Heater Core How to?

[nwilson44]

So I have a 2001 3.8L camaro. The previous owner had the heater core bypassed come to find out. I'm assuming it was leaking. Is there a how to on how to change it?

[nascar24jd]

You should hook it back up first to determine if it is in fact leaking.

[nwilson44]

Re: Heater Core How to?

You should hook it back up first to determine if it is in fact leaking.

Well I would but let me tell you the process I went through when I bought it. First thing I did was take it to Jiffy lube and get whatever the hell they called "oil" in it, out. While they were doing the oil change the popped open the radiator cap (they check all the fluid levels and stuff as standard procedure) and found some nasty rust colored gunk in the radiator..... Looked like stop leak... I knew the car wasn't leaking antifreeze at the time and then I noticed the heater core bypassed..... So needless to say I flushed that crap out and replaced it with some GM dexcool, and went on my way.

Long story short, It looked like they had a leak and didnt know where it was coming from. Then found that it was coming from the heater core. I later validated this while looking through my receipts (mostly my receipts but the few that the last owner had), I found a diagram of the cooling system.


Put all this information together and I am pretty sure it was leaking. I just want to replace it.

I just want to see what I am getting myself into first.

[nwilson44]

Re: Heater Core How to?

People are ridiculous......

[FIREBIRDV6RAGE]

Re: Heater Core How to?

never ever use that stop leak stuff it just clogs the cooling system just saying, anyways i believe you have to remove your entire dash and then you will see it and just replace it thats all.

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Heater Core How to?

you have this gunk in your intake after your rebuild?

[ssms5411]

Re: Heater Core How to?

you have this gunk in your intake after your rebuild?

X2 when it was rebuilt did they hook the hoses back up.

[nwilson44]

Re: Heater Core How to?

never ever use that stop leak stuff it just clogs the cooling system just saying, anyways i believe you have to remove your entire dash and then you will see it and just replace it thats all.

Ohh dude, you are preaching to the choir. I would never do that, I would just fix the leak and call it a day. Yeah the stuff is gross.

[nwilson44]

Re: Heater Core How to?

you have this gunk in your intake after your rebuild?

To be honest dude, the under hood looked great when they finished, and I didnt get the chance to look inside the motor when they had it apart, so I have no clue. I can only assume that it got in the cooling passages in the intake, but I replaced the coolant the first day I got it so it had some time to cycle it out of there. When the engine was done, they had to drain it so I am not sure if any is left in there.

[nwilson44]

Re: Heater Core How to?

X2 when it was rebuilt did they hook the hoses back up.

They did not hook them back up. The actually noticed that it was bypassed and left it that way afterwards. Surprising.....

[nwilson44]

Re: Heater Core How to?

Anyone know how to change it?

[LETZRIDE]

Re: Heater Core How to?

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

[cam98aro]

Re: Heater Core How to?

never ever use that stop leak stuff it just clogs the cooling system just saying, anyways i believe you have to remove your entire dash and then you will see it and just replace it thats all.

iv used that stuff before on my beater car, and it never clogged.

I would have to add more every ~6 months or so because the leak would come back

[FIREBIRDV6RAGE]

Re: Heater Core How to?

iv used that stuff before on my beater car, and it never clogged.

I would have to add more every ~6 months or so because the leak would come back

well ive seen it happen my tech teacher told us and showed us what happens it turns into a hard as rock chalky residue and builds up eventually. a pear of mine did it and my tech teacher was like WHAT?!!!:eek: what did i tell you , never to use that stuff fix it right don't just cover it up :rant: next thing you know he flushed his coolant system and then refilled it and put more that same day his radiator blew and why? well i and my teacher found the problem. we took the heads off and the clog was in one of the water jackets where the leak original started.

i wouldn't recommend it if you want to take the risk and fix it on the cheap. hey go ahead .

[ssms5411]

Re: Heater Core How to?

I've used the stuff to fix my head gasket leak, fixed it right up.( stuff used carbon fiber for $60) Its been over a year no problems. This was after I used MLS head gaskets with copper spray. I didn't feel like taking the head off again so thats what I used, normally I would fix the problem though.