Not sure if its the core thats gone or a hose/pipe, I have coolant dripping out of the passenger side floor vent, and out of a drain/pipe on the firewall. Is there anyway of finding the leak without pulling the entire dash? Can I even work on the pipes/lines going to the core without pulling the whole dash? If I do pull the dash is there a diagram or pictures that show all the clips/screws that need to come out? I really dont want to break any of it or forget screws/clips on re-assembly. I searched but only came up with dead links. Anyone have experience with cheaper cores from ebay/aftermarket, I cant beleive a Toyota one is well over $300, I paid less for a brand new radiator.
Heater core
- Thread starter Island_Yota
- Start date
most likely your heater is toast. just start pulling everything theres a ton of screw and nuts and only a couple clips for the dash that just pop off when you have all the nuts out. have fun.
idk where i got mine but it was 100bux. try calling champion toyota they give good discounts to supra owners.
idk where i got mine but it was 100bux. try calling champion toyota they give good discounts to supra owners.
You can snag a new heater core from Autozone or Napa for around 50 bones. The quality looks fine to me, but I never did install mine yet. I was going to repaint the dash, so I figured I might as well change my core while I'm in there. Now I find that the heater pipe coming into the engine bay on the passenger side was crimped shut by one of my jackass mechanics. That's gonna be fun to replace :3d_frown:
Guess Il pull the dash and pressurize the system to see where its coming from. What il do is buy some sandwich bags and label where the screws came from and number the bags and parts so I dont forget anything haha, I always do. from. Il try Napa for a new one, no autozones up here.. really cant afford a Toyota one or I would.
Any tricks to doing it? I keep reading about o-rings and bent/mishapen pipes.. sounds like a nightmare. Il make sure I pressure test the system before the dash goes back in of course.
Any tricks to doing it? I keep reading about o-rings and bent/mishapen pipes.. sounds like a nightmare. Il make sure I pressure test the system before the dash goes back in of course.
Dash is most of the way out now, just got it pulled away from the windshield and called it quits for the day, I have to get the dead pedal off to get at the fuses/wiring on the drivers side aswell. So far Its not really hard.. the only pain in the ass so far was that one little connector for the climate control sensor and the plastic screw holding the glove box cover in. Theres also tons of light bulbs I didn't know about because they are all dead!
Ok, picked up a new core for $130, seems decent quality. Anyway, I dont trust those little tiny "clasp" clamps at all, is it safe to take the o-rings out and solder the joints?
ugh.
ugh.
Island_Yota;1247232 said:
Educated man
And if your ever disconnecting hoses/plugs that can be mixed up, colour coded tie wraps on both ends work VERY well..
Meh, you're not a true mechanic until you have a parts bucket. Unscrew/bolt something, throw it in the bucket. LOL.
In any case, on my black car, I used some plumbing solder on those joints because I felt the same as you. Of course, I removed the O rings first. It held fine, but the car was only on the road a short while after that, so I cannot comment on longevity.
The way I see it now, is that it lasted 20ish years as it was, so if it's fixed properly (and secured the way it should be via the two clamps that screw to the plastic housing), it should last you another 20 years. I wouldn't solder another one if I had to do it again.
In any case, on my black car, I used some plumbing solder on those joints because I felt the same as you. Of course, I removed the O rings first. It held fine, but the car was only on the road a short while after that, so I cannot comment on longevity.
The way I see it now, is that it lasted 20ish years as it was, so if it's fixed properly (and secured the way it should be via the two clamps that screw to the plastic housing), it should last you another 20 years. I wouldn't solder another one if I had to do it again.
shaeff;1253003 said:
Im not so sure it did last, the top of the core was stained with coolant as well near the inlet pipe, I could smell coolant inside since I bought the car, very faintly though and ive always had trouble with air getting into the system. But yeah I agree, I would rather keep the factory setup but for some reason the little clasp pieces dont hold the pipes together very well, and of course since its an aftermarket core it doesn't exactly line up perfectly with the little clamps that screw to the plastic housing so im kind of on the edge on this. What I dont understand is why toyota put them there in the first place, I think il solder it, cant see it being a problem really, il pressure test it for sure.
shaeff;1253003 said:
Depend on your level I guess, and how familular you are with the project. But trust me getting a passover and having a bucket of random nuts/bolts, makes for a crappy start...
^ Thats how I bought my truck, a bucket of bolts, and rubbermaid tubs of screws, clips and wiring.
How I bought it:
Today:
Its my daily driver haha.
anyway, I better go solder that core and get it together.
How I bought it:
Today:
Its my daily driver haha.
anyway, I better go solder that core and get it together.
shaeff;1253336 said:Although that's what I tend to do, I was really just being facetious.
I gotchta, I'm a 3rd Year HET myself, one week and three exams and I'll be a fourth year
But it is good practise to do that if you think you may be unsure. Especially if your just getting started. Cool beans...
Just an observation/question here since I'm just about finished disconnecting everything and pulling the dash on mine, but has anyone else who has done this had any problem with the wiring plugs behind the drivers kick panel being a real bitch to disconnect? I finally had to give it up for the day when I was on the verge of going from merely cussing the damn things to beginning to damage stuff.
Any tricks to getting them out? And no smartass answers please, I'm in a fragile state right now. :aigo:
Any tricks to getting them out? And no smartass answers please, I'm in a fragile state right now. :aigo:
mirage83;1253424 said:
Oh big time, each one has a little plastic tab that you push down on while you pull but they are still a pain in the ass to get apart, one was so bad I used a flat blade screw driver to pry it apart.
Island_Yota;1253444 said:
Okay, that's what I was going to try next if nothing else worked, and nothing else has yet. I made sure that I was fully depressing the locking tabs, wiggled the plug a little to break any adhesion from being plugged up for 20 years, and still no go. I'm beginning to think someone with a warped sense of humor epoxied the damn things in.