The heater core in my IROC needs replacing. I priced it at the local NAPA store and it was only $32, I haven’t priced it at the local Chevy dealer, I’m sure it’ll be more. Is the OEM heater core much better quality than aftermarket? Sure don’t want to do this job twice, but I hate paying more than necessary. Would you pay extra for the OEM part in this case?

 

If I where you this one of the few times I would go with the napa piece

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86Z28, GM 350, Jet perf Q-jet & chip Dual snorkel air cleaner, Edelbrock performer intake, Edelbrock headers, Edelbrock cat-back, Off road pipe, MSD 6AL, Accel Super Coil, Taylor Spiro-pro wires, Rapid fire plugs, Jet fan switch, World class t-5, Hurst Short Throw Shifter, Ram Flywheel, Center force dual friction clutch,Aluminum drive shaft, BW disc rear 3.45's & a posi, PBR calipers, Earls braided brake lines, Polygrapite bushings all the way around, poly tranny mount & torque arm mount, Hotchkis lower control arms & panhard rod, Rancho limiter straps, KYB struts & shocks, Gm Wonderbar, Edelbrock strut tower brace, SSM sub frame connectors, Jamex lowering springs, Carbon metallic brake pads, Crossed drilled rotors, Mobil 1 Tranny fluid & motor oil, GM syntheic rear end oil, K&N, Grant stering wheel, 1,200 watt system, Jet Black Paint, 91 Z28 rims, 92 wing, Tinted windows.

 

Personally. I would pay the price and not worry about it.
But I read that your in Florida, does it EVER get cold down there?


Brendan

 

I replaced mine with an aftermarket part fron AutoZone in 91 or 92 and haven't had a single problem with it. Maybe I just got lucky. Eventhough I'm not superstitous, I think I'll knock on some wood.

 

I got my from Trak Auto, it's been about a year and no problems yet.

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"Rice burners are like tampons...Every pu$$y has to have one"
'86 IROC
T-TOPS, TINTED WINDOWS, BRAKE LIGHT BLACKOUTS
GM GOODWRENCH 350
EDELBROCK TES HEADERS
3" Hooker CatBack w/Aero Chamber muffler
EDELBROCK 600CFM CARB.
KN AIRFILTER
ACCEL HEI DISTRIBUTOR
160* Stat
3:73 Posi
Rebuilt 700R4
B&M Megashifter, 5" Autometer Tach w/shift lite

 

I've had one I got from a local Discount Auto Parts for under $30, seems to work fine (I'll knock on wood too...)

This is cheap enough and easy enough to change I don't have a problem replacing it again anyway.

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Ray87Z
-Vortec headed 350.
86 IROC w/ a cammed 305 TPI.
Formerly Ray86IROC.
www.inter-scape.com/Ray

 

I would have to agree with the rest of the guys who've responded so far, and go with an aftermarket one. All factory heater cores seem to go out after a while, so I sure wouldn't replace the original one with another pathetic original one. The aftermarket suppliers have to put a lifetime guarantee on their cores, so they're usually made a little better than the originals. When I got my replacement one, I noticed the solder was a lot thicker in all the areas that the factory ones usually spring a leak. It's rare to see one that actually rots out, it's usually a leak where the soldering is. Besides, if the aftermarket one ever springs a leak, after you bust your a$$ getting it out again, you can always throw it back at them and make them give you another one for free due to the lifetime warranty. I doubt GM has any warranty on their replacement cores because they know they're garbage!

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89RS w/350 TPI; 69RS/SS w/450 HP 350/Muncie 4-Speed "Too weird to live, too rare to die."

 

Wow, I never knew the aftermarkets were better than OEM. I just put a Zone heater core ($19) in a year ago, in my daily driver, still fine. It didn't seat into the mounting clip the same way as the orig, but, as I said, it is still fine.

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88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.