[urq] Swapping out the heater core? Thoughts?

[JP Chaplen]

Yep i do have the AC still installed though it is not charged at the moment. The carpet is dry as far as i can tell, but VERY occasionally i will get a faint wiff of anti freeze... 



But not sure if the car is just running hot or the unit is leaking... 



but regardless sounds like a PITA!...crap. 




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Brandon Rogers" <brogers at terrix.com> 
To: "JP Chaplen" <quattrodude at comcast.net>, Urq at audifans.com 
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 3:01:18 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific 
Subject: RE: [urq] Swapping out the heater core? Thoughts? 

If you have A/C - or at least still have the condenser - it will be a PITA. 
If no A/C condenser - should be pretty easy - just remove the glove box, 
IIRC. If you have the A/C and/or condenser still - you get to remove all 
that stuff first - which would include evacuating the refrigerant.  AFAIK 
the heater core is either good or not - no in between.  If leaking you get 
wet/damp carpet and sweet smell of coolant in the cabin, and film on the 
windscreen. 

Brandon 
'84 ur 
  
  

-----Original Message----- 
From: urq-bounces at audifans.com [mailto:urq-bounces at audifans.com] On Behalf 
Of JP Chaplen 
Sent: Friday, June 18, 2010 3:19 PM 
To: Urq at audifans.com 
Subject: [urq] Swapping out the heater core? Thoughts? 



Just wanted to see what experiences people have had swapping it out, as far 
as I can tell i think its fine, but i have never looked and never dug too 
deep into the console? I have been looking for some good instructions, but 
it looks like i have to yank out all the AC cooler/exchange to get to the 
heater core. I was just thinking since i have most of the coolant out 
swapping the Thermo stat and switch it might be a good time to do that too? 
But wondering if its a couple hour job or an all weekend pain the butt job. 



The core its self seems reasonable cheap at about $80 and I have both the 
replacement hoses already. Though I have to admit I'm not 100% sure i really 
feel like tearing the whole dash apart. But the core as far as I know has 
never been replaced - has anyone had any horror stories after the fact, or 
do they slowly start leaking or ever go bad? 



Since i know people love to give advice and opinions...would love to hear or 
if there are any tips or concerns on doing this job? Also was wondering, if 
i do tear it apart, am I going to have 1/2 a gallon or something of 
anti-freeze pour out when and if I undo the 2 hoses to the core even if the 
bottom of the radiator switch has been pulled and drained? 


And thanks all for the advice on the thermo switch and stat ( I ended up 
going with the 80 for the Stat and 75 on the radiator cooling swtich), the 
reason mine was running hotter i think was i could barely read but it was 92 
on and 87 off...which made having an 80 stat kinda worthless.... 



Thanks all in advance! 



JP 
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