URGENT HELP! HEATER CORE -Leaking, mechanic suggests replacing, NEED YOUR IDEAS
09-19-2011, 05:03 PM
#41
Just a quick word about heater cores. Many here are comparing apples to oranges. You can buy a cheap foreign made core from PEP Boys, etc, but you get what you pay for. Most fit poorly will very likely fail shortly. The $50.00 +/- core is the Harrison GM replacement which is a high quality piece. Personally, I'd buy the Harrison and do it once. Hope this helps. Chuck
09-19-2011, 10:08 PM
#43
A heater core replacement on that car is a huge PITA. Plenty of billable hours for that job. The price of the core will be a relatively small part of the total cost. When you do replace it, don't mess around, get a good one.
If you want to bypass the core, and you valve off only one heater hose, the core will still be part of the pressurized (15 psi) cooling system. It will still leak. To isolate it completely, you need to disconnect or valve off both hoses to the heater core. You can also just connect the two hoses together with a special adapter. Or unscrew the hose barbs on the manifold and water pump, and put in pipe plugs.
Good luck to you. With your car and with a job.
If you want to bypass the core, and you valve off only one heater hose, the core will still be part of the pressurized (15 psi) cooling system. It will still leak. To isolate it completely, you need to disconnect or valve off both hoses to the heater core. You can also just connect the two hoses together with a special adapter. Or unscrew the hose barbs on the manifold and water pump, and put in pipe plugs.
Good luck to you. With your car and with a job.
09-20-2011, 11:02 AM
#45
Core
My core cost me 40 bucks from the zone it fit perfect ' I don't know about you other guys but I have a 70 and when I took it apart I had bolts that were rusted and stripped I had to replace the gaskets and get new hardware while I had the inside box down I replaced the flap door rubber vent door rubber so it would function properly I also did the vacuum line that gos to the back of the defroster believe me once you get in there you never know what's in store for you I don't think the price is outrageous if he's buying real parts to replace what's there and does the job right the first time
12-01-2011, 03:50 PM
#46
Instructor
I realize I'm getting to this discussion some 11 years late, but does anyone have procedures for replacing the heat core in my '75 coupe? While stripping out the interior I found out what a antifreeze leak can do to the existing passenger floor area.
Thanks....
Thanks....
12-01-2011, 04:02 PM
#47
Team Owner
12-01-2011, 04:04 PM
#48
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Just a quick word about heater cores. Many here are comparing apples to oranges. You can buy a cheap foreign made core from PEP Boys, etc, but you get what you pay for. Most fit poorly will very likely fail shortly. The $50.00 +/- core is the Harrison GM replacement which is a high quality piece. Personally, I'd buy the Harrison and do it once. Hope this helps. Chuck
12-01-2011, 04:20 PM
#49
Team Owner
Last edited by Paul L; 12-01-2011 at 04:24 PM.
12-01-2011, 08:11 PM
#50
Melting Slicks
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This was available in Canada in 2008 when I did the job on my 1974. I do not know about now. It was over $100.00, however....But I really did not enjoy that job and do not want to do it again. So I went with what I thought was the best unit at that time. No problems to date.
I did the job my self. It took time but wasn't too bad. I believe it was around 6 hours. It can be done in 4 if you know what you are doing. Labor of about $300-$400 is about right.
Do it your self. Take a couple of days. Rip out the interior on the passenger side on day 1 and do the rest the next day. Only real trick is not forgetting one bolts is un-done on the engine side.
Jim
12-01-2011, 08:23 PM
#51
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As some of you know, I've been laid off since Nov, and my Vette is my daily driver. Last week, I had to put in ANOTHER PS control valve, and this week, all new belts and fan clutch. When my mechanic put it up on the rack, I noticed an antifreeze leak from the hose passing into the passenger's side. He said, "uh, oh...you need a heater core."
I did notice water on the floor of my passenger side when I washed it last week, and from the forum, learned that a leaking heater core shows up as water on the floor.
My question is (Since I have finally found a completely GENUIS mechanic) is: what is a heater core, and since it's probably been leaking for a while, how long can I put off replacing it? I am having to live on my credit cards as I cannot locate work here in SD, and the price quoted was $429.00 ($119 for the core, $20 antifreeze, lastly labor)
Any input is greatly appreciated. And, watch what you say about my mechanic - his is the only Corvette performance shop in the area (that i know of, and he has been wonderful to me). In, fact, he didn't say to replace it - I said we probably should. He's good that way - NOT a salesman!
Please email me asap at stephmoe@pacbell.net since I might not get back here soon - and I made an appt for next week.
As always, thanks everybody for your help!
I did notice water on the floor of my passenger side when I washed it last week, and from the forum, learned that a leaking heater core shows up as water on the floor.
My question is (Since I have finally found a completely GENUIS mechanic) is: what is a heater core, and since it's probably been leaking for a while, how long can I put off replacing it? I am having to live on my credit cards as I cannot locate work here in SD, and the price quoted was $429.00 ($119 for the core, $20 antifreeze, lastly labor)
Any input is greatly appreciated. And, watch what you say about my mechanic - his is the only Corvette performance shop in the area (that i know of, and he has been wonderful to me). In, fact, he didn't say to replace it - I said we probably should. He's good that way - NOT a salesman!
Please email me asap at stephmoe@pacbell.net since I might not get back here soon - and I made an appt for next week.
As always, thanks everybody for your help!
12-02-2011, 03:05 PM
#52
Team Owner
Thats what I bought and I paid a lot more then $100. Made in the USA OEM.
I did the job my self. It took time but wasn't too bad. I believe it was around 6 hours. It can be done in 4 if you know what you are doing. Labor of about $300-$400 is about right.
Do it your self. Take a couple of days. Rip out the interior on the passenger side on day 1 and do the rest the next day. Only real trick is not forgetting one bolts is un-done on the engine side.
Jim
I did the job my self. It took time but wasn't too bad. I believe it was around 6 hours. It can be done in 4 if you know what you are doing. Labor of about $300-$400 is about right.
Do it your self. Take a couple of days. Rip out the interior on the passenger side on day 1 and do the rest the next day. Only real trick is not forgetting one bolts is un-done on the engine side.
Jim
This is the stud on the firewall side that can destroy your self-confidence and make life miserable.
12-02-2011, 03:58 PM
#53
Melting Slicks
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With time it can be done.
Jim
12-02-2011, 04:06 PM
#54
Instructor
What kind of seal do I need or what is it called?
12-02-2011, 04:33 PM
#55
Team Owner
Getting the old hoses off may take some ... persuasion.
The stud on the left is what goes through the firewall.
I think I said above that I don't want to do this job another time soon. Get a quality core. Seal kits are available from the usual Corvette vendors. Or use foam door/window insulation stick-um tape from Home Depot.
Last edited by Paul L; 12-02-2011 at 05:02 PM.
12-03-2011, 12:02 PM
#57
Melting Slicks
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It looks intimidating doesn't it? You can see why it would cost $300-$400 to do it.
The reason you need to take out all the center stuff is because there is a big box behind it that the ducts come out of. Some go to the top others go to the vents. The core box is attached to it. Its easy toget it out without removing all that but hard to get it back in. You need about 1/2 inch of wiggle space to clear the lip on the plastic.
You could get it out buy just removing the passenger side dash panel....not the top. But may not be able to get it back it. It depends on how loose that center distribution box is in there. I was able to do it by loosening off the vent tube on the driver side. It gave me the 1/2 inch shift I needed to get the box back in. If you don't have the 1/2 inch you will need to take out the center cluster to get at the distribution box.
The reason the hoses are cut off tight to the bottom of the heater core out lets is because they are usually heated and on so tight that you can't pull the hoses off. You need to cut off the remaining hose left on the out lets to create enough room to pull the core box out. The holes are just big enough for the core outlets to fit through.
Then you have the inner bolts holding the box and one on the fire wall side. Plus the various other things connected to the box.
A lot of the above may not make sense until you get into it.
Jim
12-03-2011, 08:04 PM
#58
Team Owner
The instructions posted are good.
It looks intimidating doesn't it? You can see why it would cost $300-$400 to do it.
The reason you need to take out all the center stuff is because there is a big box behind it that the ducts come out of. Some go to the top others go to the vents. The core box is attached to it. Its easy toget it out without removing all that but hard to get it back in. You need about 1/2 inch of wiggle space to clear the lip on the plastic.
You could get it out buy just removing the passenger side dash panel....not the top. But may not be able to get it back it. It depends on how loose that center distribution box is in there. I was able to do it by loosening off the vent tube on the driver side. It gave me the 1/2 inch shift I needed to get the box back in. If you don't have the 1/2 inch you will need to take out the center cluster to get at the distribution box.
The reason the hoses are cut off tight to the bottom of the heater core out lets is because they are usually heated and on so tight that you can't pull the hoses off. You need to cut off the remaining hose left on the out lets to create enough room to pull the core box out. The holes are just big enough for the core outlets to fit through.
Then you have the inner bolts holding the box and one on the fire wall side. Plus the various other things connected to the box.
A lot of the above may not make sense until you get into it.
Jim
It looks intimidating doesn't it? You can see why it would cost $300-$400 to do it.
The reason you need to take out all the center stuff is because there is a big box behind it that the ducts come out of. Some go to the top others go to the vents. The core box is attached to it. Its easy toget it out without removing all that but hard to get it back in. You need about 1/2 inch of wiggle space to clear the lip on the plastic.
You could get it out buy just removing the passenger side dash panel....not the top. But may not be able to get it back it. It depends on how loose that center distribution box is in there. I was able to do it by loosening off the vent tube on the driver side. It gave me the 1/2 inch shift I needed to get the box back in. If you don't have the 1/2 inch you will need to take out the center cluster to get at the distribution box.
The reason the hoses are cut off tight to the bottom of the heater core out lets is because they are usually heated and on so tight that you can't pull the hoses off. You need to cut off the remaining hose left on the out lets to create enough room to pull the core box out. The holes are just big enough for the core outlets to fit through.
Then you have the inner bolts holding the box and one on the fire wall side. Plus the various other things connected to the box.
A lot of the above may not make sense until you get into it.
Jim
A lot of it makes no sense even when you do it. (The old classic expression is that GM designed the C3 AROUND a heater core.) That is why I did not let my local GM dealer junior techs try to figure it out on my coin at $110/hr. In fact the Service Advisor was wise to refuse the job. As with many other C3 repairs where the techs do not know what they are doing. They are no longer mechanics, just code readers.
I have often thought of bringing a C4 ZR-1 into the dealer and seeing what happens. I suspect...panic! Yes, I thought of buying one but I can't service it, get parts, or have it serviced. Beautiful engine though.
Last edited by Paul L; 12-03-2011 at 08:10 PM.
