Chevy van blew heater core today.

[Nomad74]

Finished first job and noticed the smell of antifreeze and that my engine temp was higher than normal. I immediately put water in my radiator using my ss870 to pump water from the water box. I noticed my heater core was puking out the water. Turns out it's a $16 plastic part that busted. The heater control valve. I'm off to the store now to buy one and hopefully get back to work. Excuse the dirty shirt in the picture. I was scuba diving in hot radiator water trying to find my leak.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

You could have easily bypassed it by looping one of the heater hoses back to the engine.

 

[Nomad74]

You could have easily bypassed it by looping one of the heater hoses back to the engine.

Too bad you weren't with me on the side of the dirt road to do just that. I was wishing I had a pair of vice grips and I would have just pinched off the lines, but that wasn't an option either.

 

[Newman]

You could have easily bypassed it by looping one of the heater hoses back to the engine.

Not so easy to bypass. It would still take a trip to the parts store for barb fittings and just as much work to do a temporary repair.

That bypass valve bugger is a biotch to get at!

 

[Nomad74]

Not so easy to bypass. It would still take a trip to the parts store for barb fittings and just as much work to do a temporary repair.

That bypass valve bugger is a biotch to get at!

I'm living the dream. I can't get my hand in there to get the clamps off the broken bypass. so i'm just going to plug things up until I can get some cable pliers for clamps. I don't need heat. I can wear a jacket.

 

[Cleanworks]

Come on, don't you have a hammer?

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Bypass the whole thing by looping any hose between the outlet and inlet on the block.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

I can see it's a chevy express, remove one screw on the radiator reserve tank to access it.

 

[Newman]

That dang thang is under the AC box. I pulled the passenger tire and removed the splash skirt to access it from down under.

 

[Nomad74]

That dang thang is under the AC box. I pulled the passenger tire and removed the splash skirt to access it from down under.

Lee. I love you but your living in happy land. One hose is 1/2 inch and the other is 3/4. So it's not just a matter of sliding some hoses around on the side of the road.

I can't get the damn bypass off so I made a Marty-Rig ( @hogjowl )bypass until I can locate some hose clamp pliers.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Have you ever considered a career building truck mounts....in TEXAS?

The Galvanized capital of the world!

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Do it the hard way...

 

[Nomad74]

I'm back in business. She's holding pressure. Just don't let me forget my jacket in the morning.

 

[Nomad74]

Do it the hard way...

Lee. I think I see what you are saying. These clamps are a bitch without the cable clamp wrench.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

In the future, just FYI, you can cut the larger hose a foot or so from the outlet on the water pump.

Then remove the clamp from the smaller hose next to it. Cut the smaller hose flush with the pipe.

Now loop the larger hose back and after sliding the clamp up the hose, work the larger hose over the smaller one and tighten the clamp.

 

[Nomad74]

My van is a 2001. I'm wondering what other vital plastic piece is going to break. I kind of feel like I'm driving a teacup.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Somewhat akin to bypassing a broken preheater on your 870.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

At least on a chevy the plastic parts cost less.

Get familiar with the push on heater hose ends, probably time to replace too.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Not sure how this locked

 

[Mikey P]

My fat thumbs


Carry on.


If we don't get at least one Damon Proof thread a day here, I'm not sure the human race will go on

 

[Nomad74]

My fat thumbs


Carry on.


If we don't get at least one Damon Proof thread a day here, I'm not sure the human race will go on

Thanks, I was trying to figure out what I did wrong. Ok, I feel better now.

 

[Lee Stockwell]

Was blaming MY fat thumbs