heater core fail and Repair

[tim eh?]

the problem - a single, 50 cent O-ring on the return (middle) pipe.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6703&stc=1&d=1240088299

the fix - new O-rings all round since I'm here.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6702&stc=1&d=1240088299

the massive boner I just pulled.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6701&stc=1&d=1240088299

:( go easy

[Paul in NZ]

good job tim!What were the symptoms?Misty screen,small of antifreeze,gradual loss of coolant?

[Tiger]

How much stuff did you have to remove to get to it? I need to do the same job.

[tim eh?]

Well thanks Paul, I appreciate it, but it's not a good job. I didn't even need to touch that part of it at all but I'm a moron and I wrecked it. Symptoms were coolant haze through the vents, not much... but it was evident on the windshield if I left the defrost flap open.

I removed the entire console including the radio and OBC, it's not too bad maybe 3 hours for me and I'm a turtle. The pisser is that you can't test it until you hook the climate control panel back up. So I was all pleased with myself with all the wiring re-tied and the carpet all clean and my stereo wires tidy and when I started the car it puked prestone everywhere. Sucked bigtime.

You have to remove this much stuff (not including factory amp cover).
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6704&stc=1&d=1240094796

plus all associated switches such as this bitsh.
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6705&stc=1&d=1240094796



So I'm thinking I could fix this part of the pipes with radiator hose and clamps instead of waiting (or paying even) for a part..... what do you guys think?

[uscharalph]

Man you've got a lot more ____ than me LOL! That job was too big for me on the '89, so I just bypassed the heater core.

[Paul in NZ]

Well thanks Paul, I appreciate it, but it's not a good job. I didn't even need to touch that part of it at all but I'm a moron and I wrecked it. Symptoms were coolant haze through the vents, not much... but it was evident on the windshield if I left the defrost flap open.

I removed the entire console including the radio and OBC, it's not too bad maybe 3 hours for me and I'm a turtle. The pisser is that you can't test it until you hook the climate control panel back up. So I was all pleased with myself with all the wiring re-tied and the carpet all clean and my stereo wires tidy and when I started the car it puked prestone everywhere. Sucked bigtime.

You have to remove this much stuff (not including factory amp cover).
plus all associated switches such as this bitsh.




So I'm thinking I could fix this part of the pipes with radiator hose and clamps instead of waiting (or paying even) for a part..... what do you guys think?

i dont get it.....is the pipe in your first pipe broken ?

[632 Regal]

Devcon plastic welder comes to mind but if you cant clean that crack out good and make it stick round again you need new parts... Nice post great details of why I would sell my car. try the devcon if you can clean it good, stuff is unbelievable.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6701&stc=1&d=1240088299

:( go easy[/QUOTE]

[tim eh?]

*
i dont get it.....is the pipe in your first pipe broken ?

nothing was broken until i started tooling around, just the O rings were old and square kind of. bypassing the heater core would be fine for the next 6 months but after that I need more than just the butt-warmer. But how do you bypass the heater core?


It's not such a bad job except the plastic bits on all the plugs are really brittle. Honestly the PO broke way more plastic than I did (:() but I did bust a couple of clips here and there... nothing major except maybe that hazard flasher which must have been cracked already because I barely touched it.

sell the car b/c of a leaky heater core? serious? this car is sooo close to being restored (minus a/c) i have maybe 3 big jobs left i am really pissed about this.

I'm a bit scared to use glue no matter how good. The consequences of a fail here could be tragic at the wrong time. Thanks for the suggestion Jeff... I think the pipe is too mangled for it... I have another idea (oh no....)

[RockJock]

You've got big brass balls dude. Hats off to you for tackling this job. Personally, with all the hours of work that go into this, I wouldn't try to ghetto-rig any of the old brittle plastic bits. Go all new, including the heater core...fast forward to Jan-Feb 2010 and just imagine trying to fix $hit then :(, all over again....

[tim eh?]

You've got big brass balls dude. Hats off to you for tackling this job. Personally, with all the hours of work that go into this, I wouldn't try to ghetto-rig any of the old brittle plastic bits. Go all new, including the heater core...fast forward to Jan-Feb 2010 and just imagine trying to fix $hit then :(, all over again....

I agree but that hose will take at least a week to get here from Pelican Parts and it's just a stupid tube. I can leave the car in pieces for that long or....

Here is my fix for now, just ran it to full temp and NO LEAKS WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6706&stc=1&d=1240176859

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6707&stc=1&d=1240176859

I dunno, what do you guys think is this going to fail?

I will post more pics later but I'm going to go put my car back together now.

[Jehu]

My first thought is while it may not fail dramatically it may seep some slightly.. Do you think you could have caused cracks to appear in the plastic when tightening the clamps? I don't think the pressure is tremendous in those pipes is it?

[RockJock]

That looks like a pretty clean fix. Please take tons of pics; I'm going to have to tackle mine this summer and I'll need to lean on you guys big time.....

Just finished the soldering trick on my LKM relays (several of the solders were cracked), we'll see what gives. I was whipping along a country road, with no shoulders, in the middle of the night when all of a sudden ...poof, everything went pitch black. Took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust and I managed to stop the car without going into the ditch. Waited a few minutes and restarted the car and the lights worked again. It usually happened during the day but not this time....nearly $hit my pants....

[russiankid]

Shouldn't fail, but the pipe was not meant to have a hose clamp on it so if the hose does decide to slip off you're screwed.

[tim eh?]

Shouldn't fail, but the pipe was not meant to have a hose clamp on it...

That's what I'm afraid of the most. Like Jehu says I could have worsened the cracks in the pipe. Oh well it was seeping already... hopefully there's no next time but if there is I know what parts to get. I used this gasket glue stuff also so maybe it will help. And I cut away past the cracked bits but I think I'll just have to cross my fingers.
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6713&stc=1&d=1240184967



So I guess I'll be driving around like this for a bit...
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6708&stc=1&d=1240184967

Really guys, it's not that bad. Once you get to this point (^) all that's left is to unplug the stereo, obc...
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6715&stc=1&d=1240184967

and climate control (2 plugs, 2 cables)...
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6709&stc=1&d=1240184967

the 2 potentiometer plugs on the cover...
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6716&stc=1&d=1240184967

and then the cover is held on by 10 little clips,...
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6711&stc=1&d=1240184967

and two brackets.
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6710&stc=1&d=1240184967

Then you slide the cover off...
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6712&stc=1&d=1240184967

and go find your leak!
http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6714&stc=1&d=1240184967

[Paul in NZ]

That looks like a pretty clean fix. Please take tons of pics; I'm going to have to tackle mine this summer and I'll need to lean on you guys big time.....

Just finished the soldering trick on my LKM relays (several of the solders were cracked), we'll see what gives. I was whipping along a country road, with no shoulders, in the middle of the night when all of a sudden ...poof, everything went pitch black. Took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust and I managed to stop the car without going into the ditch. Waited a few minutes and restarted the car and the lights worked again. It usually happened during the day but not this time....nearly $hit my pants....

that happened to me....dont know how i knew cos the car was brand new to me..something told me "THE FOGS THE FOGS" and it worked,but still a second or two pitch black,holding the car on the same turning radius as i had started when the lights went out.!

[RockJock]

Great pictures! I see you had enough room to work without removing the seats…

How much extra work to remove/re-install the heater core? Would one have to bypass the heater core before undoing any of the connections to avoid spilling coolant all over the place? If so, what’s the best approach?

[tim eh?]

Great pictures! I see you had enough room to work without removing the seats…

How much extra work to remove/re-install the heater core? Would one have to bypass the heater core before undoing any of the connections to avoid spilling coolant all over the place? If so, what’s the best approach?

Yeah the seats don't get in the way at all, maybe they would for the heater core though. I'm not sure how the heater core comes out. Mine looks in good shape so I'm leaving it, although in the end I decided to order the pipe so I'll have a look when I go back there again :(.

I hardly spilled any coolant at all, not enough to kill the neighbours cat. I can't imagine the heater core holds that much but you probably have to tilt it so ... I dunno ... maybe just drain the coolant, I don't know how to bypass the core.

[uscharalph]

Yeah the seats don't get in the way at all, maybe they would for the heater core though. I'm not sure how the heater core comes out. Mine looks in good shape so I'm leaving it, although in the end I decided to order the pipe so I'll have a look when I go back there again :(.

I hardly spilled any coolant at all, not enough to kill the neighbours cat. I can't imagine the heater core holds that much but you probably have to tilt it so ... I dunno ... maybe just drain the coolant, I don't know how to bypass the core.


If I went thru all the trouble to get at the heater core. I'd replace everything. Get it done once and be done with it for good. If you're not replacing the heater core and just replacing the pipe, why do you have to drain it or bypass it?