Howdy My mate and I have pulled the auto gearbox and while snooping around under the car I can see the heater core is starting to leak. With the gearbox out is the heater core easy to access and replace? What experience have others had with this slippery little sucker? Should we bypass now or replace? cheers and thanks in anticipation and exhaustion Geoff
Hey mate just intersted where its leaking from? I'm a bit confused coz the heater core is under the dash and cant be seen from the exterior.. its very easy to bypass just get a return hose for the pipes at the back of the engine-you can do it without taking anything off. There's a write up in the tech section about how the remove the heater core in an auto. If it were a manual the dash has to come out PITA!
Replacing the heater core Is a prick of a job, and no i can't help you as i will be out of town that weekend, whatever weekend that is.
The only part easier with the tranny out in a heater core replacement is fitting the new heater hoses back up from the core to the engine in the engine bay. Pulling the dash isnt that hard after you have done 6 of em like I have 22 minutes to pull the dash last time I did it.
Bypass the sucker... EA falcon heater core hose for $12 ... Direct fitment. done, no more probs... should be a 5 minute job with gearbox out. Perhaps another $20 for a nice jumper for winter and end-of-story... PS: Is your det sensor working? now would be a good time to consider replacing it? EDIT: Fashion Disclaimer: Yes, I know, I'm a cheap shopper. Why go to Colorado when Lowes has the same exact garment without a puncy name brand.
Are you doing manual conversion ? I seem to remember reading that you were putting in a manual. If so, I would do the heater core while your at it. It would probably be easier to fit pedal box/power booster etc if you had the bowels of the dash out anyway.
Hey Mark. Its getting cooler so you'll soon be ready for your conversion too - trakky dak conversion that is . Go the trakkies and flannel I reckon .
I bypassed mine years ago!!! Even with a working/non leaky heater core in my zed. Simply didn't t want the drama of fixing it which is an eventuality with these old zeds... preventative maitenance is the best offence!
Seconded... I've replaced mine before and unless you REALLY want your heater working, just do the bypass in tech section - soooo much easier. So much work involved just to get the heater going. You need to weigh it up whether it's worth the hassle for you. Just my AUD0.02
Easy to see everyone who recons "bypass" it lives north of sydney. South of sydney you need a heater. I would be really pissed if I bought a car from QLD and the heater didnt work when I got it down here. A heater bypass leaves you without a fully functioning car. Fix it.
That's right everything should work. Saying that mine needs done aswell, maybe a tech day for changing heater cores... That will be fun.
geoff .. even in sunny qld, a heater is very useful ..!! .. while the by-pass is a simple fix, it does leave you w/out heater and demisters ( i think) .. a/c continues to work ... a supplier of aluminium heater cores is phillip radiator services (kambah, ACT) .. overnight delivery for around $190.00 .. this does not include the tap, which you will most likely not need .... but will not really know until you have the core out .... my core was replaced with the dash in (n/a auto) .. by two young gun, qld zedders .. the two bens .. who swore that they would never go near a h/core again.... !!!! .. they did a top job ....
Any car on the road south off sydney needs a heater demister! if not for personal comfort then for safety. No way would I own a car without one, in victoria. Go Blues.
Best bet would be to bypass the heater core, grab a coleman 2 burner camp stove, light er up, chuck it on the back seat, or if you have a 2 seater, snugly on the parcel tray and wha la!! heater. Just dont goto sleep in there or you may just be off to Z heaven. Or just do as Chopper Reid (Ronnie Johns)says and "Harden the f*ck up!" :zlove: :zlove: as Zig Ziglar would say, "Ill see you at the top" ( in saying that my heater works and it does get to -5 here in Ipswich! )
Stop Panicking MZM on the job with a gearbox conversion yesterday. Its not the heater core, just some loose hose clamps. all good.
Technicaly speaking by the letter of the law you need the heater working to demist you windows in the correct time. But i cant talk mines bypassed as well
I thought it was the Air-con that did the demisting not the heater? Cold out side + hot inside = mist, so you need cold outside + cold inside to = no mist. Am I correct?
