Thread: P38A Heater Core Replacement

Oh, Relay, another reason for doing it this way is that one doesn't need to touch the aircon system so therefore it doesn't need evacuating and recharging.

Fortunately, I filled the radiator before buttoning it all up. It could be worse.

It's still a pain to pull it apart. The water is dripping at a fast rate and it's not even under pressure,

G`day Ron

A mates just done his , you may be aware of the following found .

The top pipe was misaligned as in didn`t go into the tank at the correct angle . The new pipe was the correct angle , and the lower pipe was correct but replaced anyway .

Where his leaked was not at the pipe or seal .

The problem was ( and by all accounts is a common one ) that the way the pipes are fixed/secured . The plastic cracked at the back of where the pipes connect caused by the pressure of the mounting bolt ( we pressume ) the fluid was escaping in the same manner as yours is after reassemble ( the fault was thought to be the o rings ) .
If a little more plastic was used in the mould of the plastic tank it wouldn`t occur and one would expect to see an update but the new one is the same .

This car is now fitted with a removable lower frame ( cut and joined with straps and 10mm bolts ) for next time .

Cheers

Thanks Peter.

I can't see any trace of leakage at the junction of the pipes and the heater. But I'll enquire about the change in pipes. I see from Microcat that only later part nos. are listed - PEP103370 and PEP103380. I can't find any reference to a change in any of the TSBs that I have.

I know what you mean about cracking the plastic. JSP had a crack in his which only leaked under pressure. I had a look at his heater and you can't see the crack. In fact, when I did mine, I was particularly careful to not tighten it too much for fear of cracking the plastic.

The pipes do have to be located properly - there is a notch in the pipes and a corresponding lug in the heater. I disconnected the hoses under the bonnet to ensure the pipes were able to easily move around (actually I had removed them for a thorough clean of the both ends of each).

I don't suppose your friend took any pics of the removable section so we can post it on the RangeRovers.net website? I had a look and it looks like a lot of cutting is required to gain access. It appears the steering column would need to be removed as well.

G`day Ron

I doubt pics but i`ll ask , i didn`t take any .

The crack in this one can be seen inside the hole where the pipe fits near the base . It`s hard to find because it`s in a circular manner and very fine internal . Once located , with flex it can be found externally .
Easier to apply air pressure then obvious .

If it wasn`t for the sensor on the pipe .
The pipes were going to be cut short glued and bolted and heater hose was to be run through the firewall .
If it happens again short term it will be looked at again and also an all metal tank with short pipes fixed .

Cheers

My new heater core:



The old one with cracked fitting. I have another here with exactly the same crack. You can just see it, a vertical line in the side of the hole