California NORCAL Heater Core Replacement - Recommendation for Rod's Radiator, Redding CA

Mr. Bills

Mr. Bills

Raconteur Emeritus
Supporting Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2017
Messages
4,186
Location
Area Code 605 USA & Código de área 415 MX
My heater core decided to spring a leak on July 26, 2018 during the middle of the evacuation from the Carr Fire in Northern California. You can imagine just how pleased I wasn't to be in gridlocked traffic with my temperature gauge pegged on "H" and a puddle of coolant forming under my rig while a firenado rapidly approached from behind. Fortunately, I keep heater hose and hose clamps in my jeep box and was able to quickly rig a bypass and get going. To put "fortunate" into perspective, 64 houses in my neighborhood burned to the ground that night including my next door neighbor's and every house on the street behind me.

After months of attending to other more pressing projects, and suddenly coming to the realization that I had procrastinated until the dead of winter, I finally found the time to tackle replacement of the heater core.

Did I do it myself? Hell no.

On the recommendation of several people I know and trust, I decided to visit Rod's Radiator in Redding CA. Rod's is an old school radiator shop, one of the last of its breed. It is said by some to be the best radiator shop from Medford to Stockton and Eureka to Reno. However, what sold me on Rod's Radiators was the owner's shiny '04 light khaki TJ parked in front and the fact that he has personally done the TJ heater core swap. He also has the equipment to purge and re-charge the air conditioner so it is one-stop shopping.

I am happy to report that my heater core and evaporator core have been replaced and the cooling system flushed. I now have more heat than in any jeep I have ever owned and the A/C is cold enough to give your private parts frostbite. The blend door works perfectly, and just as important - silently. There are no leaks, no rattles, no leftover parts.

76346
76347


Was it worth the cost of labor? Considering the labor cost in relation to the number of hours it would have taken me to do it with a very steep learning curve and no shortage of frustration, it was well worth the reasonable sum I paid not to have to do the job myself.

Besides, isn't retirement all about spending your children's inheritance?

I recommend*:

Rod's Radiator
3110 Bechelli Lane
Redding CA 96002
(530) 223-3978
https://www.yelp.com/biz/rods-radiators-redding-2

__
*No discounts or promotional considerations were requested or given in exchange for favorable mention.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Aloha Joe, mikespine, Chris and 3 others
Hate to admit I evacuated my parents in their Honda Civic and left the LJ to burn (it survived). Great to hear a recommendation for a good shop up north, adding it to my address book.

Edit: in my defense it I had no top on the Jeep and the Civic had a cabin filter, it was a rough night/week but in the end we got off easy
 
  • Like
Reactions: zebra12 and MountaineerTom
pagrey said:
Hate to admit I evacuated my parents in their Honda Civic and left the LJ to burn (it survived). . . .
Click to expand...

I left with my dog, my laptop and my LJ.

Actually, I was in better shape than most. Someone upstairs was looking out for me because my jeep was already packed for a camping trip on the day of the evacuation even though the trip wasn't for another two days.
 
zebra12 said:
Which heater core did Rod use (Mopar or other)?
Click to expand...

Other.

We compared the old heater core with the original Mopar, a new replacement Mopar, and the aftermarket radiator he uses and has faith in (not Spectra or a parts store brand). There were no discernible differences and the warranty on the aftermarket heater core was twice as long as the Mopar warranty. Since Rod's stands behind its work and the products the shop installs, and based upon the owner's representation that he has never had a "come back" with the heater cores he recommends and because it is in his own best interest to only install quality parts due to the labor involved on a warranty claim, and finally because he installed the heater core he recommended to me in his own TJ, I elected to follow his advice.

Had the owner of Rod's Radiators recommended Mopar I would have used Mopar. He didn't. Sometimes one needs to choose whether to listen to a professional in the trade or Internet opinion. In this instance I chose the former.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Zorba
I need to do this to replace my leaking evaporator core. Sadly I will have to tackle it myself. Did he suspend the dash with rope on the roll bars so you don't have to remove the steering column?

We were coming back from a Jeep trip to Slick Rock when the Mendo Complex fire was raging. Ended up evacuated to a RV park in Dunnigan for 14 days. That was fun.
 
  • Like
Reactions: JP13 and bobthetj03
I’m about to tackle this - what brand of core did you end up using?? I got a spectra but I’m new to wrenching on my Jeep and would very very much like to avoid blowing another weekend a year from now doing this all over again.
 
They told me, I wrote it someplace, and will add it to my initial post when I do. It was not a brand name that I recognized from previous online searches and I suspect that distribution and marketing may be to the trade rather than the general public.

Frankly, it didn't matter as much to me what the brand name was as much as it was the heater core recommended by the owner of a well-respected family business with 41 years experience with radiators and heater cores and a reputation for standing behind its work. If it was good enough for the owner's personal jeep it was good enough for mine, especially after his comment to me that changing a heater core is so much work in a TJ that it needs to be done right the first time every time and that scrimping on parts for that kind of job is for fools.
 
Mr. Bills said:
They told me, I wrote it someplace, and will add it to my initial post when I do. It was not a brand name that I recognized from previous online searches and I suspect that distribution and marketing may be to the trade rather than the general public.

Frankly, it didn't matter as much to me what the brand name was as much as it was the heater core recommended by the owner of a well-respected family business with 41 years experience with radiators and heater cores and a reputation for standing behind its work. If it was good enough for the owner's personal jeep it was good enough for mine, especially after his comment to me that changing a heater core is so much work in a TJ that it needs to be done right the first time every time and that scrimping on parts for that kind of job is for fools.
Click to expand...

Thanks!
 
Did you ever find out the brand? Thinking I may tackle this next weekend and would rather put in whatever your guy used than my random choice.
 
Sorry, I meant to confirm the brand name but time got away from me. Unfortunately I will be unable to provide you with any further information prior to your heater core replacement.

Most of my city and the surrounding areas have been severely impacted by recent bad weather which broke a 50-year-old snowfall record. 85,000 homes in the region were without power, the Sacramento River is in flood stage in several locales, and many businesses in town have been closed since Tuesday including the radiator shop which is likely to remain closed until at least after the holiday weekend.
 
Top Bottom
Back