Allpar Forums banner

What type of plastic is the heater box made out of?

8976 Views 4 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  dana44
I have a 1988 K car wagon that im replacing the heater core in. One of the mounting posts and some surrounding plastic was ripped from the back wall of the box. I tried a ABS type glue to tack in in to double up with a fiberglass patch w/ resin. But to no avail. Anyone know what resin or epoxy to use? Im of the opinion to use polyester resin as it stays flexible where Epoxy gets hard and brittle.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
Problem isn't the material you're using,its age. The plastic Mom Mopar used back then wasn't all that "flexible" to begin with, and if this is a support post, you're prolly going to end up fabricating something with a bolt , a drill, and some rubber bushings. JB Quick in the tubes works great for most any non-support area. Good Luck!!
There are tests to determine the type of plastic that you are working with. A float, smell,scratch or flame test is used for ID:
http://globalwarming.ygoy.com/2010/08/15/how-to-identify-different-types-of-plastics/

The fusor adhesives are expensive, but very strong:
http://www.lord.com/products-and-solutions/adhesives/oem.xml
My favorite all-purpose adhesive for automotive interior bits is 3M structural adhesive. Seems to bond better than JB weld and cures quicker, but less brittle.
I have repaired all kinds of plastic no matter what type it is, especially the old stuff, by taking a soldering iron and gently melting wire the size of paper clips into the plastic. It is a little tedious to do, but it does strengthen everything good. Support both sides, lay the bent wire on the plastic, then take the soldering iron and press the wire into the plastic, which will heat the wire and bury the wire into the plastic, smooth the plastic over the top for appearance. Not real clean, but at least the part remains in place. I have done this on plastic grilles and interior parts for years.
1 - 5 of 5 Posts
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top