TheSamba.com :: View topic - Heater Core at NAPA or other source. I did search already.

Thu May 03, 2012 7:29 am

So I now need a heater core since the green drip arrived last night. I found NAPA has one in the warehouse for 160.00 available in 2 days for free shipping to the local store. Front Heater core quoted and the NAPA website confirms it. So, the question is do I purchase the one from Van-Cafe where I buy all of my stuff and wait for the shipping and be out the Doka for a week or more? Or try the NAPA one and get it done by Monday? Now that there are options I am fine with an oem style one again vs. the nicer copper ones etc. Anyone buy a NAPA one yet?
Thanks
Tony
Sunny FL, what is a heater used for again?

Thu May 03, 2012 7:36 am

Quote: Sunny FL, what is a heater used for again?
For those 2 days it actually does get cold.....

I'd give the NAPA one a shot. Maybe make sure you can return it if it isn't 100% though. Some places are funny with special order parts.

Thu May 03, 2012 7:43 am

yeah it's a bitch when it's 65* & breezy by the gulf.
see the Floridians bundled up in hoodies whenthe clouds roll by. :lol:

SteveVanB wrote: Quote: Sunny FL, what is a heater used for again?
For those 2 days it actually does get cold......

Thu May 03, 2012 8:22 am

I'd be interested in seeing the napa one, I would prefer an OEM one....the one that VC sells has less coils. every inch of btu is important to me.

Thu May 03, 2012 8:24 am

A friend ordered what was supposed to be a front heater core
from NAPA and was sent the rear. The listing was for front
but when the NAPA store sent it back asking for another thinking
it was a mistake. Another rear showed up. Is there a picture of
it on the website that you can view to confirm its the right part?
This all went down about a year ago so things may have been
corrected but just wanted to give you a heads up.
I just checked these two part number at
Napa and their both rear
NHC 6603512
ATM 867819121A

Do you have a napa number for the front?

Thu May 03, 2012 9:47 am

Napa Does not offer a front heater core for the Vanagon.
It's an incorrect listing.

Thu May 03, 2012 10:02 am

Look in the FAQ under section:
80 Heating & Ventilation:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=151300

Especially the $50 ideas.

FYI: Some of the vendors such as Bus Depot and Van Cafe have interesting versions too.

Thu May 03, 2012 10:14 am

If money was not the determining factor, If I was going that far into my dashboard, I would want the best heater core I could afford. I recall when I worked at Audi in the mid 80s' we were replacing heater cores under warranty in the 5000 models for leaking. The replacment ones would also fail. They would leak on the seam between the aluminum core and the plastic tanks.

So you can keep the van on the road for the time being, it is easy enough to bypass the heater core. Your call. I have no experience with the NAPA one, but it seems like two people are aware of a catalog error.

Thu May 03, 2012 10:30 am

purplepeopleeater wrote: the one that VC sells has less coils. every inch of btu is important to me.

I installed the VC one last fall. With the valve opened all the way, and no fan - the heat coming out is uncomfortably toasty.

Thu May 03, 2012 12:04 pm

Get the usual suppliers versions; I can personally recommend TK's front heater core which I have in my van and which produces an unholy amount of heat. Installed as a perfect fit, included everything I needed for the install.

I don't remember if TK has a rear too, but if he doesn't, the usual vendors will work just fine.

Best,

B.

Thu May 03, 2012 12:16 pm

I will get the good one. Money is never a consideration on the Doka, just locating one in Pinellas County today was the hope. I will park it and order one.
Thanks a bunch. I did call the Store in clearwater and they confirmed it was a front unit, but what do they know from a computer screen. I am sure it would be a rear as mentioned above.
Thanks
Tony

Thu May 03, 2012 3:17 pm

wasserbox wrote: purplepeopleeater wrote: the one that VC sells has less coils. every inch of btu is important to me.

I installed the VC one last fall. With the valve opened all the way, and no fan - the heat coming out is uncomfortably toasty.
Ditto for the one I got from BusDepot too!