1978 heater core replacement
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Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 51
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From: Utica KY
1978 heater core replacement
I have my friend's '78 in my shop and after replacing the calipers found the heater core leaking into to pass. floorboard. How much of a job is the replacement of the core? Are there any tricks any one has that will help? Thanks in advance for ideas and helpful opinions.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 2,740
Likes: 3
From: Aurora Ontario
I have my friend's '78 in my shop and after replacing the calipers found the heater core leaking into to pass. floorboard. How much of a job is the replacement of the core? Are there any tricks any one has that will help? Thanks in advance for ideas and helpful opinions.
About a 4 hour job for a first timer.
Everyone seems to miss the one bolt on the firewall side that holds the heater core box. Otherwise pretty straight forward. Lots of threads on it here.
You will need to remove the driver side glove box.
Likely the center cluster too. Trick here is two bolts at the bottom of the cluster holding it to the center consol, one on each side. Center consol side panels have to come off to get at them.
Cut the hoses to the core underneath if they don't pry off, maybe an inch, plenty of rubber to reattach to the new core. Make sure you get any cut of hose from the old core off.
The rest you can see, some vaccum lines and linkages, all come off the core box. Remove all visible bolts around the core box on the inside. DON'T forget the one on the outside. Core box lifts up and out with a slight twist.
I stongely recommend you get a good core. Some after market ones don't look the same and don't fit the same.
Jim
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,220
Likes: 665
From: Northeast
AC or no AC? big difference.
I dont have AC in my 78 and you get to it from the engine side. 6 nuts. Took about 45 minutes. Recaulk the box you remove.
Just a FYI, match the new heater core to the one you took out. My new one was about 1/8" taller and I had to clip some screws sticking in the heater core box to get it in.
Good luck.
I dont have AC in my 78 and you get to it from the engine side. 6 nuts. Took about 45 minutes. Recaulk the box you remove.
Just a FYI, match the new heater core to the one you took out. My new one was about 1/8" taller and I had to clip some screws sticking in the heater core box to get it in.
Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 271
Likes: 25
From: Buena Vista Colorado
This is the best reference I've found so far for replacing the heater core in a C3 with air conditioning:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/heatercoreremoval.pdf
http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/heatercoreremoval.pdf
Racer
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 421
Likes: 6
From: Chicago IL
This is the best reference I've found so far for replacing the heater core in a C3 with air conditioning:
http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/heatercoreremoval.pdf
http://www.corvettefaq.com/c3/heatercoreremoval.pdf
