Where's the Heater Core master? Experience w/ non-OEM brands

grndslm · Post by **grndslm** » 20 Sep 2012, 21:33

I'm in urgent need of a replacement heater core as mine decided to BUST all over my carpet.

The practical options seem to be....

Advance Auto -- Ready-Aire brand comes with Lifetime warranty for $62 + tax (this price doesn't include o-rings, but I think they sell some they could match me up with??)

Rock Auto -- URO brand comes with 2-year warranty for $64 (apparently it *does* include o-rings)

FCP Groton -- Nissens brand comes with Lifetime warranty for $106 (this price *does* include o-rings)

FCP Groton -- OEM brand (Behr) with Lifetime warranty for $119 (this price *does* include o-rings)

Has any Master Tech around here actually used non-OEM brand???

Considering that the OEM brand seems to get such a bad rap... perhaps I should try the Nissens brand???

Also, is there anything else I should be changing while I'm down here??

And what's the best way to dry out the foam padding that's underneath the carpet?? I can't seem to pull it all the way out because of the electronic controls for the seat.

And is FCP Groton's free shipping any fast? Even Advance will take a full week to get here, so I figure the other options would be better.

Much thanks in advance!!

Post by **jblackburn** » 20 Sep 2012, 22:21

Go with the Behr. It's "less bad" than the others. Lesser of the evils, I suppose. They'll all fail eventually.

Problems with the aftermarket cores include them exploding going down the road or poor heat capability.

I live in VA, and FCP has always gotten things to me in 2-3 days (they're based in CT).

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 20 Sep 2012, 22:26

There's an interesting string of posts for a very inexpensive "New and Improved" unit over at VS:

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/topic/15 ... ter-cores/

Here's the eBay link to the new kid on the block:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-Heater-Co ... 792wt_1163

Hopefully, there's something to this.

grndslm · Post by **grndslm** » 20 Sep 2012, 23:45

BEJinFbk wrote:There's an interesting string of posts for a very inexpensive "New and Improved" unit over at VS:

http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/topic/15 ... ter-cores/

Here's the eBay link to the new kid on the block:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Volvo-Heater-Co ... 792wt_1163

Hopefully, there's something to this.

My man....

YOU ARE THE MASTER!!!!

I figured that there had to be a better design for such a common failure. Those Behr heater cores were likely last made 10-15 years ago.... which is why they frequently fail for a new installation. Volvo seems to use plastics that last 10-15 years. This heater core I pulled looks stock, as it had a date of something '96 on it.

You definitely exceeded my expectations on every level, tho!!! WOW...

Post by **cn90** » 21 Sep 2012, 05:40

* The ebay link above points to something called "Swedish Car Parts".
For $38 shipped to your door, then by deduction, this sounds like "URO" people selling these things under a disguised name: "Swedish Car Parts".
I have no experience with this "New Improved" Heater Core....Time will tell but I bet these ebay parts said "made in Europe". Think about it....if it comes to your door for $38, then it must have left Europain factory for $15, impossible.....
I bet these come further further further East of Europe, in a country south of Russia Republic.....

* Anyone here uses Volvo Blue Box Heater Core? Waltrip Volvo sells it for $149:
http://www.trademotion.com/parts/index. ... eid=216970

Post by **precopster** » 21 Sep 2012, 06:39

I purchased the Swedish Car Parts heater core a couple of months ago and have yet to fit it. I plan on fitting it to the 2000 V70 which produces lacklustre heat in Winter so I wonder if somebody replaced it with a non-Behr core.

I took some photos which you can see below. I don't believe it's a rebadged part and , as advertised, it has the sponge strip already attached. I didn't see any Assembled in Estonia stickers anywhere to coincide with the eBay ad. It DOES have the unique crimping technique as advertised on the ad. Apparently the cores are Italian.

It has 26 fins per inch on my measurement, if this is close to the OEM or Behr I'd like to know as the FCP non-genuine heater cores I've previously fitted had less fins/inch than the OEM one I pulled out but unfortunately I didn't document the measurements. As I recall it was a difference of around 25% less fins/inch which accounts for the 25% reduction in heat output of the cheaper cores.

If anyone has a genuine heater core handy this would be a good time to take a measure to it and add to this thread.

grndslm · Post by **grndslm** » 21 Sep 2012, 11:05

The OEM-Behr core seems to have 27 fins / inch....

So that means the eBay version is virtually the same size, if not the same size.... due to non-standard measurements (different rulers, different eyes, etc.) between precopster and myself.

Post by **precopster** » 21 Sep 2012, 15:28

Well thanks for the input grndslm!! So it should have equal heat output as the Behr/OEM. The thread on VS seems to suggest that this is also the case but this is a new product and it takes time for feedback to occur.