foseguera

Hello All,
Thanks again for your continued help; I'm thinking about replacing my heater core.
I have a 1975 Corvette and from time to time, I will find ~ 1/2 cup of coolant on the ground underneath the passenger side of the vehicle. I showed a mechanic my heater hoses (that's where it's dripping from) and he was sure my heater core is leaking.
Is this a difficult project?
Expensive etc? I may not know what I'm doing, but I'm more than willing to put in the time to learn how to do it.
Is it a relatively simple process, just very time consuming?

I was told to just link the two hoses together and zip tie them to the car; is this acceptable? From what I've read, the heater core is pressurized; will this prevent coolant leaking into my passenger compartment?

I don't use the heater to begin with, so I can live without it... how can I be sure it's the core?

Thanks again for your help...

Semper Fi!

Felix

Go Vette Go

I will tell you a little "Bubba" I did when I discovered my heater core was leaking (the day before my clubs big show).

I put an adjustable wood clamp on each hose to cut off the water circulation. Removed each hose from the heater core. I forced a piece of capped 1/2" copper tubing in each line a couple inches from the core lines. Put a clamp on each hose where the copper tubes were & reconnected to the heater core. This lasted me the whole summer - I replaced the heater core over the winter.

One suggestion IF you ever replace the heater core - take the new core to a radiator shop and have them pressure tested AND reinforce the solder joints where the tubes attach to the core. I learned this the hard way on both my 69 & 78! Installed straight out of the box - both leaked at that poorly soldered joint!

And no, I didn't find the replacement to be too difficult.

John

foseguera

Hi John,
Thanks for the reply, why the wood clamp? I know I'm asking the same question twice, but can't I just disconnect the two heater hoses and put a U joint between them to close the circulation? I don't understand how / where I should do this bypass? I just thought I would disconnect the two hoses and link them together?
F

BKbroiler

Most people would consider changing the heater core a challenging project. Since you don't use the heater, you can simply remove the heater hoses entirely and install pipe plugs at the intake manifold and water pump. No bypass is required. My car has this setup with no problems.

midyearvette

if you are never going to run the heater you can do it your way or you can remove the hoses all together and use pipe plugs at the mill or to keep the appearance stock do as suggested by blocking the core internally and re connecting the hoses..the wood clamps were just temporary to not drain the coolant..good luck

foseguera

I think this sounds ideal... The engine already puts off enough heat as is. Do you have pictures of this rig? I would like to do this, but I'm thinking these are areas of high pressure and run the risk of rupture etc? What would I use to plug these holes? Would this add HP?
F

Avette4me

I'd replace it. Your bound to need some defog once in a while if nothing else.

foseguera

I agree; where can I find a step by step process on how to replace the device? I have the service manual, but that only provides details; not direction.
F

BKbroiler

This pic is from before I removed the AC evaporator & housing. You can see the two plugs. They are just pipe plugs from Home Depot, 1/2 inch and 5/8 inch I think. It reduces clutter but doesn't add horsepower.

foseguera

Wow, looks great. Are they the two little plugs on the water pump?
F

BKbroiler

One plug is on the intake manifold just below the rad hose connection in the picture. The other is down on the passenger side of the water pump. They are the same locations where your heater hoses connect to the engine.

Avette4me

Here's a post I made sometime back. It's on an '80. Yours has a split dash, so it will be a bit different. Once you get to the heater box, I believe they're the same though.

http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/heatercoreremoval.pdf

robert.sperry

When my heater core failed ( I wanted to postpone the core replacement work until later) I went to an auto supply store and asked the clerk if he had a heater hose that was 5/8 on one end and 1/2 on the other. He found one and when I got home I cut the hose to make short loop of hose right at the engine end. I attached the hose to the fittings on the engine with the original hose clamps. I removed/discarded the old hoses from the end of the heater core. I ran the car this way for about 11/2 years. As for the heater core replacement it is not a difficult task but is long and tedious. There are several good references on the internet about the steps to do this job, many with pictures taken during the process.

foseguera

This helps; thank you. I think for the time being, I am just going to join the two heater hoses together underneath the passenger compartment.
Best,
Felix

lilmonster

I just finished mine yesterday, and here's the thread
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...ater-core.html