In our limited experience with swapping one into an 05 and getting sub par heat for our efforts, I won't do another one.
Heater core recommendation?
- Thread starter Chris Kelley
- Start date
That's reassuring. This is the first vehicle I have owned where the radiator core has gone bad like this.
I have owned some old piles before but heat always worked and they died with functioning heater cores. It's a bit frustrating.
I guess I'm holding out for some inventory to come in from performance radiator. I'm going to call a few local radiator shops and see what shakes out.
I'm not looking forward to doing mine. Especially with all the junk aftermarket replacements out there.
If mine was to start leaking shortly after the "industry leading 12 month warranty".... someone would be getting hurt.
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I'm more than a bit frustrated with Brassworks. With the ability to make full custom, it would make a lot of sense if that also included at least OEM levels of performance. All I've seen so far is "I've got one I don't have to worry about ever leaking again". Yeah, how is the heat output? Not good but I don't have to worry about it leaking.
You don't have to worry about it leaking if you bypass it either so why are we doing this and why do you think that is good?
Exactly! I can even get a brass bypass if one needs to have brass for about $5. The brassworks isn't a cheap gamble either. It's a shame as I think it would be a more popular replacement if the performance feedback was better.
Have this nice low mileage lj with no heat. The later model tj inventory over the next few years is going to see a lot more used jeeps being sold with no heat lol.
I called a few local radiator shops in town and the ones I called were out of stock. They used performance radiator cores though so I guess that's another positive for performance radiator. Thanks for the suggestion @Mr. Bills
Brassworks seems to really pride themselves on building a product superior to the aluminum versions that are available. However, they fail to mention if their heater cores actually produce heat. I was optimistic to find them when I was shopping around. I didn't even mind the higher price tag going on the assumption I would be getting a superior product that's made in the USA. Sure glad I read the reports of other's who'd gone before me.
Agreed! It seems they sell a $350, very difficult to install, bypass which is a shame. I too was excited to read about a product hand made in the US.
What makes that option even more frustrating is that they are hand made to order but continue to see bad performance feedback. You would think they could update or tweak their design much quicker and easier than any other large national radiator shop.
The difficulty is finding a core that has the same fin density and tube count that will replicate OEM performance. If you look at the older OEM version, it is a very high fin density radiator style and that works very well. Copying that won't be easy.
Their estimated lead time is what kept me shopping. I realize everything is made/ order, but 18-20 week lead time... seriously?!
No thanks.
It's a fucking heater core, not a stroker motor.
Yes, I had it repaired at a local radiator shop last week. I've been planning this project since last November so, at one point in time, I was planning on buying something new. Thanks again for the suggestion on having mine repaired!
I thought they all had turbulators but the plastic ones were too fat and slowed the flow,they also come lose and end up in the water pump
I don't know but I'm pretty sure that is not the only reason they suck.
My 2002 will burn your feet,but we might be trying to make some newer jk core or something oem work in a tj in the future
Yeah my current heater core will throw out some heat. So much that I rarely have the heat up very high.
I am also curious how this will look in a few years as more and more start to fail.
WJM1776
New Member
Thanks for all the input on this.. I’m thinking I need to get mine replaced or repaired and this has saved me a ton of time. Thank you guys!