guys can a bad idle arm cause a heater core to break.you know because of the shake and all on the right side.after you replace the idle arm is there anything you have to do to the front end,hope this is not a dumb question....thanks for your help

 

No, a bad idler arm shouldn't cause a heater core to break.

The idler arm is part of the steering, and the heater core is part of the HVAC system. They are not related nor connected. There are no moving parts in a heater core, so vibrations won't cause it to break. The heater core is just like a radiator, just smaller. Hot water from the engine enters the core via a hose off the water pump. The water/coolant travels through the core and hte fan blows the cabin air over the coils. Teh colder air removes heat from teh core and heats the cabin. Then the water/coolant flows out of hte other hose and into the radiator to get further cooled before it enters the engine.


Do you mean a tensioner arm, idler pulley? The one that holds the serpentine belt tight. Yes, if that was bad and not holding the proper tension, the water pump wont turn properly and then it could seem like the heater isn't working right. The heater is working, just the water/coolant isn't getting circulated properly due to the loose serpentine belt.