Thanks to both of you for your write up on installing a heater core. I did mine Friday and thanks to your pics and info it went very well. A "+" for both of you. (This is the first time I have ever rated anyone)
Thanks

Well, the repair is done! I don't have a heater anymore, but so what! I just removed the hoses from the heater core, and soldered together 2 90 degree copper bends of the right size and a small straight piece, and used the same clamps to attach the hoses together on this "adapter". It doesn't leak a drop. I discovered I had left out the thermostat a few months ago, and the engine was never getting up to temp. It had begun to really make noise at idle, but after driving around for a while, it seems radically quieter. Could running it around too cool cause buildup of carbons or dirt?

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

Thanks for the writeup Jazzman, it made it easy as pie, except for getting those hoses loose, still trying to figure out how to do that without crushing the tubes. I hope to be able to repair the old heater core, or even use one off of one of my parts cars. Anyway a + to you.

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____________________Marty
The Pearl White GT Build Up

thanks a ton, Jazz. Much, much more useful than what's in the Chilton book. lol

The only note I have... If you have sunroof you'll also need to remove the storage tray. There are 3-4 screws holding it.

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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurasic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)

I just did this job according to this writeup, and I must say, it's a great writeup. After doing the job I don't see how JazzMan got some of the photos he did. Anyway, I wanted to mention one thing. You don't really need the hose pinch pliers. I did't have a pair but decided to proceed anyway. When I disconnected the hoses, most of the spillage I experienced came from the heater core. Very little came from the hoses. I also recommend using a piece of wire or coat hanger to hold the hoses over out of the way and upright while they're disconnected.

You get a + from me,

I smell coolant and for the last two days
I turn on the defrost and it never clears up it just turns misty green.

ain't search grand? i'm gonna need this info soon as i just bypassed my heater core (noticed a small leak today). thanks for the writeup.

Just finished my heater core transplant thanks to this thread. My hoses didn't want to come off the old core, so I cut them with a utility knife and still had enough slack to get them onto the new core.

Since I've seen several heater core replacement questions lately, I though I'd bump this back to the top.

quote Originally posted by hajii: It depends on where the leak is...If it's on one of the tubes, you probably could repair it with a propane torch & some silver solder, just like sealing a pipe when you're doing plumbing...

I've also been able to successfully braize a core tube on a heater core. It's not that hard and cost all of about 50 cents to do. Tanks are a little tricky though, if the tank is leaking just buy a new one. Oh wait heater cores don't have tanks I'm thinking radiator. LOL. It was a heater I core I fixed though many many moons ago.

Ok this seemed like a very easy thing to do. I wasn't able to get the hoses off the heater core. They wouldn't budge. I re-tightened the clamps and decided to run the local parts store. Bad idea.....the car got very hot and antifreeze leaked from one of the hoses and from the heater core box inside the car (even though I hadn't touched that part yet).

what the heck did I do wrong?

and what should I use to get the hoses off. I am afraid to cut them and make the problem even worse.

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"what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul"

When I removed the hoses, I just crushed the core pipes with the hoses attached, using channel lock pliers. Since the hoses were flexible they stayed around while the pipes crushed, breaking the hose-pipe seal and allowed the hoses to be taken off the now crushed pipe. The core when it leaks, leakes into the heater box, which fills with coolent, dripping through the seams onto the passenger side carpet.

Well I got the core out, and I can see where I broke it. but other then that it doesn't look damaged or clogged in anyway, so I propably just broke a perfectly good heater core. I guess my heating problem lies elsewhere.

when I would push the buttons for heat or air you feel the tiniest bit of air come out thru the vents and then no air thru the vents. It only comes out thru the top by the glass when using the defroster.

Now that the core is out, the slider for the cold/hot doesn't slide. I wanted to see if it was controlling that door, but well now it doesn't move. Hmmm what else did I mess up?

Did follow this last week went fine .Only the top screw from the heater box was a little bit harder to get at .
Travelled 200 miles today , in a rain you would not believe your eyes , so i was needing that heater . Was like you had a grey curtain about 50 feet in front of the car .

Well today I needed to run an errand and decided it would be a good time to test the car some more since its temporary heater core bypass. Well once I got a bit further away the temp went up to about the half way mark. The way back was via the highway and when I got on there it cooled off a bit more (enough to get home). I checked and apparently it started to leak a little where I did the bypass. So I tried and was able to tighten it a bit more. While I was doing this the UPS guy showed up with my new heater core, so I will install that tomorrow.

Q: is there anything I should put on the pipes before putting the hose on to get it to seal like it was before I took it off?

thanks

Had the fun of putting a new heater core in today....

I found this thread helpful. so thank you.

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

Jazz...

miss ya babe.

Where are your pictures?

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

If you put some of the rad sealer in the fluid, would this seal it up. I just developed a leak and its going to be a couple weeks till I can get around to it. It would not be bad if it was not still cold and I have to use the heater.


Chris

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

Thanks Jazzman, its all done, about 30 mins and not too much trouble.

I will be doing a Non-a/c write up later tonight. Uploading the pics now, now I just have to sort out the write up and the pic posting and I will be good.

Thanks again
Chris

for removing the rubber tubes, put your index finger on the left and middle finger on the right side of the tube/metal connection part and simply pull back in nudges (left hand hold onto metal tube). Carefull to not injure your elbow when you hit the hood. I didnt use any plyer's but it makes sense to prevent air.

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

Great thread, but too bad about the missing pics at the beginning. Looks like my '84 SE is getting ready for a heater core, no green slim on the inside of the windshield, no dripping out of the heater box on the passenger side, just a faint smell of antifreeze once and a while, I take this as a warning. Will order one from the Fiero Store but trying to figure out, without tearing things apart first, if the after market AC company went ahead and used the origninal standard heater core or not. See pics and thanks for any feed back.

[This message has been edited by Bruno Mid Engine (edited 07-11-2007).]

. . . .

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The Fiero, a testiment to unique AMERICAN Engineering

This looks like a great post, does anyone have the photos that go with this post?

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- 86 Fiero GT, 4 spd.

quote Originally posted by fierohoho: I thought the same thing. Hey Cliff, could you create a section that posts of this type could go in? Call it "How To" or something similar. After the author is done with the thread and any tweaking it needed from him/her and other forum members it would go there for easy access. Jazzman, a + for you for the great thread, one question though, it's been a while since I did a heater core replacement, but, isn't there a retaining strap at each end of the core? I can't remeber for sure.

I always thought it would be better to have TWO tech sections, one would be Custom Tech and the other Factory Tech. If I want to find out how to rebuild a brake caliper, for example, I don't need to wade through a mountain of custom brake upgrade threads to find what I want. Alternatively, If I am doing an engine swap I really don't need to wade through a river of rebuild threads.

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

I have A/C and took mine out by the inside of the car

I wanted to add to JazzMan's very helpful thread with a few images and a couple of questions. These pictures were taken of an '86 GT with A/C.

This first image not only shows a disgusting looking leaking heater core, but it also shows the top screw hole (just above the middle of the core) for anyone who might not know where exactly it is they're supposed to be looking after they take their passenger side dash speaker out (as mentioned earlier in this thread). Having said that, I was fortunate in that there was no screw in this hole in my GT, so therefore my speaker didn't need to come out. Looks to me like there was never a screw in there. Perhaps double check if you're doing this procedure before you bother taking your passenger side speaker out for access.



First question - Is there supposed to be some kind of a small removable panel that the two heater core tubes stick through? You can see a screw hole to the top-left of them which seems to me to be a place where a panel would attach. (You'll also notice the "by-pass" I hooked up so that I could drive this Fiero home after I bought it and not have coolant spewing forth inside the car. I used a 45 degree half-inch copper pipe connector.)



Second question - Is this where the foam piece is actually supposed to sit when the core is installed, or has it been accidently relocated during a previous incursion?



Feedback on the questions would be appreciated. Thanks.

[This message has been edited by JazzMan (edited 11-22-2011).]

quote Originally posted by JazzMan: The foam block goes against the opening where the tubes stick through.

So then the foam as I've pictured it is in the right place when installed in the box?

quote Originally posted by Patrick: So then the foam as I've pictured it is in the right place when installed in the box?

From memory, yes. Nice pics you added, BTW.

Awesome pictural and step by step, Jazzman! I have to change my heater core. 2nd one since 1995. I get the intermttent drops of antifreeze from there. Luckily I have a thick old crappy sweatshirt there catching the drops. I'd give you a plus but I don't have enough posts yet....

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=-Eric the Dread