Heater core replacement

[Chewy4000 at aol.com]

Thnx alot, did it last night, without any special tools.
Took about 4-5 hrs it wasnt as bad as I thought.

Thnx for the write up, helps alot.

Chewy
Newark NJ


From: Steven Hauptmann <hauptmanns at MAIL.LLR.STATE.SC.US>
To: "'Chewy4000 at aol.com'" <Chewy4000 at aol.com>, 200q20v at audifans.com
Subject: RE: Heater core replacement
Date: Tue, 18 Mar 2003 16:11:55 -0500

Chewey,

Do you mean the interior center console?
If so, no. This does not have to be removed.

I'm sure you read all this but here is what I remember off the top of my
head.
The vacuum/linkage connections etc. must be removed from the heater box
before the heater box can be removed. I removed the carpeted side panels to
enable reaching behind the console to get at those interior connections
(vacuum/linkage). There are a couple of items and a strap to disconnect up
top. Once the heater box is free from it's connections to the vehicle, it
can be pulled out.

I had a time pulling hard enough from the top so I recruited the help of a
friend who pushed from inside while I pulled. This popped the seal and made
it seam easy.

I do remember running out to a local home improvement warehouse to get a
roll of foam weather stripping. I seem to remember there was a couple of
small strips on the side or top of the heater core which created a seal
against the sides of the heaterbox. They were attached with adhesive to the
original heatercore and tore when I tried to transfer them to the new unit.
I did not want to risk finding out AFTER I finished the job that the loss of
air flow through the core (from air following the path of least resistance
through these gaps) would result in diminished heating performance.

There is a special tool to assist reassembly of the flaps. I highly
recommend it! A friend of mine did manage to reassemble the heater box
without the tool on his 5ktq (same heater box setup), so it is possible, but
he grumbled and moaned for a week afterwards.  If you do not have access to
one, let me know and we can arrange for you to borrow mine.


Good Luck,
Steve Hauptmann
South Carolina