Heater Core Replacement. Leaking All Over The Floor Board

[BOOMERBIRD]

Can Some One Please Tell Me How To Get To The Heater Core On A 1958 Thunderbird To Replace It The Right Way? I Really Do Not Want To Get Started The Wrong Way And Completely Mess Up Other Componetes And Add On Extra Hrs Of Work. Thank You Very Much.

Boomer

[simplyconnected]

Do a 'search' for 'heater core'. Many members have discussed this topic.

DKheld shared a good picture and he explains, the core comes out from inside the car:

Pretty sure it is the same - might be a little more difficult to get to the bolts to remove the heater plenum.

The shop manual I have for the A/C refers you to the non A/C section for the heater core removal/repair. While installing A/C on my car I'm finding the A/C was basically just an add on to the outside firewall. The controls were a little different but the heater core and plenum should be the same. Taking off the blower and evap. box on the outside firewall doesn't remove the heater core only the evaporator for the A/C. The manual isn't very clear on how to replace the core but from the explanation it comes out from the INSIDE passenger compartment. If you have to remove the heater plenum (not sure if you do - maybe only the pass. vent section) to get the core out my guess is the console will have to come out and all the lower dash trim - maybe even the dash unless the defroster ducts just slip off the heater plenum (without coming apart).

In the pic below here's all you get if you remove the blower box on the outside. Both A/C and non A/C cars are the same in this area - the A/C cars just have another slot cut in the upper section of the firewall for the cool air - the heater core is on the inside of the firewall on both. This is a non A/C car but to add A/C you just install a different blower box and the evap. box - well plus a few thousand other things - but you get an idea of where the core is and that it doesn't appear to come out from under the hood.

Eric
registry 5347

[simplyconnected]

Here's a picture of your setup:

[60 T-Bird]

It may not be the heater core. I just replaced the notoriously problematic control valve attached to the core with a remote one.

[tbird430]

You might even want to remove the passanger front seat for more work room, after all, we are only talking about 4 extra bolts.

-Jon in TX.

[c4clewis]

While you're at it, pull the front carpet and wash it thoroughly. Mine was ruined when my core leaked; it washed the color out of the front carpet after awhile.

[Astrowing]

So, does anyone have some heater core disassembly pictures from the passenger side? I found that some were posted at one time, but they aren't valid picture links any more.

[YellowRose]

Heater Core Replacement. Leaking All Over The Floor Board

Hey Jim!

If you can give me the links that are not working, I might be able to fix those. If the pictures are not there, they might be in with all the stuff that Julie gave us off Alexander's PC last year. If that is the case, if I know what the links are, I should be able to upload the pix to the server and restore them.

[Astrowing]

Unfortunately, they were photobucket links and not squarebirds links. We'd have to get the originals from the poster.

[YellowRose]

Heater Core Replacement. Leaking All Over The Floor Board

Jim, if you know who the poster was, please let me know and I will see if I can obtain the information and pictures from him.

[Astrowing]

There were a couple of pictures posted as photobucket links by jipjob back in November 2006.

[jopizz]

I just recently replaced my heater core and although I didn't use the manual it wasn't that difficult. I removed the glove box door, glove box liner, lower dash trim on the passenger side, passenger side defroster vent (be careful, it's only cardboard) and vent cable. I also dropped the radio which gave me better access. With those out I was able to get to the plenum cover screws and remove it rather easily. Once that is off you can see the heater core and the bolts that hold it in place as well as the control cable. I picked up a core that had a fixed pipe rather than the heater valve and used an external valve in the engine compartment for peace of mind. I had to drill a hole in the firewall to get the factory cable to reach. The rubber pieces that go between the plenum and the vents were pretty much gone so I used duct tape to fill the gap. I did the whole job while sitting in the passenger seat and it wasn't bad at all.

[YellowRose]

Heater Core Replacement. Leaking All Over The Floor Board

Jon - jipjob has not been on the Forum for several years now, but I emailed him and asked him if he could still provide the pix. This is where they probably were at, during a discussion about replacing his heater core.

http://www.squarebirds.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=1286