Hi,my heater core just recently broke(Yes,it's leaking all over my passenger side cabin) I called the local radiator repair guy, he said he'll replace and install a new one for $275. I have 2 questions. Is this a good price, and i kind of did my own homemade bypass. The hoses were so old on my 86 trans am. 24 years on there that i had an extremely hard time taking them off. So hard that i had to cut the 2nd one off and peel it off the heater outlet. I made a spliced bypass(hopefully it'll hold for my columbus day parade show) The 2nd question is, is it better for me to do the job,or for the radiator guy to do it.

 

If you can operate basic hand tools without safety glasses, you can probably do the job yourself. The hardest part is getting the last bolt on the top of the heater box cover. I'd bet if you do a search you can find a pic on here with all the screw locations. Once the cover is off, there's a couple screws and the core pulls out. The first time it's a pain in the ***, after that it's a 30 minute job.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tech...e-82-86-a.html

JamesC

 

i have the same problem...i still need to bypass it though, but i am thinkin about just taking out the heat and a/c for my car

 

could you take some pics of ur bypass and show me how u did it? i need some help with bypassing it because i cant really locate the hoses and not sure if there the right ones. thanks

 

they're the only coolant hoses that go out of the engine bay, and into the car through the firewall. if you're standing in front of the car, facing and looking at the engine, the heater core is at the 11:30 position.

follow the hoses.

Should only take someone two hours MAX to swap a heater core, if they have no experience. Heater core cost about 30 bucks last time i checked.

Kill.

 

This from a complete newbie to the board and heater core replacement. DO-IT-YOURSELF! I just had a friend with a 92 Firebird tell me someone wanted to charge him $250 + parts to change out the heater core. He said the entire dashboard would need to come out and it would take him a full day to do it. I looked up on this forum for him and found someones instructions that broke it down into 7 steps and from start to finish it took us 4 hours. Im not a mechanic either (computer guy) :-)

https://www.thirdgen.org/heatercore

 

ok...i located and removed the clamps off of the hoses but THEY WONT COME OUT! what do i do now? they are so tight!

 

I used lock-jaw type pliers to twist the hose on the tube so that the bond breaks between the two. After that it's a matter of wiggling/twisting/yanking the hose off. Some members have resorted to cutting the hose with a box knife, then replacing the hoses.

JamesC

 

If the hoses are that crusty, you might as well save yourself some trouble and cut them... When the hoses get that old they usually develop pin hole leaks after everything is back together. You only want to do the job once, might as well replace the hoses.

 

i really dont wanna resort to cutting the hoses, so ill try it your way and then if i have to ill cut them.

 

Hey,sorry guys i've been busy with college. I will take pics of the bypass. What i did was take the two hoses with a channel clamp and cut them(Damaged the hell out of them in the process) And used a splicing connector for the splice. It was 5/8 - 1/2. It's been holding for about a week. If i had the time and knowledge i would do it myself but i can't get that damn screw off on the top and i dont want to mess with the ecm. The guy is gunna charge 275 to take it off. My father had a ton of TAs in his youth and he said to me to change the hoses and the core. But i can't do the hose job i have no idea how to route the new ones. I don't know where they run(besides radiator). That's why i'm forced to get the guy to do it. And to 91firebug with the hoses stuck. i had the same problem. The channel clamp and box cutter work wonders. I got so pissed that i bent the heater core outlet and inlet sticking out of the firewall. I'll have pics up soon i promise

 

i got the first one off fine, but the second one i cut and now i have it clamped and shitt but the son bitch aint holding i gotta tighten the clamp as hard as it can go and go back home (at grandparents house) and then switch the clamps

 

What piece did you put in there as a splice? You can put a bigger one than the 5/8-1/2. My father said you can put vasoline or soap for cleaning dishes to help it slide in there. It's gotta be tight,and then tighten the clamps. Also how much of the hose did you cut?

 

i used a plumbing part that i found in the garage...and i cut the hose where the heater core pipe ended... maybe 1 1/2 " and now i got the bottom tight but now the bottom hose came loose on the bottom and now its still leaking! i dont know how i will fix it...should i just take it to a mechanic? im so stressed between school and the car that im gonna blow my lid.

 

I is not that hard to do a heater core its a little time consuming get a book for your car that will help I did the heater core in my 88 camaro if they are similiar had to remove dash pad speakers remove bolts and lower steering colum take out center console remove radio and climate control, there should be 2 bolts on each side of the dash and bracket in the center under dash pad then the dash can be pulled out to gain access to heater core housing. heater core about 30.00

 

It's even easier to change the core on a Firebird then a Camaro... The bottom trim panel on the passengers side of the Firebird dash comes off, then there's a slot at the top. With enough extensions you can work through that slot and get a straight shot at the top bolt (the hard one).

 

ok that sounds good, but wheres a good cheap place i can get a new heater core?

 

I'm taking pics of the bypass i did now. I'll show what i did. Also, i took off the trim panel and i still couldn't get the top part. I really don't want to bring it to the guy. Do you guys know where the two hoses run that go into and out of the heater core.

 

http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSC09281.jpg , http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSC09282.jpg , http://i851.photobucket.com/albums/a...e/DSC09283.jpg (Note how the heater core outlet and inlet are destroyed bc of my anger)....

 

Auto Zone
Advance Auto
Checkers
O'reilly
Rock Auto

Take your pick... They're like $20-40 new.

 

http://catalog.oehq.com/ShopByVehicl...=True&rewrite= , http://www.theautopartsshop.com/Sear...bird%2FFS94606 (Here's some sites. I know one is over priced and one has good pricing. But the first has other parts that you might need as well.)

 

ok so i got a good site to buy a core but the problem is my bypass works....but theres a leak somewhere else and i cant find it...HELP! its really pissing me off

 

275 for a new heater core is a damn good price, especially given the age of the car. Older cars tend to have more problems when repairing because things are usually rusted out or someone has already focked with it in the past and messed it up. AllData lists 2.2 hours warranty time and 3.1 hours customer pay time, so figuring $80-120 labor plus the cost of parts I think you are making out okay. Especially if your not a mechanic yourself (and its okay, not everyone is).

 

My father was the only owner and didn't do any mods or anything. But i dont feel like spending all that money for a heater core replacement and hoses. I'm not a mechanic, this is my first car. But i might just have to bring it in. I guess you're right, its not a bad deal.

 

Also, can you see the leak to the bypass? If you look at mine, the only way it can leak is from that bypass.

 

$275?!?!?!?!?!!???????? Dang.... You CAN do this yourself my brother! I did it and so can you. It'll cost you roughly $30 for the part & buy it from O'Reilly's or Napa Auto if you have one of those around your area. Screw paying someone that kind of money for a job we 3rd Gen owners can do ourselves!

 

Also (with all due respect) the instructions on the TGO page miss one important fact (at least for Firebirds)....there are two screws on the inside of the heater core assembly. Remove those (after the cover is off and - including that dang upper srew) and you are done. Everything comes out as a unit, replace the core, install and

Easy to do. Max, 1 - 2 hours -45 minutes if you've done one before.

 

Yeah, those 2 bolts were in my car up about mid way which is why I removed my dashboard. Funny thing is that I didn't have to remove my dashboard because I was able to get the 2 bolts from underneath working on the floorboard!

 

ok guys! i need some serious help now!!! i just was driving my firebird (i put some stop leak in and it stopped leaking) and then i noticed my temp gauge start to rise....i raced home and found my whole engine/engine compartment covered in effin coolant...what could be the cause of this?

 

The coolant hoses are probably old and brittle. Sounds like one of them gave up. Either that or your bypass didn't hold up. Go buy an upper and lower radiator hose. Then buy the two heater core hoses. Total cost might be $60 (??) for all hoses. Get the new heater core and replace the thing.

The hardest part of this entire process is removing the top screw on the inside cover. On my Camaro, I removed the dash pad and speaker bracket (no speaker because of the BOSE system). From there, I could see the screw and was able to direct the tools from underneath and see enough to get them on the screw. Once I got it, the cover came off and then it was self explanatory to getting the core out. The next hardest part was getting the new core tubes thru the firewall without damaging them. A little manipulation and in it went. If that is the most difficult part, then you should be able to do this. It just takes time and patience.

 

I would do it, but i dont know how to run the hoses for the heater core.

 

kinda good news to report....i found out that my Heat and Water Bypass thing broke off at one of the branches and was leaking bad....now the only problem is that my electric fan shorted out because of the coolant spraying everywhere..lol ill fix it tomorrow

 

I showed you my bypass. Unless another hose went, a loose bypass will explode after you turn the car off and then on again.

 

read the above statement please.

 

Well, if its a broken hose then its going to leak all the time (unless you ran the system out of coolant). So all you can do is make sure the system is full (cap off, car running) and keep searching for leaks. It'll turn up. Don't listen to some of these guys either, if your not a mechanic, take it somewhere. Otherwise you could do more damage than its worth - then it gets REALLY expensive to fix. Especially being in school n ****, you don't need the headache. Just get it fixed.

O'Reillys auto parts has one for 30 bucks

 

like i said i fixed it, it was a broken heat and water bypass valve... i fixed it and then all i need to do is fix my fan cuz it shorted out

 

My bad I was talkin to the guy who started the thread. Shoulda been more specific.....

 

lol no problem

 

Sorry,didn't read the other post. Yeah,im gunna let the radiator guy do the work. I have no choice.

 

 

Thank you so much man, you're the greatest!

 

thats a good pic, but i need one with tbi and of a 305...this looks like a 350 (im not 100%) but some of the part names would be very appreciated! thank you!

 

Does anyone have the instructions on how to replace the heater core. I've seen all the threads and the one this site has;and yet not one of them has been helpful. I would really appreciate it if anyone could send me a diagram or have pics of doing it.

 

The procedure is very simple. First of all, remove the lower hush panel on the passenger side (7mm socket I believe). You will see a black cover - this covers the heater core. Now you need to remove that cover. There is a top bolt that everyone has been talking about that is difficult to get at - especially if you have A/C. Even if you remove the dash top, it is still difficult to get at. Extensions and a U-joint help.

After the cover is removed, open the hood. Drain down the coolant level in the radiator, then undo the clamps and remove the heater hoses (might as well replace the hoses while you are at it).

Back under the dash, undo the bolts that hold the metal cover in place over the heater core. You will now see the core. There are two additional bolts deep inside towards the center console (follow along the heater core bracket) and remove those bolts. The heater core now comes out complete in a holder. Replace the core, replace the covers..........I may have missed a bolt here or there as this is from memory, but, 45 min. tops!!!!

 

pretty much spot on here. as someone else mentioned, if you remove the trim piece right below the map pocket, you'll have a decently clear view of the top nut (you may some wiring or a module in the way, but those move pretty easily too). extensions and u joint will make quick work of it.

as for fishing the heater core lines through the firewall, i used a deep socket in each of the lines to get things semi-lined up to the holes

 

I brought it to the radiator repair guy. I watched everything he did. He spent 5 hrs on it(didn't have proper heater core) They made a make shift extension after taking off the ecm and wiring controls. I learned how to do it after watching.

 

Why did we bother?

 

So you learned how to do it by watching someone else take 5 hours to do it? Everyone said how easy it was and even provided the steps involved! Learning how to do it from this guy will definitely help you the next time you need to do it, in what, 15 years! I agree with the above.

 

im doin my heater core 2day, this is exacty what i was looking for so ty!