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2000 Maxima Heater Core - Plastic Water Connectors!
A very big warning on these Pastic Heater Core Water Connectors!
Any GEN5 with its age (mine has 24 years!) and especially high mileage (mine has 251,821 mile), be forewarned that these Water Connectors made of Plastic is just a newer Engine waiting to happen.
I installed a newer Engine November 2022 as the Radiator and Coolant reservoir tank went dry and over heated the original Engine! I blamed it on an After-Market Thermostat and now I am very certain it is these HEATER CORE "PLASTIC" Water coolant Connectors that screw onto the HEATER CORE! If you see wet condition at the Front Passenger floor area then, these are plastic water connectors are your Big Problem and keep an eye on Coolant level should you continue to drive the vehicle.
The Entire Heater Core plus these Plastic Water Connectors (Quantity 2), comes out to $500 US assuming you get the Geniune article parts. Labor is extra and let me tell you the removal and replacement is a Pain in the ASHE!
At the best price for just these two (2) Plastic Heater Core Water Connectors (Inlet & Outlet) cost $80+ US each, plus shipping!!
Today, I went ahead and used a Gates 5/8 - inch diameter Water Bypass tube for the two hoses that went to the Heater Core Plastic Water Connectors and therefore, left the Heater abandon in place!
I live in Central Florida and never use the HEATER, even in winter! What Winter???? HA!
This was my solution and it works! Saved me $900+ US by just leaving the Heater Core and those ugly Plastic Water Connectors abandon in place!
Last edited by guapoman2000; Sep 28, 2023 at 08:56 AM.
A very big warning on these Pastic Heater Core Water Connectors!
Any GEN5 with its age (mine has 24 years!) and especially high mileage (mine has 251,821 mile), be forewarned that these Water Connectors made of Plastic is just a newer Engine waiting to happen.
I installed a newer Engine November 2022 as the Radiator and Coolant reservoir tank went dry and over heated the original Engine! I blamed it on an After-Market Thermostat and now I am very certain it is these HEATER CORE "PLASTIC" Water coolant Connectors that screw onto the HEATER CORE! If you see wet condition at the Front Passenger floor area then, these are plastic water connectors are your Big Problem and keep an eye on Coolant level should you continue to drive the vehicle.
The Entire Heater Core plus these Plastic Water Connectors (Quantity 2), comes out to $500 US assuming you get the Geniune article parts. Labor is extra and let me tell you the removal and replacement is a Pain in the ASHE!
At the best price for just these two (2) Plastic Heater Core Water Connectors (Inlet & Outlet) cost $80+ US each, plus shipping!!
Today, I went ahead and used a Gates 5/8 - inch diameter Water Bypass tube for the two hoses that went to the Heater Core Plastic Water Connectors and therefore, left the Heater abandon in place!
I live in Central Florida and never use the HEATER, even in winter! What Winter???? HA!
This was my solution and it works! Saved me $900+ US by just leaving the Heater Core and those ugly Plastic Water Connectors abandon in place!
IIRC, you can just cut holes and replace them from the engine bay. Also, I've see metal adapter threaded/glued in to existing plastic.
IIRC, you can just cut holes and replace them from the engine bay. Also, I've see metal adapter threaded/glued in to existing plastic.
Thank you for your reply!
There is Zero Chance that anyone can do anything from the Engine Bay except tie together the hoses with the Gates Adapter Coupler!
Your comments / recommendations sound trivial and simple and they are not without perhaps taking out the Intake Manifold to open holes (cutting into the Firewall).
There is just nothing you can do from the Engine Bay to replace those Plastic Water Connectors and even if you did, you still have to unscrew them from the HEATER CORE, which is from inside!.
Metal Adapters? Care to provide any links to these?
Last edited by guapoman2000; Sep 29, 2023 at 04:00 AM.
There is Zero Chance that anyone can do anything from the Engine Bay except tie together the hoses with the Gates Adapter Coupler!
Your comments / recommendations sound trivial and simple and they are not without perhaps taking out the Intake Manifold to open holes (cutting into the Firewall).
There is just nothing you can do from the Engine Bay to replace those Plastic Water Connectors and even if you did, you still have to unscrew them from the HEATER CORE, which is from inside!.
Metal Adapters? Care to provide any links to these?
Removing intake is easy and fast. A plasma cutter will make quick work of the firewall (but I'd probably have a CO2 extinguisher just in case). I will junk a car before remove the dash.
A hole big enough to get my meathooks in there will make it easy to R/R, especially with the right tool like a ratcheting 90* screwdriver.
I guess with the right length screwdriver that wouldn't be too bad.
If it's not too brittle and you break it off removing a hose, then you could get a metal fitting whose OD is just ever so slightly larger than plastic crap ID and tap it/glue. Or just go for a plain one and glue.
Obviously, there's no guarantees on that. Florida heat has definitely destroyed yours LOL
Last edited by Child_uv_KoRn; Sep 29, 2023 at 12:26 PM.
Just like to follow-up that my 2000 Nissan Maxima GLE is running great and there is zero leaks dripping down on the Front passenger side!
Keeping an eye on the Plastic Coupler that tied the two Heater Hoses together and that GATES product seems to have solve the issue, of course I have no more heater and thereby, will NOT have any Heating.
Living in Central Florida does not present an issue by NOT having a functioning heater as we only have two days of below 32 degrees, at best.
For less than $4 I was able to avoid a very costly Heater Repair!
I think plastic cooling system parts are an effort to retire the cars to junkyards faster, the engines and transmissions if solid make 300K miles cars and you can't sell as many new cars so they put in weak parts to break them faster.
Ford has the very same issue, the plastic is commonly ABS and if you look close enough you will almost always find heat cracks everywhere in them.
I think plastic cooling system parts are an effort to retire the cars to junkyards faster, the engines and transmissions if solid make 300K miles cars and you can't sell as many new cars so they put in weak parts to break them faster.
Ford has the very same issue, the plastic is commonly ABS and if you look close enough you will almost always find heat cracks everywhere in them.
I am in the same boat, both my heater core plastic outlets snapped off as I was pulling the engine. I live in central florida and barely use the heat so I bypasses it above the bellhousing.
