Pictures/instructions on changing the heater core?

toddr124

toddr124

Hagerstown, MD
I have a nonA/C 87 X1/9 that blew the heater core. I have place the caps on the outlets and disabled the heater core.
Now I want to remove the core to replace later. The service manual is useless for this job. I have removed the interior from the X1/9 including the center console.

Anyone have simple instructions on what to do next. I am a very simple person.:)
 
Which service manual?

toddr124 said:
I have a nonA/C 87 X1/9 that blew the heater core. I have place the caps on the outlets and disabled the heater core.
Now I want to remove the core to replace later. The service manual is useless for this job. I have removed the interior from the X1/9 including the center console.

Anyone have simple instructions on what to do next. I am a very simple person.:)
Click to expand...

Hi Todd,

I have never attempted this job, but the instructions in this manual seem pretty straight forward. Starting on page 50-3:

http://www.socalx.com/xhelp/X1-9_50_Contents_50.pdf

The pictures aren't great, but basically you need to remove everything connected to the heater box and the hose connected to the core. It is going to be tedious, so set your mind to "Nothing can phase me" mode and take your time.

I just did the heater valve on my 86 a couple weeks ago and you do not want to get frustrated and tear up the gear. Take a break if you start to get frustrated. You will see what I mean when you get in there, the last thing you want is a stripped nut or bolt in that cramped area.

When working on the nuts for the heater valve i took the fuse panel down and off its hooks to let it hang to the floor. This gave me just enough extra room to get in there.
 
Ditto on what Jim said and

have yourself plenty of rags handy for the coolant (or other) leak that arrives when you loosen / remove the hoses. As Jim says, patience is key.
 
Coolant amount,,

I removed my hose off of the valve and almost 1.5 gallons came out. I was ready with 5 ,, 1/2 gallon ice cream containers and towels ,but was also surprised at the amount in there. I hadn't drained any out from anywhere first, and just took the chance. It will flow onto the wires if they are hanging down also.
 
Amen to that.. yo uare gonna get wet. :)

Jim Young said:
I removed my hose off of the valve and almost 1.5 gallons came out. I was ready with 5 ,, 1/2 gallon ice cream containers and towels ,but was also surprised at the amount in there. I hadn't drained any out from anywhere first, and just took the chance. It will flow onto the wires if they are hanging down also.
Click to expand...

I drained the system as best as possible by pulling both front hoses off the radiator and then siphoning the tank in the engine bay. These two steps prevented the deluge, but I still got a quart dumped in the pass foot well. I had lined the foot well with plastic and was ready with rags and a small Tupperware container. There is no tidy way to handle this really, be just be ready.

OH... and I did stuff my lowered fuse panel into a trash bag and made sure it stayed dry.
 
Jim, a tip from Downunderland.......!!

JimD said:
....There is no tidy way to handle this really, be just be ready....
Click to expand...

.......maybe this helps because our water flows UPHILL in this part of the world :D, but being serious now, I found that by releasing both the heater hoses from their connections on the engine and plugging the freed hose ends with a tight-fitting bolt, and then retightening the hose clamps onto the inserted bolts, this prevented much of the coolant from gravitating out into the floor of the car - only about 1 cupful flowed out thru the whole time it took me to replace the b...tard heater valve!!
This also overcomes the need to drain the whole cooling system, and having to rebleed the system.
After reconnecting the heater hoses when the job was finished, I found that there was virtually no air in the complete system - only 1 small bubble of air thru the radiator bleed valve, and BINGO, all was well!

It took a helluva lot longer to get my back muscles (wot muscles?) back in shape tho!!!

cheers, Ian - NZ
 
Hey Guys... and Ian...

I dunno and I haven't done this... but what if one was to disconnect both heater hoses in the engine bay... then with a compressor, some rags and an air nozzle... force air into the heater core from one hose, and blow out the coolant out the other?

I would think it would get MOST of the coolant out with the exception of possibly some left in the bottom of the core.

I think it might be worth a try...
 
Great Link

Now I can see what to do. Whether I can do it is another story. I will fine old soon.
 
Yep, could work OK, Tony..........

......for those of us WEALTHY enough to have a compressor sitting around in our garage at home.
Tell ya what, mate!! Ship me over YOUR compressor for a 'longish' loan and I'll give your theory a try!
I'll return your compressor, buddy! Really I will - you know me! :pigsfly:

cheers, Ian - NZ
 
Fire hose!

I like Tony's idea about the compressor hose. If his compressor is anything like mine I can envision shooting coolant in a beautiful 40 foot arc....onto my across the street neighbor's driveway. It would be worth lending it to Todd just to see his neighbor's faces when he does this. Todd is a good friend of mine and I"m willing to do anything to help him get in trouble.

carl in Virginia
 
Yur just an old HOARDER...

I know ya got tons of money stuffed in your mattress and walls...

HA!

At one time... I had TWO compressors... both HIGH QUALITY Chinese Units...

I gave the small 7 gallon one to my son... and kept the 23 gallon one I got from Harbor Freight for $139.00...

You MUST have some discount suppliers in that land of yours... some where.
 
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