yesterday i was smelling coolant in my car while driving. checked under the hood everything look fine. Today i went to start my car to go to work and find a puddle of coolant on the passanger side floor. Now everytime i drive it makes a pool. So how do i stop it from leaking without putting in a new one? also what gets coolant out from the carpet? also how much does a heater core cost? how hard is it do to yourself and how much times does it take. I have a haynes manual so i might be able to do it.
any help or suggetsions appericated.
thanx

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86 Z28:
350 vette
aluminum heads
T-5
235/60R15 BFgoodriches
dual 3"flowmaster exhaust
20% tint
hatch wing
2 12"kicker solos
300 watt Sony xplod amp
Sony xplod deck
K&N air filter

 

If you need to drive it short right now, bypassing is easy enough. Would be even easier if the general used the same size hoses on the return and feed, but nonetheless. You can get a 5/8-3/4 adapter so you can completely bypass the HC at any decent auto store, with the HELP! stuff usually.

As for fixing it, it's a cheap enough part, $25-35 (forget exactly.) The work involved depends on who you talk to. It took me a good 6 hours to do minea while back, but i'm sure i wasted a lot of time moving stuff i didn't need to. Basicaly you remove the dash pad and the pass. side hush panel and whatever else/pull back the dash as you need to to get teh heater box cover off. And when you put it back together keep in mind that you don't need all the screws to put it back in.
If you have basic mechanical ability it's not too hard, it can just get time consuming. If you give yourself a day you should be fine.
...ed
btw, don't follow the directions in eth haynes manual, if you do it their way you will definitely take all day, they have you moving the whole dash and stuff, which is prolly unnecessary. Like i said, i wasted alot of time takling 6 hrs to do it, mostly cuz i was moving a bunch of stuff i didn't have to cuz i was partially reading a manual.

 

how excatly would i go bypassing it? also would i loose my heater controls or something like i wouln't have any heat?
what parts do i need to bypass the heater core and also how long can i drive around with it bypassed?
thanx

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86 Z28:
350 vette
aluminum heads
T-5
235/60R15 BFgoodriches
dual 3"flowmaster exhaust
20% tint
hatch wing
2 12"kicker solos
300 watt Sony xplod amp
Sony xplod deck
K&N air filter

 

If you look you will see to rubber hoses, 5/8 and 3/4" in diameter, running into the firewall. These hoses bring coolant through the heater core. Simply remove the hoses from the heater core, and somehow securely join the ends to bypass the HC. I dont see any problems driving like that, as long as the connection is tight so you dont lose coolant. Yes, you will have no heat because the heat in your car comes ffrom the coolant running through the HC. But is that really a problem this time of year?

 

no its not a problem in the summer. but what do i used to plug the hoses? also once i pull the hoses off the firewall i plug them but do i just leave them off the firewall or do i plug them and put them back on the fire walll.

------------------
86 Z28:
350 vette
aluminum heads
T-5
235/60R15 BFgoodriches
dual 3"flowmaster exhaust
20% tint
hatch wing
2 12"kicker solos
300 watt Sony xplod amp
Sony xplod deck
K&N air filter

 

what he's telling you is to not plug those hoses, simply CONNECT THEM TOGETHER. this totally bypasses the heater core. shouldn't be a problem driving until cool weather hits and you need your heater again. just make sure your connections are tight and you'll be fine.

 

ok i understand that i have to connect the hoses together. i got the piece it is 5/8-3/4 this is the right piece for 86 camaro right? and also can i do this when the car is hot or cold?
thanx

------------------
86 Z28:
350 vette
aluminum heads
T-5
235/60R15 BFgoodriches
dual 3"flowmaster exhaust
20% tint
hatch wing
2 12"kicker solos
300 watt Sony xplod amp
Sony xplod deck
K&N air filter

 

ttt

 

Do it when it's cold. When you pull the hoses off, coolant will come out. Make sure that you aren't anywhere you don't want antifreeze. Then, just clamp each hose to the proper end of the adaptor and make sure that the hoses aren't laying on anything that can burn, cut, or put a hole in them.

------------------
82 Camaro:
350, Erson cam, ported heads, Crane Hi-6 ignition, Accel supercoil, Comp Cams 1.6:1 rocker arms, TH350 tranny with 2500 stall.
SLP 1 3/4" headers

 

i did this on my 88 camaro and it took me about an hr and a half. i dinot follow the steps in the manual. i removed the dash pad so the sun would light up the area i was working in. the panel under the dash came out (if your car has it) then there were 4 bolts that hold the boxcover for the core. take them out. three of these are easy to get to the 4th takes some time and snaking of extensions. once th ebox is out, 4 bolts hold the core on to its harness. unscrew those and it pops out. swap cores on the plate that just came out and put it in. here is why they say to remove the entire dash, it takes alot of time and pasionce to put it back without crackign the new core, it shouldnot have to be forced in place. once in place, bolt everything back in and reconnect the hoses. the absolute hardest part of the job is getting that hose that goes from the engine to the core, (3/4 inch with a 90* bend) clamped on at its low point being it is alll of the way behind the engine.

good luck....

-Stell


btw, to have it done by a shop its like 300-500 $$ depending on the shop. parts will cost like 30ish for core, 10 for 3/4 hose with a 90* bend, and 5ish for 5/8 strait hose
max 50 for parts.



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1988 Pontiac Trans Am. 305 TPI Mods=MSD 6A+Coil+Wires, K & N, SLP AirFoil,180 Thermostat, Cold Air, Hooker Aerochamber Catback

1974 Dodge Charger , Currently restoring but has a 318 with Crane Cam, Carter AFB 4BBl Carb sitting on a Weiand Stealth Intake

RIP 1988 IROC-Z
http://stell15790.tripod.com/cars.htm

 

You do not have to remove the entire dashboard to get to the heater core. However, if you want to get enough room to maneuver the core you DO have to loosen a lot of screws and lower the steering column. You also have to remove the center console first since is rubs against the assembly where the raido and heater controls are. The procedure is not difficult but definitely time consuming. I gurrantee you if you never did it before you will spend at least 4 hours nonstop. After doing it myself I could see why a mechanic would charge a couple hundred bucks to do it.

As for the hoses, slice them open where they connect to the heater core and anything else to get them off. they are probably rotted out anyway. Keep them so when you go to a parts store you have an example of what the replacements should look like. then just get some hose to make the bypass connection and plug the hoses coming from the core.

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92 Camaro RS, LO3, 5-spd, T-tops

Performance:
K&N Open Air Filter, Edelbrock performer TBI intake, Fastchip Prom, Timing +4 degrees, Centerforce clutch, Xact 8mm wires, SLP 1 3/4" Headers (coated), Flowmaster Catback Exhaust, Z28 Grille w/aftmkt fog lamps, MacEwen white-face guages
Electronics:
Alpine 8030 Alarm System, Valentine One Radar Detector (How did I ever drive without one?), Pioneer DEH 7450 Head Unit w/6-pack CD changer, Pioneer DEQ 7600 Sound Processor, 2 Kenwood KAC-846 Amps powering 2 12" Pro Red subs, 2 Pioneer 6x9 and 2 MTX 4x6 speakers.
NEXT UP: TBI mods, 3.42 gears w/Torsen posi

 

Duct tape.

------------------
1992 Pontiac Firebird (stock)
- 5.0L V8 TBI / Automatic Trans / Every option, excluding leather
- Killer car audio system:

• Aiwa CDC-MP3 head unit
• Rockford Fosgate 360a2 amp
• pair of 12" MTX Thunder 5000s in a custom box
• Pioneer 3-way 6x9s, soon to add more more more!

 

Can't one just try radiator leak seal or stop leaks at first?

 

i bypassed the heater core with an adapter but my is a strait adapter. now my hoses are a little bit kinked. what kind of adapter did use guys used to bypass the heater core? i just got a different one today i got an elbow adapter. how bad is it if your hoses are kinked?

 

ttt

 

My heater core was smoked when I bought my car. I got the core for 26 bux at autozone, and it took me about three hours to replace. I did not have a manual,did not drop the steering column, but, did remove a bunch of stuff I did not have to. All in all, not really that bad of a job. (if you have three elbows......)

As for cleaning the carpet, I went to the local quarter wash (am I dating myself here?) and used the "presoak" setting and sprayed liberally on the carpet, then, went and vacuumed it all out. Left the windows down for a day for it to dry, and the carpet looks MUCH better.

 

Should take no more than an hour considering you dont have to drain your coolant. I've done it 3 times, once on my 85Z, on a friends 84Z, and an 88 Firebird. None took more than two hours.

Its real easy, as long as your not a heavy guy. First, clean out the passenger floor real good, most of the repair involves laying on your back on the floor. Cut off the heater hoses at the firewall (replace when done). Chances are they are old and brittle and will not pull off easy. No coolant should spill since you lost a good bit into the car. Remove the lower passenger dash "hush" panel. Drop the computer. Remove the heater box cover. Some of the bolts will be difficult to get to, so be patient. Remove the shroud and heater core in one. You will have to wiggle it out, yank it hard and dont worry about bending or breaking the heater core, just dont hurt the shroud. Line the new heater core and shroud up and look at the firewall from the engine bay to see how to maneuver the heater core through the holes. The rest is self explanatory. Oh, dont forget to top off the coolant and bleed the air.

DONT LISTEN TO HAYNES!!!


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1985 Z28, Jasper Class 1 350, Edelbrock Performer intake, Dual snorkel air cleaner, K&N, Edelbrock headers, Catco 3" cat, Hooker 3" cat-back, Richmond 3.73's, built 700r4 w/Darrell Young 2400 stall TC, JET Stage 2 chip, Hypertech coil, Lakewood LCA's, Powertrax locker, SSM subframes, Centerline Auto Drag's

[This message has been edited by Marc 85Z28 (edited June 14, 2001).]