bytor
Well-Known Member
Next project on deck for my 87 vette is the dreaded heater core replacement. I have no leaks but smell coolant when running the heater and notice the windows fog up slightly. Telltale sign of a very small leak in the heater core. I checked behind the carpet on the passenger side and no signs of a leak either.
I plan of doing a vacuum leak down test on the core in the car to verify the suspicion. Just like the C3 corvettes, the heater core was put in a jig and the rest of the car was built around it, it would seem. The shop manual has you removing the dash pad and other goodies before you can access the core cover. Here's an old mag article covering the process.
There seems to be an alternate method thats considered shorter.
-Remove passenger seat
-Remove lower dash panel (the one with the courtesy light)
-Remove connector to temp door motor
-Remove ECM ( held in by two 10mm screws, remove them and slide the ECM down and out of the way. You can disconnect it and remove it entirely)
-Disconnect rod from connector at door motor arm.
-Remove the door motor
-Remove the tubular angle brace
-Disconnect small duct-work
-Remove all the screws holding plastic cover
-Wrestle cover off
-Remove the old core and re core and put it all back together.
This method seems doable except for the 2 upper core cover screws look like a PITA to remove and reinstall.
What method have other C4 owners here on the forum used to replace the heater core and what words of wisdom would you pass along?
.
I plan of doing a vacuum leak down test on the core in the car to verify the suspicion. Just like the C3 corvettes, the heater core was put in a jig and the rest of the car was built around it, it would seem. The shop manual has you removing the dash pad and other goodies before you can access the core cover. Here's an old mag article covering the process.
There seems to be an alternate method thats considered shorter.
-Remove passenger seat
-Remove lower dash panel (the one with the courtesy light)
-Remove connector to temp door motor
-Remove ECM ( held in by two 10mm screws, remove them and slide the ECM down and out of the way. You can disconnect it and remove it entirely)
-Disconnect rod from connector at door motor arm.
-Remove the door motor
-Remove the tubular angle brace
-Disconnect small duct-work
-Remove all the screws holding plastic cover
-Wrestle cover off
-Remove the old core and re core and put it all back together.
This method seems doable except for the 2 upper core cover screws look like a PITA to remove and reinstall.
What method have other C4 owners here on the forum used to replace the heater core and what words of wisdom would you pass along?
.