Heater Core Replacement

[Need4Camaro]

2002 Pontiac Firebird 3.8L

How hard is it to replace the heater core? Is it a wise idea to use an Ebay Replacement?

I heard you can access it by dropping the glovebox with 3 bolts and removing the kick panel... and there's a access panel for the heater core there... or do I have to rip the dash apart?

[N2OEQIP]

Re: Heater Core Replacement

Your whole dash will be coming off.

[Jtels2593]

Re: Heater Core Replacement

I was told that it was easier to do. The whole dash will have to come apart?

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Heater Core Replacement

I was told that it was easier to do. The whole dash will have to come apart?

I was told likewise... Im praying to god my dash doesnt have to come off...

How much would it cost to do that????

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Heater Core Replacement

I found a link here...

http://www.fbody.com/tech/details.cgi?id=42

Is there any truth to this and will it work with 98 - 02 vehicles???

[landj]

Re: Heater Core Replacement

Is it a wise idea to use an Ebay Replacement?

If you like doing the same repair two or more times in a short period of time, and risk a breakdown in God-knows-whereville, or risk collateral damage to your engine or some other component, buy the cheap parts or the store brand "lifetime warranty" parts (duralast and autocraft are my favorite temporary replacement parts). Ebay's the double whammy because if it does fail under warranty, you get to pay for shipping it back too.

IMHO, if you want to do it once, pay extra for a GM part, a NAPA part or find the marking "Made in USA" (or "Canada" or perhaps even "Mexico" or "Japan") on the part someplace. If you really want to do it well, do your homework by asking the parts store to pull the cheap one and the premium part and compare them yourself. You won't be able to tell if the material is the right alloy, but at least you can see the extra thick steel used, or better quality fit and finish in the more expensive part to help you justify the extra cost. The parts stores will tell you that all their parts are OEM (they think that OEM means "resembles auto parts"). Nothing infurriates me more than helping a freind on thier car or truck and find that they wanted to save 20 bucks on a job that will take us 4 hours to do.

These are Chevy's (or Pontiacs), not Yugos.

[Need4Camaro]

Re: Heater Core Replacement

If you like doing the same repair two or more times in a short period of time, and risk a breakdown in God-knows-whereville, or risk collateral damage to your engine or some other component, buy the cheap parts or the store brand "lifetime warranty" parts (duralast and autocraft are my favorite temporary replacement parts). Ebay's the double whammy because if it does fail under warranty, you get to pay for shipping it back too.

IMHO, if you want to do it once, pay extra for a GM part, a NAPA part or find the marking "Made in USA" (or "Canada" or perhaps even "Mexico" or "Japan") on the part someplace. If you really want to do it well, do your homework by asking the parts store to pull the cheap one and the premium part and compare them yourself. You won't be able to tell if the material is the right alloy, but at least you can see the extra thick steel used, or better quality fit and finish in the more expensive part to help you justify the extra cost. The parts stores will tell you that all their parts are OEM (they think that OEM means "resembles auto parts"). Nothing infurriates me more than helping a freind on thier car or truck and find that they wanted to save 20 bucks on a job that will take us 4 hours to do.

These are Chevy's (or Pontiacs), not Yugos.

True, The core itself does need to last awhile - I was going to be swapping the motor in the future though.

I'll go to Napa for it.