Heater Core Removal/Installation

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limppimp

Founding Member

Mar 10, 2002

149

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0

Oct 5, 2004

#1

• Oct 5, 2004

• #1

Has anyone ever changed their heater core? I am about to and I really dont know what I am getting myself into. It looks like it is going to take forever. If you have some tips please let me know.

 

1986LX2002

Founding Member

Aug 15, 2002

317

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0

Oct 5, 2004

#2

• Oct 5, 2004

• #2

did mine in my 86gt, dash must come out of the car. PITA!!!

 

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limppimp

Founding Member

Mar 10, 2002

149

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0

Oct 5, 2004

#3

• Oct 5, 2004

• #3

Yeah, thats going to be fun. Did you have to discharge your a/c or disconnect anything from the firewall? i.e evaporter lines

 

1986LX2002

Founding Member

Aug 15, 2002

317

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0

Oct 5, 2004

#4

• Oct 5, 2004

• #4

Yah i had to discharge the AC and take out drain the coolant. It wasnt really a lot of work just time consuming. hard part was finding all the mounting points for the dash under. i'm 6'6" and it was freaking hard as hell getting under there and unbolting stuff. Make sure you buy a good unit though from like 50resto.com of something autozone ones dont last that long at all. I also mounted two ground wires I heard it from an old school guy at a car show once. He's only had to replace his core once since he's owned the car, his was a 83 and was the original owner. anymore questions lemme know.

 

MikeR351w

Founding Member

Oct 8, 2001

207

0

16

Wisconsin

Oct 5, 2004

#5

• Oct 5, 2004

• #5

Just had my dash out of my 87 again. It took 6 hours to take her apart and get the dash back in. Granted I was listening to music and took a lunch break, but I dare you to beat that time AND without loosing any bolts or screws!!! Any questions, let me know. I am an expert.

 

Blakthorn

Member

Jul 24, 2004

299

1

16

US

Oct 5, 2004

#6

• Oct 5, 2004

• #6

Heater Core Replacement - http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/5652/

 

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limppimp

Founding Member

Mar 10, 2002

149

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0

Oct 5, 2004

#7

• Oct 5, 2004

• #7

Well, i am 2 hours into it and i almost have the dash off (of course, i do have the haynes manual telling me how to do it)
1986LX2002- I know what your mean about it being a pain...i am 6'3" and it is hard to get around under everything. I have a core from NAPA on the way, I hope its a good quality. What do you think?

Well, enough break time...time to get back to work.

Thanks for your replies!

 

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Lynx331

New Member

Jan 5, 2004

308

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0

Chicago IL

Oct 5, 2004

#8

• Oct 5, 2004

• #8

i did it on my 87 gt and i did it without discharging my ac. Took a l o n g time.

 

Black1987Stang

Active Member

Aug 22, 2004

1,422

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37

Jersey Shore

Oct 5, 2004

#9

• Oct 5, 2004

• #9

If u discharged the ac and disconected the lines and ubolted the two nuts on the firewall just loosen the dash so u can bring the right side of the dash towards you. Unbolt the glove box door with the 2 screws underneath and take it out. Pull the hole heater core assembly out onto the floormat, stick ur hand where the glove box went then take the 3 or 4 screws (i was missing one) from the top out and then switch out the heater core.

 

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limppimp

Founding Member

Mar 10, 2002

149

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0

Oct 5, 2004

#10

• Oct 5, 2004

• #10

Well, I have the dash off...everything else will have to wait until Friday. That second bolt holding the bottom part of the dash on the drivers side took me 45 minutes to get off! One bolt! It was hidden. Oh that sucked.

By the way, is there anything else I should change while I have the dash off? I dont want to do this again.

By the way, I doing all of this to a 94 GT Convertable.

 

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desertdog

New Member

Jun 25, 2004

20

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0

Illinois/Arizona

Oct 5, 2004

#11

• Oct 5, 2004

• #11

Not meaning to hi jack the thread,but where is that hiddenbolt.I'm in the process of changing out the heater core myself and i can't find that little $hit!Also do you have to drop the steering wheel when you do this or can you just manipulate the dash. I have a 93 LX vert. thanks guys
Jim

 

Zero_chance

Founding Member

May 29, 2001

1,244

7

59

Maricopa, AZ

Oct 24, 2005

#12

• Oct 24, 2005

• #12

As far as quality goes, weve had several comebacks of Ford units here at the shop lately. The CAP units have actually been lasting surprisingly. We got two in a row from Ford that were leaking before we even installed them. Im not sure who makes them for Ford but theyve been sucking it up lately. On Stangs, its a good idea to clean away the black goo that seats the core or else it could puncture the fins. I have to my core this weekend and its already cold as hell out. Yippeee.

 

Black1987Stang

Active Member

Aug 22, 2004

1,422

0

37

Jersey Shore

Oct 25, 2005

#13

• Oct 25, 2005

• #13

Wow this is an old thread but make u sure u clean out the old sealer goo and put a new bead down before you put the cover back on.

 

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89 Saleen#455

Founding Member

Dec 29, 1999

519

5

39

New England

Oct 25, 2005

#14

• Oct 25, 2005

• #14

here is another link that might help with the heater core swap.

http://users2.ev1.net/~calley/Sally/heater_core/

 

cardudeusa

Founding Member

Oct 22, 2002

1,744

5

48

Home of the Florida Gators!

Oct 25, 2005

#15

• Oct 25, 2005

• #15

Zero_chance said:

As far as quality goes, weve had several comebacks of Ford units here at the shop lately. The CAP units have actually been lasting surprisingly. We got two in a row from Ford that were leaking before we even installed them. Im not sure who makes them for Ford but theyve been sucking it up lately. On Stangs, its a good idea to clean away the black goo that seats the core or else it could puncture the fins. I have to my core this weekend and its already cold as hell out. Yippeee.

Click to expand...

Thats great, Ford ones leaking before their installed.

 

trents99

Founding Member

Jun 28, 2002

438

0

0

Hampton, GA

Oct 25, 2005

#16

• Oct 25, 2005

• #16

Have to do mine this weekend. Not looking forward to it.

 

jackchan

New Member

Oct 17, 2004

507

0

0

Mobile Alabama

Oct 25, 2005

#17

• Oct 25, 2005

• #17

i now have two cars to do this too! man..... it was 41 degrees f, in my car this morning when I drove to work. Clock/temp sign at the local bank read 37 degrees F! I aint no wuss, but I know something intelligent when I see it....(new heater core = comfort)!

 

cardudeusa

Founding Member

Oct 22, 2002

1,744

5

48

Home of the Florida Gators!

Oct 26, 2005

#18

• Oct 26, 2005

• #18

jackchan said:

i now have two cars to do this too! man..... it was 41 degrees f, in my car this morning when I drove to work. Clock/temp sign at the local bank read 37 degrees F! I aint no wuss, but I know something intelligent when I see it....(new heater core = comfort)!

Click to expand...

I have 2 stangs needing heater cores also. I have a buddie thats a mechanic he says he will do both for $400. Sounds worh it to me... Anyone else?

 

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8950HO

New Member

Mar 31, 2005

658

2

0

Oct 26, 2005

#19

• Oct 26, 2005

• #19

It`s a lousey job,I hated doing it.If you have AC you don`t have to discharge the system.Bend the accumulator mounting brackets forward for the extra clearance.

www.50stangs.com has a tech article on this.