Skidward

Some time ago, I upgraded my 1990 S-13 SR swap with Tomei cams, rebuilt head, bigger injectors, Greddy intake, Power FC (tuned), other stuff, and a new Garret 2871. Things were swell for about 2,000 miles...then a thrown rod. It sounded just like it was... shattering metal inside the motor. Car goes into the shop and the block is trashed. So, I buy an old block and crank, get it sleeved, and then my mechanic puts in all forged internals, new hoses and everything (4,000.00). This process takes about a year as my mechanic moves his shop twice during the process. Finally, I am breaking in the motor, have it for 2 days (nothing above 4,000 RPM) and then suddenly in downtown L.A. traffic in rush hour, the heat starts to rise and steam starts entering the cabin on the passenger side slowly at first and then POOF!!! steam floods under the dash fogging up the cluster. I start screaming, 'My built SR!, my built SR! and shut down car before the heat goes over the danger zone (temp. 3/4?!). The car is a slow moving steaming brick and the bastards won't let me get over! Eventually I do and pop the hood. Absolutely, no leaks or problems with the engine in all its polished and mechanical glory. No leaks anywhere! WTF! I flatbed the car to the mechanic. I describe the patient and its symptoms, and he goes,'Oh, that is your heater core, it's 34 years old...sometimes they do that. Your engine is fine.' I dodged a bullet and learned a valuable lesson. My wife is pissed because of the inconvenience (which is why I have a Honda as a second car). She is a rock. The way the car feels and drives when it is running well makes it all worth it, every last dollar and every last mechanical quirk. I love this car and treasure it more and more, no matter what. Is that wrong?

5280VertDET

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jr_ss

Your car is only 24yrs old, why is the heater core 10 yrs older?

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Sileighty_85

That Story SUCKED!

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supersayianjim

werd use some damn spacing plz!!

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ultimateirving

Must be bored at work to waste the time typing this crap.

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Skidward

Yes, the heater core is 24 years old...good eye! After the dash was taken out and the HVAC unit pulled, one of the two of the plastic elbows of the heater core had blown. I think the purpose of the story was not entertainment (sorry, bro) or to arouse any haters (I am happy for you...) but, to merely ask and try to learn more: has this happened to anyone else?

lethanh93

Wall of text but dunno why everyone is hating. Interesting info that the heater core would blow like that.

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cotbu

What's interesting about it? The fact that it's plastic and became brittle with age? Or the fact that someone added 10years to the age of a car part to justify the brittleness.
My stock radiator did the same thing. Guess what i did?
Cool story for real, felt like i was in the car with you.
Am i the only one doing hard breakins?

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brndck

Holy shit a 25 year old plastic part that is exposed to 200+ degree temps every single time you run the car FAILED??? Well shit on my cereal and call me nancy.

Why is this a thread?

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lethanh93

Well its useful for diagnosis for a problem if you've never had it before. I've never run into this problem so I would have shit brix if steam suddenly flooded my car. Its just a dude's story on what happened yo him, why is this community so toxic.

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brndck

eh. its a common problem on pretty much every vehicle that uses coolant as a heat source for hvac (which is pretty much EVERY vehicle).

when you have a puddle of coolant or a giant cloud of steam INSIDE the cabin, it pretty much narrows down what the problem could be....

"hey whats the ONE THING that runs coolant into the inside of my car??? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

welllll either its the heater core, orrrrrrrrrr its the heater core"

not terribly hard to diagnose. great that he wrote a novel too. maybe next time i can have him sit on my lap and i'll read him a bedtime story to go along with it.

the whole thing could have been THIS long.

"hey if you get coolant or steam leaking inside the cabin its your heater core"

bam. /thread.

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hiimelvin

Agreed. It's funny how the guys with the most posts and time spent on here have the least amount of time or patience to read other people's posts.