Thread: Fitting issues with aftermarket Heater Core for 89-94

Hi RR90_Goat,

As you may remember, I did mine recently too. I removed a plastic-ended, aluminium cored matrix and replaced with a copper version too; looks pretty much like yours.

My heater unit went back together fine but I thought I was going to have real problems fitting the unit back into the car and hooking up the hoses. The issue was around the fact that the copper unit's pipes aren't bent like the plastic/alu version.

In the end though, a bit of wiggling here and there, lots of patience and it all went back together fine. Just ran it up the other day to clean/flush the cooling system and the heater was working *really* well. Hot, damn hot!

So not really an answer but perhaps some hope that it'll work out.

cheers

Originally Posted by superquag

Indeed forwarned is... maybe I'll leave it to the next owner... Mine just expired today. - Not internally, (am thankful for tiny mercies) but in the engine - room where the aluminium pipes come through the firewall... Lets just say the pipes don't poke through as far as they originally did

It started this arvo, steam pouring out from the bonnet within seconds of firing up... coolant leaking from a heater-tap (previous owner's bodgy) onto the exhaust manifold. I was amazed at how quick the metal exceeded 100 degrees...
So the tap was history anyway, but as I pulled the hose off ....the other end parted company with what was left of the heater pipe.

And I did'nt even say naughty words

As one looks elsewhere under such circumstances, the top of the bottom radiator hose looks a bit more suss than last time I looked.. Fortunately we have a new hose lurking in the boot. Two 5/8" end caps ($5.98 at SC) will fix the heater during the summer, and maybe some nice RRC enthusiast will make me an offer before winter...

Some pics. The LH pipe corresponds to the LH image, which is the driver's side (OZ and UK) and this is the one that was hanging on by corrosion only, whilst the RH side pipe had obviously been eroding away...and Bodgy-Bros had installed a second hose clamp to slow the dripping. This is 'why' the hose end looks funny

Question for the Wiser Wuns... How big a job is it to replace the lower hose, bearing in mind that there's a chance the water pump may be corroded beyond repair/bodgy... Do I need to take out the radiator to access things?

Sure looks horrible, suspect my 87 will look the same, been in the shed for a few weeks half stripped out, no water flow to the gas converter, disastrous in a dedicated gas RRC.