Hetear Core.......AGAIN!!!

[TBone]

Hi Paul, Tbone here.
I have a 96 6 speed coupe with 112900 miles on it. Four years ago I replaced the heater core due to a leak. It had 102975 on the odometer at the time. It wasn't a visible leak. The problem was that I could smell it in the cabin every so often. So... I did the job. PITA. It took me 17 hrs. Guess what? I'm smelling that odor again! I got the core from a radiator shop that I do business with and he said he tested it before I picked it up???? I thought I was golden. My question is have you ever had a core go bad so soon?. Where do you get your replacement cores? I'm going to have to do this again and I want it to be the last time. What core would you use if was your car? Are there any other issues that could cause this to leak so soon?
Thanks

[928stech]

If you don't flush the cooling system from time to time, it could build up into something bad. I remember a heater core recall at VW that was due to the antifreeze going acidic, over time, and miles. I would think that any heater core you bought at the dealer, would do you fine. I would kind of shy away from anything coming South of the border, or China. Hope this helps some.

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,

Truthfully, I normally use ACDelco heater cores.

And electrolysis is something that could create issues here.

A bad ground could cause electricity to flow through the coolant and speed up a failure of both a radiator or heater core.

Your ACDelco part number for your vehicle is discontinued, but others do make NEW units.

Allthebest, c4c5

[LLC5]

Originally Posted by TBone

Hi Paul, Tbone here.
I have a 96 6 speed coupe with 112900 miles on it. Four years ago I replaced the heater core due to a leak. It had 102975 on the odometer at the time. It wasn't a visible leak. The problem was that I could smell it in the cabin every so often. So... I did the job. PITA. It took me 17 hrs. Guess what? I'm smelling that odor again! I got the core from a radiator shop that I do business with and he said he tested it before I picked it up???? I thought I was golden. My question is have you ever had a core go bad so soon?. Where do you get your replacement cores? I'm going to have to do this again and I want it to be the last time. What core would you use if was your car? Are there any other issues that could cause this to leak so soon?
Thanks

What part of the heater core was your original one (from 4 years ago) leaking form? This can tell you why it went bad originally.

[zappac5]

I had an issue with another GM product model year 1977 (not a Vette) where the coolant would rapidly turn brown, I kept changing the coolant. Seemed like everything associated with the cooling system failed as some point....water pump, heater core, on/off valve in the supply (or return) line to the heater core. Turned out the exhaust gas from one of the cylinders was leaking into the cooling system due to failed head gasket. Apparently this minor leak which existed over a long period turned into a major one when the gasket finally gave way and I was pumping steam and water out of the exhaust pipe....ding ding ding - all of the troubles I had with the cooling system made sense at that point. Bought the car used...never had a bigger piece of junk in my life.....there are many other stories about this car-I called it "Black Beauty". Let the buyer beware!!!