Cracked Heater Core

Anyone ever use some sort of spacer to bypass the heater. I'm looking for a quick way to get through the Memorial Day weekend without the boat spending the weekend at a dealer. Looks like you could unclamp the 2 hoses in and out of the heater, put some sort of PVC space in and clamp them together to close the system. After getting a $600 bill from the closing KC Supra dealer for winterization, yes I said $600, they forgot to blow the heater out.

I have never done it but it is a pretty common band aide fix. I would use a piece of copper tubing or something like that instead of PVC, and put two clamps on each hose since the tubing isn't barbed.

Not to sound preachy (hopefully) but you should learn to winterize your boat yourself. I ride year round, and I can winterize (or at least freeze proof) my ride in about 15 min now.

Have a good and safe Memorial Day weekend!

When my core went I just removed the nipples and used brass plugs right at the engine/water pump where the two hoses attached.

You can find them at the local hardware store for less than a $1

I've used the PVC & it worked in a pinch. Just don't tighten the hose clamps to 40 billion lbs & it'll be fine. Copper would be a lot stronger but may or may not be available in a pinch.

When it comes time for you to replace the heater core, pull the heater out, and pull the core from the metal box. Take it in to your local Napa & have them cross reference it with whatever car cores there. Mine popped last spring in a late freeze & I found the core was from a late 80s Mustang. Cost me like $28 to replace it.

When you get to learning how to winterize the boat, you can install a pair of radiator flush Ts in the heater lines at their lowest point in the bilge. Then you just pull those caps off & the heater & hot side of the engine will dump in the bilge in just a few seconds.

5/8" hose connector available almost anywhere, and tow hose clamps, but you've already got those on your heater. Easy.

That's rough man... are they picking up the bill for the heater core replacement as well as refunding you the $600 (ouch) for your winterization??

Looks like you've got plenty of methods for jury-rigging your ride for Memorial Day! Good luck!

Little backstory. First, this is my parents boat and they have had inboards for 20 years and when I skied in college we were in the water every month so we know exactly how to get it freeze proof and are very aware on how to winterize the boat, but the boat needed some attention that we were unable to do, so we took it to this dealer (who they have had a good relationship with for 10+ years) and decided they might as well have the winterization done (in the past about $100.). The problem came when my mom got a call that the dealership was closing and they needed to pick the boat up within a week as the bank was taking the inventory. The dealer assured them the boat had been winterized and my mom was stunned when she was handed a $600 bill, but was just happy to have the boat back. They ended up sending the boat to St. Louis and having the actual work that needed to be done finished at Stateamind (who by the way did a fantastic job) in St. Louis. This weekend we had the boat out and it started leaking water out of the heater, so it looks as if the core wasn't blown out.

I appreciate the comments from those that have given them, I assumed it could be a quick fix.

You can do that. I was on the water and started seeing water everywhere. I found that my heater hose had split near the heater. I didnt have any slack in the hose so I disconnected one hose on from the engine and cut the other one short and hooked it to the spot I disconnected the other from. I never fixed it the whole summer.