Hi guys!

My heater core blew the other night and I need a quick fix. I don't have time to pull the dash and I can't afford to have it done for me either right now. I'm in Florida, so I really don't care about having heat, and this is a POS so I don't care about looks, either. It's my only vehicle, though, so I need to get it back on the road asap.

After looking at options I decided to bypass it, but there seems to be 2 ways of doing this... looping or capping off. I've heard that looping can cause issues so was going to cap it off. I found this video that looks super easy to do, but just wanted some opinions before I do this. It's basically cutting the hoses in the middle, capping them off with copper and zip tying them together so they don't flop around.
Should this serve my purpose? Thanks ahead of time!

 

Its best to loop the coolant. Some engines use it as a coolant bypass to alow the coolant to flow when the t-stat is closed.

During the summer I loop the heater lines to bypass the heater core. It gets rid of the heat soak from the heater core and gives better AC for us Floridians!

 

Agreed. LOOP IT

 

Appreciate the feedback, guys!

 

its soooooooooooooooooooooooooo easy to get to the heater core in these trucks. having done a few, I could probably do it in 10 minutes.

not as quick as looping it, but once it's done, it's done.

 

I once used a deep well socket and hose clamps to loop a heater core so the customer could drive it until the part came in.

 

89F2urd, I was under the assumption I needed to pull the whole dash out to get to it. Am I able to get to it through the engine compartment? The black box next to where the hoses go into the firewall in this picture isn't it, is it?

 

no you get it out through the glovebox opening the early 80 's were easier

 

Theres an access panel after you take the glove box out, it's a 1-2 hr job tops.

 

And that is taking brakes for 4-5 beers

 

Yeah, what he said.

I just did one on the blue '87 and I was amazed at how easy it was. I had a '74 before this so I was expecting the worse.

Its as simple as removing the glove box door and unscrewing 7-8 screws. Then remove access cover. There it is - the heater core.

It's literally a 15-minute job - 30 if you loaf.

But by all means if you need to bypass it - which I did until I could go get a new heater core - then simply loop the hoses.