Modding Heatercores

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Weaksauce
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Jun 8, 2004
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Many people have suggested using heatercores from old cars as a cheap alternative to buying one such as a BlackIce. But they need to be modified to work..... I think it's only adding barbs, right? Exactly how do you do this, and which heatercores are the best? I know I've heard Bonneville and Chevette tossed around quite a bit, but I was wondering if there were any other names I should know?
 
I just picked one up this past weekend for $20 canadian. it's from a 94 taurus or something... just a small heatercore. all I did was cut the in/out cause they were really long and put clamps on it.

just go to a used parts store and ask what they got for copper heatercores.
 
Chevette heatercore for one 120mm fan. 77 Caprice (have to verify modelyear) for single pass dual 120mm radiator.
 
THere was a good guide on modding a chevette core for 1/2" ID barbs, let me see if i can find it. I need it for myself anyway as I'm probably doing the mod on mine this week. I'll let you know what I end up doing...

here's one link, not totally thorough but gives you a good idea of what you need to do

http://www.overclockers.com/tips1022/
 
a blackice is just a painted heatercore...

its not a suggestion, most poeple use heatercores. theyre smaller than radiators and work very well

i had the single fan heatercore that dangerden offeres, i have since bought a bonneville heatercore and put my own barbs on. most people say to desolder out the pipes and put your connections there but i just cut the pipes down as they were long and bent, jb welded on screw pieces, and screwed in barb connections, sealed with teflon tape, then coated all of that in jb weld for maximum protection. has held up very well and works very well
 
Just about any motorcycle radiator will work perfectly. I have a copper radiator with a built in reservoir that will easily fit two 120mm fans and it only cost me £10 from a bike breakers. The connections require replacing before I can use it but it's going to be very simple to solder in barbs to the current tubes.
 
Most heatercores have bolted-on plastic barbs (at least, most that I looked at), which makes them problematic to modify.
 
PhyberOptik said:
Most heatercores have bolted-on plastic barbs (at least, most that I looked at), which makes them problematic to modify.
Click to expand...

ive NEVER seen that, can you get a pic?
 
most of the ones I have seen have metal barbs on them, it's just a matter of whether or not they are the right size/right position for you.

for instance, I got one from a...E-150 I think? that has 5/8" barbs, but my hose stretches over it no problem, so no modding needed to be done.
 
I just bought a couple of threaded barbs (one 1/2", one 3/8" threaded, both 3/8" barbs) to use on my chevette heater core. I'm planning to cut off the barbs that are on there now, stick the threaded end of the adapter into the pipe, clamp down on the pipe, and then use a torch and solder to seal the threaded end into the pipe. Then i can just put my 3/8" tygon tubing right onto the barbs, without having to mess with any adapters/reducers.
 
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