave me having to pull a McGyver to get my a$$ back home.
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Cool, just wanted to check. I'm going to fix it eventually, just didnt want to go through the whole process right now. thanks
bohuggabee
TJ Enthusiast
I have a similar issue... i thought about invasive surgery. Using a camera that goes in. Finds the crack, and using some mechanical arm i can work, apply epoxy and such.
I really hope you're kidding about this idea. lol
It's really not that bad of a job to replace the core. If you're like most of us on here, you'll have the pleasure of doing the job more than once. You'll find that it gets easier each time you do it.
Yeah mine was a PIA the first time. Even broke off one of the bolts on the bottom driver's side corner when I failed to see the bolt behind the engine on the firewall.
Second time around...well...my wife folded my Jeep up good and I had a week or so to do a frame and tub swap. Only way I got that done so quick was I had just finished going through absolutely everything on my TJ and dialing it all in.
Not saying this is your practice run...but yeah it's probably your practice run...shit happens and new parts are all crap.
-Mac
Second time around...well...my wife folded my Jeep up good and I had a week or so to do a frame and tub swap. Only way I got that done so quick was I had just finished going through absolutely everything on my TJ and dialing it all in.
Not saying this is your practice run...but yeah it's probably your practice run...shit happens and new parts are all crap.
-Mac
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