Who has the BEST A/C evaporator and heater core?

[Motorhead]

I am going to help a friend do the Heater Treater refit on his '04. 5. I suggested replacing the heater core and A/C evap at the same time.

Who sells the best quality parts? Don't want the Chinese crap.

Any other parts to replace while doing this retro fit?

 

[jelag]

I don't know of a service problem with the A/C evaporator, so I personally wouldn't bother with the A/C side. I just retired after years in the HD end of the part business, Clutches, Brakes, Air Compressors, Industrial Friction and of all the vendors I dealt with on the HD side I can't name one who's doing cooling system parts in the US, and I assume that like most of the parts on our trucks they are out sourced to foreign countries.

It used to be you could go to the major chains of part stores and you had your choice of American made and foreign made Clutches, Brakes, Radiators, etc... . today I know the people I dealt with no longer carry American made. The cost of economics here in the US make it almost impossible for a manufacturer to compete with wages. . Had I offered a US made product it would have 4-5 times the price.

I used to purchase OE Clutches from vendors who paid their employee's less per month than I paid in medical benefits for them let alone the Social Security taxes and wages.

When you factor in the manufacturing costs of the raw materials, and than the actual manufacturing costs its almost impossible...

A good example is a center plate for a Class 8 truck... US manufactured cost at $48. 75 fob Chicago, from our off shore vendor $17. 50 fob our door. And in this case, the off shore manufacturer held better tolerances in manufacturing than the US counter part. The same company in another plant makes in tank fuel pumps and gauges... something like 3 million units a year... 90% of that business was OEM... .

It will be interesting to follow this thread, some of the vendors, BCA, Federal Mogul, Arvin Meritor, that I'm personally aware of sell parts made in their off shore plants, but are traditional US companies.

If a new heater core is, lets say $65. 00 would you be willing to pay $240. 00 for the same product made in the US... .

 

[Junior]

yeah i am getting ready to do this also. my heater core went during the winter and my evaporator has been giving me issues so figure change both while i go in there.



hope to hear from some people

 

[FourBarR]

After 14 years and 500,000kms ( 300,000 +k ) had my evaporator and heater core replaced with oem parts. Heater core was still ok but evaporator core was leaking.
work done by dealer ,and cost 1300. 00 parts and labor.

 

[Spooled05]

I just replaced my evap and heater core with the cheap stuff and h/c leaked the first time i started it up! ill wait till winter to tackel that project again!

 

[Motorhead]

I just replaced my evap and heater core with the cheap stuff and h/c leaked the first time i started it up! ill wait till winter to tackel that project again!

Where did you but them so we all know to stay away from that brand?



I looked on Mopar parts online and the OE heater core is $76. 00 and the A/C evap is about $106. 00

Any company making any better ones than the OE?

 

[Jeepr]

Timely post. My A/C was dying a slow death since last fall and is completely gone now. I was thinking evaporator since they are often a problem area on Chrysler products. But my mechanic said it is not common on these trucks, and jelag, you can of confirm this.

 

[Motorhead]

Timely post. My A/C was dying a slow death since last fall and is completely gone now. I was thinking evaporator since they are often a problem area on Chrysler products. But my mechanic said it is not common on these trucks, and jelag, you can of confirm this.

I agree that they may NOT be a leak problem (evaporator) but as long as you are in there to do a COMPLETE re-do of ALL the vent doors then why not.

 

[jjdiesel]

I am going to help a friend do the Heater Treater refit on his '04. 5. I suggested replacing the heater core and A/C evap at the same time.

Who sells the best quality parts? Don't want the Chinese crap.

Any other parts to replace while doing this retro fit?

Just did this exact job, used oem parts.

 

[Motorhead]

Just did this exact job, used oem parts.

Did you run into anything that you would have done different? Were the Heater Treater parts a good fit?

 

[jjdiesel]

Don't think I'd do anything different. My buddy, (a Dodge tech that did the job on the side), wasn't too thrilled with the fit of the Heater Treater doors, but I think the small deficit is worth not having to do it all again in a few months. He acknowledged, "they won't break. " He said the foam on the doors don't seal as well as the oem replacement doors, leak a little air in certain modes. No biggie, I'll take that trade-off. Other than that, as stated, I used a new oem heater-core. Did this all at 115k on my 04. I'd do it again.

 

[Deleted member 995608]

Did you run into anything that you would have done different? Were the Heater Treater parts a good fit?

I did mine May 2011. Heater Treater fit like a champ.