PegasusIII
26th May 2018, 12:27 PM
Hello! I have been lurking on the forums for the past couple of weeks, but had a question so thought I would sign up!
So I started getting the wet footwell on my 2000 p38a (Bosch engine approx 120,000km), and it got worse and worse to the point coolant was constantly leaking out onto the ground behind the front RHS wheel, and I was topping up the coolant before each drive. So after some reading I ordered replacement O-rings. A couple of hours work and $5 worth of rings, I thought - Great!!!
After pulling out half of the interior dash to get to the heater core, I could see someone had done the same job before (the heater vents were already cut and duct taped back together, and an access hole had been drilled in the side of the center console. Great! (I thought) This will be easier than expected!
Once I got to the heater-core and removed the annoying, almost stripped single screw, I started to get the feeling the issue was worse than just the o-rings. I was right! Big crack in the core. Back to the drawing board (and reading over the forums), I came across the Audi conversion and thought I would give that a go, avoid the clumsy single screw LR design all together. I ordered all the parts (audi core, 5/8th hose, hose clamps, converters) but looking at it again, I just don't feel comfortable getting the old core out and new one in (steering column, wiring harnesses etc).
In the process of draining the coolant I also managed to accidentally break the nipple for the overflow hose on the radiator - all the plastic on this car seems to be old and brittle! Ordered a new radiator, then realised it is near impossible to replace without removing the viscous coupling fan - which of course requires a 36mm spanner which I didn't have on hand. I am now waiting for this tool to arrive, and was thinking I will just replace the rad and bypass the heater core for the time being.
Can anyone recommend someone in the Sydney area who could help with the heater core conversion job? I have all the parts now, but just don't feel confident pulling out the dash to do the core myself. (I would be fine with the shortcut method too, but just don't feel confident in doing it myself!). I understand this could take quite a few hours of labor and would cost accordingly, but I would be happy to work with someone to lend a hand doing it!! Any help or direction would be appreciated on this. I am feeling a bit lost/stuck with it all.
And then once that's sorted I can start trying to find the small EAS leak.. Ahhh, the joys of p38 ownership! [thumbsupbig]
So I started getting the wet footwell on my 2000 p38a (Bosch engine approx 120,000km), and it got worse and worse to the point coolant was constantly leaking out onto the ground behind the front RHS wheel, and I was topping up the coolant before each drive. So after some reading I ordered replacement O-rings. A couple of hours work and $5 worth of rings, I thought - Great!!!
After pulling out half of the interior dash to get to the heater core, I could see someone had done the same job before (the heater vents were already cut and duct taped back together, and an access hole had been drilled in the side of the center console. Great! (I thought) This will be easier than expected!
Once I got to the heater-core and removed the annoying, almost stripped single screw, I started to get the feeling the issue was worse than just the o-rings. I was right! Big crack in the core. Back to the drawing board (and reading over the forums), I came across the Audi conversion and thought I would give that a go, avoid the clumsy single screw LR design all together. I ordered all the parts (audi core, 5/8th hose, hose clamps, converters) but looking at it again, I just don't feel comfortable getting the old core out and new one in (steering column, wiring harnesses etc).
In the process of draining the coolant I also managed to accidentally break the nipple for the overflow hose on the radiator - all the plastic on this car seems to be old and brittle! Ordered a new radiator, then realised it is near impossible to replace without removing the viscous coupling fan - which of course requires a 36mm spanner which I didn't have on hand. I am now waiting for this tool to arrive, and was thinking I will just replace the rad and bypass the heater core for the time being.
Can anyone recommend someone in the Sydney area who could help with the heater core conversion job? I have all the parts now, but just don't feel confident pulling out the dash to do the core myself. (I would be fine with the shortcut method too, but just don't feel confident in doing it myself!). I understand this could take quite a few hours of labor and would cost accordingly, but I would be happy to work with someone to lend a hand doing it!! Any help or direction would be appreciated on this. I am feeling a bit lost/stuck with it all.
And then once that's sorted I can start trying to find the small EAS leak.. Ahhh, the joys of p38 ownership! [thumbsupbig]