So heater core went. From what I gather dash does not have to come out for firebird/trans am. Will I need to change hoses or could keep the ones on? Is it a hard job?

 

go ahead and replace the hoses. it's probably easier than trying to get the old ones off without cutting them. 30 minutes tops.

 

This was one of the first jobs I did on my '85 T/A. The difficulty is all in getting the core out of the passenger side. Once you can get to the heater box, there are some screws that have to be removed to get it apart. One of these is on the top, and a bit difficult to reach. My replacement core is made of aluminum, while the original is made of brass. I've kept the old one and will have it repaired one day. They just don't make them like that anymore. I did the job by myself, but it would help to have someone to guide the tubes through the firewall when you put the replacement in. Take your time and good luck.

 

I think I jinxed myself! My heater core sprung a leak Thursday night. The next morning when I checked under the hood, the overflow bottle was nearly empty. Luckily, it is not my daily driver. That heater core only lasted four years. Damn!

 

a repair on the old one may be a waste of time. repairing the spot where it leaked won't address all the other places where the material has thinned from corrosion and is waiting to leak.

 

Matt, let me know if you need any photos of the job. I found a couple of YouTube videos that provide pretty good information. The only tough part of the job is getting that top screw out of the heater box. Once you get that cover off, it isn't so bad at all. At least not on the carbureted engines. It looks pretty crowded on the TPI engines. I've also been checking on replacements for the heater core. I really wanted to use my original, but the radiator shops won't touch it. It just isn't worth the time and is too cost prohibitive. All the new ones I have found are aluminum. In my area, they range in price from just under $28 to well over $50. NAPA had the best price, and no matter who was selling it, they all seemed to be either Spectra or GPD.