heater core fail and Repair

[tim eh?]

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



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



the massive boner I just pulled.



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).


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?

[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 ?

[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....

[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.

[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.



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....)

[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!!!!!!!!!!!!





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.