The heater core on my '89 began to leak yesterday. Anyone know if the stuff you pour in the radiator to stop a leak would work in the heater core? Any reasons why I shouldn't try? Thanks.

It will work, or more likely not work just as well in the heater core as the radiator but I would not use it. That stuff is just like using oat meal in the old days and all it will do is clog the leak as it pushes out. That is the idea anyway. Stop-Leak and those products are only to be used to get you a few more miles to a shop that can fix it. I sure would not pour it in any Toyota product and especially if you are looking for a fix. You are going to have to have it fixed.

Thanks David. That was pretty much my take on things, too. But I'm currently unemployed and need to do things on the cheap until I again have a regular income. Hmmmm - maybe I'll try oatmeal :) Carl

Just a suggestion; if people who could use some cheap or free help would list their location, maybe someone local to them would be able to offer appropriate assistance.

Thanks, Mike...I'm in Columbia, MD. A couple of years ago my son had an old Volvo with a leaking heater core. I said, "Sure, I can fix that" after getting a quote for about $500 from a shop. What a disaster! The Volvo core is buried in the dash and virtually the entire car needed to be disassembled to access it. There were dozens of microscopic vacuum lines to actuate the vents running all over - I eventually got everything back together, but it took several days. I see that the Toyota core is also behind the dash...

I thought I would check. I just happen to have my 88 4Runner sitting in the driveway. It was recently totaled by someone while it was parked on the street. The frame is bent but it has many good parts. I'm in Southern California (Chino Hills).

Or take it out and have it fixed. A heater core looks like a little radiator but of course, it is well buried up in the dash or somewhere. I guess I have two of them since I have a rear heater also. Very nice feature BTW. I turn it on once the truck is warm to keep the front heater from blowing in my face. Most of the work of repair is going to be in the labor of taking it out and putting it back in. Consider doing that yourself and taking it to a radiator shop. I guess you could also just disconnect the two lines going to it and do a bypass while wating for warmer weather. David

Or a member database of mechanics and dealers we like with contact info.

The one and only one I did was in a '68 Chevy Impala and that was bad enough. But I was broke then. Never again.

I can almost top that. A deer smashed into my Camry while it was parked at the end of the drive. No, I did not hit the deer. I came out in the morning, coffee in hand, and was greeted to the sight of a smashed windshield, deer fur all stuck in the broken glass, and muddy hoof prints and scratches from the front left panel, up my hood, over the roof, down the the right passenger door and mirror. This happened while my car was parked on my drive. Deer freely roam the neighborhood making paths in the yard and eating the bushes but they have never attacked until now.

Up

Well, a leaky heater core won't have any effect on your tailpipe emissions. The little benefit you got from that Bar's Leak molassis will not hold either. Best to fix it or bypass it, then get that stuff out of your cooling system. Toyotas do not like strange fluids in them. Replace with Toyota anti-freeze and distilled water only. Can I get a witness?

I agree that the Bar's Leak is a temporary measure. I wasn't concerned about the the heater core leak increasing emissions - only that I want to spend the minimum on repairing the leak until I see if the truck passes emission testing.

I vote for bypassing the core, then, and I hope you live in the south!!! Rich

Unfortunately, I live in Maryland and it's about 10 degrees outside.

yeah but the wind chill is about 0 Carl McKinney <

Too cold to work on the truck, too cold to not work on the truck :)