Heater Core Replacement

[87KarmannCab]

Anyone ever replace their heater core? I need to replace mine because it is leaking antifreeze into the foot well. I started the process, but realized that I had the wrong core before I got too far. Is there an easy way to get in there?

Also, I tried to remove the kneebar, but couldn't get into where the bolts are on the passenger side. Any ideas?

[Briano1234]

Is it an a/c or not....

Got to the vortex or cabbyinfo there are writeups there.

[speedtek]

double post

[speedtek]

yeah, the nuts on the passenger side are a pain. Open end wrench works the best for the top one. I'm trying to remember if the engine computer mount bolts up to the top or bottom nut. If it's the bottom one, you'll have to take it out first to get at the top one.....one nut on the knee bar and two phillips screws on the front of the kneebar and it just slides right out.
The heater core is a tight fit, though and you gotta work it out.

[tolusina]

Anyone ever replace their heater core? I need to replace mine because it is leaking antifreeze into the foot well. I started the process, but realized that I had the wrong core before I got too far. Is there an easy way to get in there?

Also, I tried to remove the kneebar, but couldn't get into where the bolts are on the passenger side. Any ideas?

To cut or not to cut?
The cut method is far easier and perfectly acceptable and workable as a repair, somewhat of a hack. Definitely not for a show car. I'd do it on my own rather than pull the whole HVAC box out, no question. For a customer, I'd offer a greatly reduced price to cut or full labor for an HVAC full R & R. This one is your car, your job, your choice.

Look at the left side of the HVAC box, you can see the outline of where the heater core sits. Get one of those butane, pencil soldering irons, the fancy one with all the accesory tips. Use the hot knife, carefully and cleanly cut the side of the box open, slide the old core out and the new one in. Switch to the plastic welding tip, weld the HVAC case back up, or just duct tape it.

Either way you'll want the kneebar out of the way, right side bolts locations are mirror images of the left.

The cut method shouldn't take an hour once the kneebar is out of the way and you get your nerve up.
Figure a half to full working day to R & R the HVAC box to do it the "Right" way.

[Briano1234]

Anyone ever replace their heater core? I need to replace mine because it is leaking antifreeze into the foot well. I started the process, but realized that I had the wrong core before I got too far. Is there an easy way to get in there?

Also, I tried to remove the kneebar, but couldn't get into where the bolts are on the passenger side. Any ideas?

To cut or not to cut?
The cut method is far easier and perfectly acceptable and workable as a repair, somewhat of a hack. Definitely not for a show car. I'd do it on my own rather than pull the whole HVAC box out, no question. For a customer, I'd offer a greatly reduced price to cut or full labor for an HVAC full R & R. This one is your car, your job, your choice.

Look at the left side of the HVAC box, you can see the outline of where the heater core sits. Get one of those butane, pencil soldering irons, the fancy one with all the accesory tips. Use the hot knife, carefully and cleanly cut the side of the box open, slide the old core out and the new one in. Switch to the plastic welding tip, weld the HVAC case back up, or just duct tape it.

Either way you'll want the kneebar out of the way, right side bolts locations are mirror images of the left.

The cut method shouldn't take an hour once the kneebar is out of the way and you get your nerve up.
Figure a half to full working day to R & R the HVAC box to do it the "Right" way.

I still have nightmares when i had to take my 81 HVAC box apart to clean the crap out of it to allow it to drain out.....I didn't have any thing wrong other than the poor design of the heater box allowed crap to collect pluggin up the drain so that the a/c wouldn't drain out anywhere but on the floor....

And that was like in 1985 or 86....

[tolusina]

.....To cut or not to cut?........

Found a link off of cabbyinfo.com

http://www.driversfound.com/scirocco/te ... eatercore/