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Heater pipe under van rusted out! Arrrrgh!!!

55K views 78 replies 46 participants last post by  Campermike 
#1 ·
The freakin thing blew out on me going home tonight. We were almost home when I noticed the temp. gauge hovering just below the red, but not climbing any more, yet. At home, popped the hood and both fans going to beat the band. Crawled around underneath with my flash light, and there it was horror of horrors, anti-freeze still kind of pumping out the hole in the steel pipes at the location around the welded on bracket. Shut off the engine, still not in the red yet, check coolant resevoir, bone dry. CRAP!
Does any one know the approx. cost of these pipes (in Ontario Canada)! Has anybody ever had the pleasure of replacing them. I do need the rear heat for the little tykes on the long winter trips up north to -40 Deg. Celsius land. Any info would be appreciated. It is my 2001 Grand Caravan by the way. Thanks. I am almost too petrified to call the stealer for pricing.
KC.
 
#3 ·
While it is strange that it happened on that new of a vehicle, Bernard hit it on the head. Just make sure it is connected to the underbody correctly so it does not droop or fall.
Do they salt the roads where you live, during the winter?
 
#4 ·
DSMLVR said:
Do they salt the roads where you live, during the winter?
By the amount of salt they use here, you'd think the automobile manufacturers likely pay for the salt to generate revenue. Most new vehicles are beginning to rust before they leave the dealer's lot.
 
#5 ·
DSMLVR said:
While it is strange that it happened on that new of a vehicle, Bernard hit it on the head. Just make sure it is connected to the underbody correctly so it does not droop or fall.
Do they salt the roads where you live, during the winter?
Salt, yes they love the stuff hear. I am a little leary of non OEM fixes, especially for the enviroment this will be used in, the north country is hard on vehicles up there. I will call the dealer today to get a price on the replacement tubes for the shock of my life. Thank you for the input so far, it is appreciated.
KC.
 
#6 ·
Uh-oh, I'm getting plenty nervous. There's more salt on the roads around here during the winter than there is pavement...I'd better have a peak underneath the Caravan...
 
#7 ·
ESADORNED said:
Salt, yes they love the stuff hear. I am a little leary of non OEM fixes, especially for the enviroment this will be used in, the north country is hard on vehicles up there. I will call the dealer today to get a price on the replacement tubes for the shock of my life. Thank you for the input so far, it is appreciated.
KC.
The rubber hose suggested might actually outlast the metal pipe that is currently being used. Metal will rust again. I'd certainly make sure that your new pipe is insulated with rubber or something that will not let the salt through.
 
#8 ·
Those pipes down there are just BARE STEEL? I always made the assumption that they were stainless or aluminum or something other than bare steel. Even though we live in North Carolina, I'll keep up my underbody inspections. :) Thankfully they're pretty modest with salt around here. We get a lot of ice, but they typically sand before they salt.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I have an old post on this somewhere.

Everyone who has a LWB Chrysler minivan should take note, that these things need to be inspected regularly, and you should plan to replace them probably every three years. The last time you replace them, if the van is really old, you can just plug up the heater hoses behind the engine compartment and save yourself the trouble.

I was shocked to learn in about 1998 that the rear heater tubes in my 95 were almost rusted through. The shop that had it, let me know that this was happening, and replaced them for me. In the 2nd gens they were MUCH shorter than these ones, and it still ran me upwards of $200 for the part. They came as a unit, I think they are connected to each other with the piece of metal that connects to the underbody.

Last year, I observed that the rear heater was leaking. PRobably because the hose between these troublesome tubes and the rear heater core was the original. This hose is impossible to get to. One of those areas where they designed it well, for assembly, but not for service. So I just looped the heater hose around rather than running heat to the rear. I could drive the van with much more peace of mind after that.

My other post, I think is in the Wishing Well, from months ago--to make these rear hoses out of something that will not corrode away. DUH!!!!! Or at least shield it somehow with a hunk of thick plastic.
 
#10 ·
The rust on the underside of my 02 T&C is out of control. The pipes, rear axle,springs and all hardware are rusted to the max. It reminds me of a sunken ship wreck on tv. I have never owned a vehicle or seen one that is this bad for rust build up. My seat tracks are even covered with rust. I am having second thoughts in keeping the van because of the rust buildup. If you remember from old post I had to replace the tailgate for rust problems. If I replace the pipes and keep the van I will check into getting them power coated before I install them on the van.
 
#11 ·
rust prevention?

Hi to all,
I started seeing these 4th gen vans rusting out, bubling away with rust along body seams specially.
So far I seen the a few with front hood - lowest lip rusted through, along the edges of front doors and the rear trunk.

For you owners in the salt belt (others too) that do not take the vehicle in for regular oil sprays, or rust inhibitors and what not, a simple prevention you can do at home, fast altough a bit messy, is spray with an oil can, squirt some engine oil through the drain holes of all the doors, and from the underside of the hood.

I did that in August - when driest weather, van not washed for a few weeks, so it should be really dry, used some left over Mobil 1 synthetic oil, and went at it.
The oil did a great job seeping into all these seems and crevices, the good thing about synth. oil, it creeps along, and up the sheetmetal.

Last month I also took it in for a full underbody rust inhibitor spray and again in the doors... should be ready for the salt baths.
 
#12 ·
You know, it's shocking to me to see all of these 4th gens with rust. Aside from the normal 2nd gen rust places- like the seam under the driver's door, the bottom of the driver's door itself, and just in front of the passenger's side rear wheel well, there is NO rust on my '92. NONE on the underbody- the sheet metal looks new under there. I've never done oil sprays or annual rust proofing, just the one we got when the van was new. So why is it so bad on NEWER vans?
 
#13 ·
Well I bit the bullet and went to the stealership to buy a new set of pipes. Guess what, aluminium, asked the parts guy if this was the replacement for the 2001 Grand, and he said yes. Thanks Chrysler for doing a change that any wahoo who drives in the Canadian winter could have figured out. They cost me money that was not neccessary (spelling?). Cost before tax was $208.00. It looks light years ahead of the old steel ones. I bet all the 2005 and 2006 came with them in aluminium. Nice welded joints, flares at end for hoses etc. Well I hope I never have to worry about it again for the life of the van, I think.
KC.
 
#14 ·
I feel like a complete idiot (a common feeling for me, actually). I started to crawl underneath the Caravan last night when it suddenly dawned on me that it doesn't have a rear heater. What a moron am I.
 
#15 ·
it's the primer?

hey jazztrumpet216, I know why all the rust !!!

It all has to do with cost savings, along with removing the "leds" in the switches, the no light in the glove box, etc... some brainiac at head office, said this (this my imagination ok):

"remember the paint peeling problems we been having, that primer paint is very tough, almost like galvanized metal, and we all know how hard it is to paint on galvanized metal, lets solve two issues, paint peeling and cost savings, do away with that expensive primer, lets use this other stuff"

Having worked for 1 of the big 3 sometime ago, I'm sure it went that way.

it's amazing to see some Neons, 2nd gen vans with little paint left, peeled away, except for the factoty grey primer, and how great that stuff is, no rust at all!
 
#16 ·
Alex said:
hey jazztrumpet216, I know why all the rust !!!

It all has to do with cost savings, along with removing the "leds" in the switches, the no light in the glove box, etc...
Actually they were just as fragile on the 95 models. I think this particular cost cutting, if it was that and not just poor design, happened the first time they put a rear heater in a Grand Voyager.

I think it was, and is, simply persistence in poor design. There have got to be materials they can make those tubes out of that will not corrode and decay. That is a huge vulnerability, having those long tubes running the length of the vehicle, vulnerable to puncture or corrosion, and when they fail you are stranded.
 
#17 ·
heater tubes

ESADORNED said:
The freakin thing blew out on me going home tonight. We were almost home when I noticed the temp. gauge hovering just below the red, but not climbing any more, yet. At home, popped the hood and both fans going to beat the band. Crawled around underneath with my flash light, and there it was horror of horrors, anti-freeze still kind of pumping out the hole in the steel pipes at the location around the welded on bracket. Shut off the engine, still not in the red yet, check coolant resevoir, bone dry. CRAP!
Does any one know the approx. cost of these pipes (in Ontario Canada)! Has anybody ever had the pleasure of replacing them. I do need the rear heat for the little tykes on the long winter trips up north to -40 Deg. Celsius land. Any info would be appreciated. It is my 2001 Grand Caravan by the way. Thanks. I am almost too petrified to call the stealer for pricing.
KC.
Hi,I just replaced mine ,it looked like they were about to burst ,but when I cut them out(to get them out ) there was alot of metal left on them.
If you live in the Toronto area drop me a PM and i will tell you a good place to get the replacement ones ,The old ones need to be cut out to get them out ,the new ones are aluimumm(sp) and come in two pieces so that you can fish them in,you nee some type of hoist to help out ,I did also flush and fill with new proper coolant .

I get the vehicle krowned/rust checked every year,it helps alot .
 
#18 ·
infomation

ESADORNED said:
Well I bit the bullet and went to the stealership to buy a new set of pipes. Guess what, aluminium, asked the parts guy if this was the replacement for the 2001 Grand, and he said yes. Thanks Chrysler for doing a change that any wahoo who drives in the Canadian winter could have figured out. They cost me money that was not neccessary (spelling?). Cost before tax was $208.00. It looks light years ahead of the old steel ones. I bet all the 2005 and 2006 came with them in aluminium. Nice welded joints, flares at end for hoses etc. Well I hope I never have to worry about it again for the life of the van, I think.
KC.
Sorry i was a little late in posting a reply to you .
 
#19 ·
Thanks for the info anyway letsgododge, it is appreciated. I still have not had a chance to install them yet anyway, working late, children etc. Hopefully I can tackle it tonight, if it does not rain.
KC.
 
#21 ·
Any idea how long it takes to go from a drip to a gush? Ours are leaking, 6/17 we leave for Florida, guess I'm going to have to fix or patch it before then.

Funny thing is, dropped it at the stealership today, asked them to check the hoses> "Hoses are great Mr. Macdaddy!" The fact that they didn't charge me for a cooling test should have been an obvious clue to their not doing anything.

LOL they didn't find the melted glob of asphalt on the exhaust pipe that smelled exactly like dragging brakes> "Your brakes are great!".
 
#23 ·
If it's leaking, and you are leaving in 10 days, I would suggest that this weekend you should buy two L-shaped heater hose couplers, and bypass the rear heat ahead of those tubes. That will cost you about $10. You will not be needing the heat in June. That will buy you time to price the replacements and decide if you want to bypass them permanently, or rig something up, as others have done on this thread, or bite the bullet and pay for the replacement part.

BTW I got no problem with you continuing a two year old thread. It's still relevant.
 
#25 ·
Have you noticed that every other line to the rear heat is Aluminum except this one? And the repair part from Chrysler is Aluminum. Call it a design oops.

If it is dripping, fix it now. Mine started dripping and I jumped on fixing it. The pipe nearly fell apart in my hands.
 
#29 ·
I don't know the specific rules for digging in the threads boneyard , but this forum has LOTS of categories. I find it most useful to sign in and go to "New Posts"; otherwise no way to keep from missing some good discussions. Too many places to start new threads, and yet most are related to the same subject.

Sometimes I like digging up an old thread, unless it's 18 pages long or whatever. If it has good info, it's worth the time to read.
I don't understand what the problem would be with such.
 
#30 ·
I just replaced mine yesterday. Called all the salvage yards in the area. They had none as it is in demand. $213.00 for a new one and it is not even painted gold. Fun job putting it on too. Took me about 4 hours. No room to remove it. Took out the battery, cruise control and various other pipes. Good luck.
 
#31 ·
Not a particularly elegant idea (or something you'd want on a van this new...) but it might be possible (and easier to) cut out the failed sections and replace with thickwall reinforced heater hose, or even replace with hose for the whole run(s)... Would have to make sure it's tied up and not dangling/dragging - it'll change the coolant refill volume a bit, but should be ok. And the rubber hose won't corrode...

-Jim
 
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