CoolingDiscuss all of the aspects of cooling that you can think of! Radiators, transmissions, electric fans, etc.
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my heater core started leaking this week, big puddle of anti=freeze in passenger side of interior..........has anyone had to do this recently? is it a big job? any tips? thanks, rick (85 Z28 btw)
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Well I will be putting a new heater core in myself. What i did just TEMPORARY. was bypass the heater core. Its a simple fix get 2 nipples and a clamp on the water pump and one on the manifold. To change it i heard its a bit of a hassle. But once out not to bad. Do this its cheap bypass it so it don't put your car down for operation. and then slowly get it out and if you can't at least you can still drive.
I pulled the heater core on my '87 T/A last weekend, and I'm putting a new one in my '87 Formula this weekend, not too bad once you figure out what's going on.
Here's a basic rundown of what has to be done.
1. Remove Radio Pod and stereo.
2. Remove dash pad, and lower dash trim
3. drop steering column
4. remove big nuts on the bottom and small screws that hold the dash itself in place
6. swing out dash from passenger side, you should now see the heater box under the dash
7. remove heater hoses from engine side of firewall.
8. remove the four screws holding the core inside the heater box
9. reverse to reassemble.
It's not a bad job at all, give yourself about 5 hours and you'll be done no matter how slow you work. Even on my old '78 that I had to drop the inner fender to change, I've never owned a car that was worth going without a heater because it was too hard to change.
-Levi
__________________ -1987 Formula WS6 - 305 LG4, 78,000 miles, black/black, T-tops, power everything, Trans Am ground effects, hood and nose, fresh paint job, shorty headers, custom y-pipe, Edelbrock cat-back, UMI wonder bar, UMI SFCs, LCAs, and panhard, rebuilt trans, trans cooler, B&M lockup kit, aluminum driveshaft, Aluminum high-vol Waterpump, 160 degree stat, 172 degree fan stat, MSD coil, 4th Gen seats, BMW M-Sport 18x8/18x9.5" rims, with many, many more parts in the process of installation.
-29 mpg @ 75 mph interstate cruise
-1987 Trans Am - 305 TPI, maroon/gray, wrecked, in the process of swapping what I can use over to my Formula. After that, everything's for sale, PM me if you need something. -1978 Trans Am - Gone
-1976 New Yorker 2dr - Gone
-1972 Plymouth Scamp - Gone
-1978 Firebird Formula - Gone
-1963 Pontiac Starchief - Gone
I pulled the heater core on my '87 T/A last weekend, and I'm putting a new one in my '87 Formula this weekend, not too bad once you figure out what's going on.
Here's a basic rundown of what has to be done.
1. Remove Radio Pod and stereo.
2. Remove dash pad, and lower dash trim
3. drop steering column
4. remove big nuts on the bottom and small screws that hold the dash itself in place
6. swing out dash from passenger side, you should now see the heater box under the dash
7. remove heater hoses from engine side of firewall.
8. remove the four screws holding the core inside the heater box
9. reverse to reassemble.
It's not a bad job at all, give yourself about 5 hours and you'll be done no matter how slow you work. Even on my old '78 that I had to drop the inner fender to change, I've never owned a car that was worth going without a heater because it was too hard to change.
-Levi
Labor guides say 8 hrs I did mine about two yrs ago in under 3 hrs .
I didn't have to remove the dash in my 89 RS either. You just have to feel around a bit for that last upper screw, but its doable without hacking anything.
__________________
1987 Trans Am, work in progress
2008 Pontiac G8
Retired: 1984 Camaro "ZF" 2.8L, 1989 Camaro RS
Customer Service Manager, 1A Auto Parts
on my 89 formula i was able to remove to map pocket and get a long 1/4 in extension with a swivel socket through a hole behind the pocket to get to the upper bolts, it only ended up taking about an hour
thanks everyone for the responses and input. special thanks to JamesC for providing the link. that was very helpful! doesn't sound like it as big a job as my Haynes manual makes it out to be........i'll let ya know! LOL, rick
yeah, i already bypassed the heater core temporarily so we could drive it til i had time to do the repairs. i simply connected the two hoses together at the firewall with a 3/4 x 5/8 fitting.......rick
i did mine, there's a screw on the plastic housing that's hard to reach and after an hour or more i just broke off the plastic with a sharp chisel and hammer.
i did mine, there's a screw on the plastic housing that's hard to reach and after an hour or more i just broke off the plastic with a sharp chisel and hammer.
Addressed in the above link.
JamesC
__________________ "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, / Than are dreamt of in your philosophy." Hamlet
IGNORE ALL THE ABOVE METHODS !
No need to drop the column, remove dash, ducting or the heater "suitcase" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Did my 84 with AC in less than a hour this way:
1. Remove heater hoses in engine compartment.
2. Remove right side "hush panel" under dash.
3. Remove cover from heater/ac box. 5? screws that are easy to reach and remove!
NOW your looking at the heater core !
There may me a metal triangle shaped metal piece holding it in place. Remove.
4. pull out old core.
5. Insert new core, line up hose connections so they go thru the holes in the firewall. Your gonna need a friend and 2 long 3/8 extensions and slip them thru
the firewall holes and into the core pipes to guide them thru the firewall holes.
Sometimes you may have to bend/tweek them a bit to guide them thru the
firewall. Sorta the hardest part of the job !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6. Reassemble but don't install the hush panel and core cover yet so you can
check for leaks inside.
7. If no leaks install the core cover/retainer and hush panel.
DONE!
Got my brand X replacement core at the local Advance Auto big box parts place
for $35 bucks. Its great after not having heat for 2 years because I was afraid
of the posts I had read of having to tear apart the whole dash to replace the
core and it ended up being a piece of cake instead!
