Heater Core Woes
Post Fiend
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 8,786
Likes: 28
From: Northern California
I tend to agree. It sounds like they turned a 20 minute job into a several hour job, just so they can cut inventory to save money on manufacturing.
Is that what it seems like to you Gary?
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 582
Likes: 1
From: Corvallis, OR
Hmm, well maybe the PDF just shows the whole box out because it was easier for them to take the pictures that way... Bill's account would seem to indicate as much.
It is not a trivial task to remove the whole plenum from the truck! I'm thinking you pretty much have to pull the whole dash. At that point it's almost easier to buy a new truck than replace the heater core.
It is not a trivial task to remove the whole plenum from the truck! I'm thinking you pretty much have to pull the whole dash. At that point it's almost easier to buy a new truck than replace the heater core.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 22,415
Likes: 92
From: Denver Metro Area, CO
Once you've gotten to that point, it's still at least another 3 hours work to get to this point:
Removing the heater core is actually pretty easy - a few 8mm screws hold on the cover and it comes right out:
But, to get the evaporator out, the official Ford docs have you using a hot knife and/or saw to cut open the plastic case so it can be extracted:
Reassembly is actually somewhat faster, about half the time:
Except if you're gonna replace that dang Liquid Line... the aftermarket one wouldn't fit between the exhaust manifold and firewall:
Sorry for the hijack - now, back to your regularly-scheduled rambling
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Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
9wire, you must have doubled the Chevette's value. I figured Chevy was working on disposable cars. First came the Corvair (although I kind of liked them), then the Vega where they got it close, and finally perfected it with the Shovit (Chevette).
Old School Hot Rodder
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 6,472
Likes: 11
From: Exmore, VA
Matt's Corsa 140 was a blast to drive. It had what Chevrolet called "heavy duty" suspension (read handling package) and somewhere between a stage II and stage III Yenko engine. I played with the carb jetting and it got pretty decent fuel economy, but would still go. Biggest complaints on it were the headers and glass packs would drone horribly at around 48 mph and due to the headers the heat left a bit to be desired.
For the latter, I built a set of lower ducts that fit around the headers and took stock thermostats. It helped, but you still had issues with the automatic chokes and so so heat (kind of like a beetle).
For the latter, I built a set of lower ducts that fit around the headers and took stock thermostats. It helped, but you still had issues with the automatic chokes and so so heat (kind of like a beetle).
Thread Starter
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FTE Legend
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 32,875
Likes: 48
From: Northeast, OK
Had a fraternity brother, a rich kid that was studying mechanical engineering but didn't have a clue, who had a new Corsa. Came in one day and said "I was going down the highway at 60 and decided to check out the fully synchro'd transmission by putting it in first gear. Something went bang and it quit pulling." I did a quick mental calc and told him he'd just blown the clutch by rev'ing it to 7 grand. Sure enough, when Chevrolet called him they said the clutch was blown and wouldn't be covered by warranty. Duh!
As for heat in a Beatle, have you ever drive a Transporter, the van or bus? They have the same engine, but instead of dumping the "hot" air into the cab just ahead of the engine they run it up a 3" stove pipe to the very front where it comes into the cab in the very, very front of the vehicle. By then whatever air was "hot" isn't, and you are faced with the choice of sending it fully to the defroster or fully onto the floor 'cause partially does no good for either function.
As for heat in a Beatle, have you ever drive a Transporter, the van or bus? They have the same engine, but instead of dumping the "hot" air into the cab just ahead of the engine they run it up a 3" stove pipe to the very front where it comes into the cab in the very, very front of the vehicle. By then whatever air was "hot" isn't, and you are faced with the choice of sending it fully to the defroster or fully onto the floor 'cause partially does no good for either function.