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How long should this take and am I in for a hell of a ride?

2K views 16 replies 12 participants last post by  TroyBoy 
#1 ·
I have to change out the POS leaking heater core in my 2003 S-10. Just how much of a pain in the butt will I have to deal with and how long will it take approx? If only it where like they did them till the late 80's where it could be accessed at the firewall. Now everything has to be so annoying to get to on new vehicles. :rolleyes:
 
#8 ·
all data shows 4.1 if under warranty, other wise 8.9 hours.
once you get the right wheel well, all the related wiring disconnected, the dash board and evap housing out, it isn't too hard to do.
you also have to drain the refrigerant from the A/C system.
with no air tools and if you haven't done one before, i would guess around 10~12 hours start to finnish.
when you do it, be sure to use the right screws in each hole. some are longer than others and if a long screw goes in a hole for a short screw, it can cause problems such as binding the temp door.
 
#9 ·
timothale said:
The more I am around modern cars the more I like a Model T Ford

This why I am stepping back to an old car, my 59 Rambler for my daily driver. See the box on the firewall? It's the heater core, you could change it in about 15 minutes with a friggin adjustable end wrench and a screw driver without so much as a drop light!

Man do I love that car. Apparently I am just not smart enough to work on the late model stuff. My Rambler is simple like me!

Brian

 
#10 ·
MARTINSR said:
This why I am stepping back to an old car, my 59 Rambler for my daily driver. See the box on the firewall? It's the heater core, you could change it in about 15 minutes with a friggin adjustable end wrench and a screw driver without so much as a drop light!

Man do I love that car. Apparently I am just not smart enough to work on the late model stuff. My Rambler is simple like me!

Brian

Amen to the simpler days :rolleyes:
 
#12 ·
geezer69 said:
hey, get that old rambler back on the road. what a hoot it would be to have it for a daily driver. i like all the old stuff.
That is exactly what I am going. This is my parts car, the one I am going to drive is much nicer. But, oh yeah, can't wait to leave the computer, sensors, check engine lights and crap to someone else!

I am not a mechanic, I don't have the skills to keep these late model cars going. But this Rambler, crap, even I can trouble shoot and fix it!
Brian
 
#13 ·
Nice Rambler Brian. A buddy of mine has one, 59 with the Continental Kit. He installed an 85 Iroc front Subframe with SBC350/TH350, Built new front fender wells & firewall, floor & trunk pans etc.. Had alot of rot, sat under Pecan trees for (many) years. I haven't seen it in a long time now, don't know if he finished it or not. I'll snap some Pics if I get by there anytime soon. That's the best Rambler body style I ever seen, grill looks like a 55 Chevy.
 
#14 ·
I changed the heater core in my 1999 GMC Jimmy over the course of 4 days, working on it part time either before or after work (I worked 3rd shift at the time), and it was pretty much a PITA. I did it myself and flushed and cleaned the core myself which is all it needed, it wasn't leaking- just plugged. I couldn't see replacing something like that only because it was plugged as it cost more than the radiator. I also had to install a filter in the heater supply hose and ended up emptying it every 3-4 weeks of all the accumulated junk that complete cooling system flushes didn't get out.

I found our right after buying it (just a month before the flush and clean) that someone had added Ethylene Glycol antifreeze right in with the old Dexcool junk and it reacted badly.
 
#15 ·
Thanks for the replies. Looks like I'll have to just be patient about it. At least I can do bits at a time over the work week to help shorten the time needed for getting it done on the weekend. I got the part already and simply have it bypassed at the moment.
 
#16 ·
Just wait....

My brother does high end car work. Some of the new cars do not have dipsticks to check the oil. When you do an oil change you have to plug in to a computer and add the oil and watch how full it is on the computer.

If you do not get it right they dash will complain about the oil being to high or too low to the car owner during temp extremes.

He had a car in the the driver door window motor was bad and had an engine issue cold. The owner did not want the window motor fixed, just the start issue. The fix needed to be the window motor. The window motor put junk on the computer bus at key turn which prevented the dash from talking to the body computer. The engine computer did not get info from the dash through the body computer cause of the window motor computer talking too much. The owner still did not want the window motor fixed, just the engine fixed.

So does the T sound better and better everyday?
 
#17 ·
Lost in NJ said:
Just wait....

My brother does high end car work. Some of the new cars do not have dipsticks to check the oil. When you do an oil change you have to plug in to a computer and add the oil and watch how full it is on the computer.

If you do not get it right they dash will complain about the oil being to high or too low to the car owner during temp extremes.

He had a car in the the driver door window motor was bad and had an engine issue cold. The owner did not want the window motor fixed, just the start issue. The fix needed to be the window motor. The window motor put junk on the computer bus at key turn which prevented the dash from talking to the body computer. The engine computer did not get info from the dash through the body computer cause of the window motor computer talking too much. The owner still did not want the window motor fixed, just the engine fixed.

So does the T sound better and better everyday?
LMAO! That is the craziest thing I have ever heard.I hope I never have enough money to buy a car like that so I can be a pain in someones a** like that guy :spank:
 
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