Install of new heater core and valve

[Wheel]

I installed my new heater core and control valve today. The replacement valve has a slightly different angle which means either cutting the heater tube short and attaching the rubber heater hose inside the passenger compartment or bending the steel tube. I decided I wanted to try the tube bending method first and if I screwed up too badly I could always cut the tube as the back-up method.
I bent the tube by holding it in a vice and tapping with a hammer. I made a small wooden jig to check the alignment of the newly bent tube. I figured it would be easier to check the alignment on my workbench than taking the heater core in and out of the car. This method worked pretty well and I was able to maintain the steel tubes in the passenger compartment.

This is the photo of the old heater core and valve in the alignment jig. You can see how I attached the firewall plate onto the jig so I could align the newly bent tube. I left the firewall plate on the jig when I removed the old core assembly.


This is the photo of the new heater core assembly in the jig.

[surfingfreeman]

Nice job, Kim think mine might be leaking so good info to know thanks.
Mike

[vandor]

Great idea!!!

[surfingfreeman]

sorry about the "Kim" typo it was supposed to read "I'm"

[Dougieb]

It looks great!
I am doing the same thing with mine. But I am heating the pipe to help the bending process.

What are you doing about the "gasket" or that foam stuff that was on the side of the heater core?
That is just to keep the air going through the heater core and not around it.

I was thinking about going to NAPA tomorrow and ask them but I could definitely use some advice.

Thanks,
Dougieb

[Wheel]

Dougieb,
I used closed-cell self adhesive weather strip (3/8" thick x 3/4" wide), the black stuff, that I picked up at Home Depot. The weather strip was a little too thick and bowed the plastic housing when I put the heater core back in the car. I ended up tearing off the seal strip off of 2 sides and replacing it with 3/16" thick. That seemed to work better. I would recommend using 5/16" all around or using a seal strip that compresses easier. The original seal strip seemed "softer" than the stuff I used.

I never tried using heat to make bending easier so I can't add anything to help you with that. I did it cold and even though I thought I was being careful, the pipe doesn't look quite so pretty anymore, not to mention the pipe cross section is not quite round in some places. I was careful not to deform the end where the rubber heater hose connects.

Replacing the bottom plastic housing cover was an adventure. I think i created a few new cuss words and one of the four springs clips "sprung" up under the dash where it took about 15 minutes to find it. I am glad that part is over with. I hope everything works the way it should so I don't have to relive that experience!

Thanks to Csaba for supplying the new parts and some advice.

[Dougieb]

Thanks, Wheel.

I've got a dumb questions now. How in the heck do you replace the heater core?
Does it go in from the top or the bottom?
I pulled it out from the bottom (don't ask how), it just sort of popped out.
But how does the new one go in?
If it goes in through the top then both pipes need to be removed?
Any tips or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks,
Dougieb

[124JOE]

it goes in from the bottom

[Wheel]

It goes in from the bottom.
You can do it with the steel tubes and heater valve attached.
Start by inserting the steel tubes through the firewall. Then insert the heater core into the the top portion of the plastic housing. I found that if you lifted the tab (shown in the photo) to make clearance for the tube stud, the heater core will slide up into the housing fairly easy. Sorry, I did not take a photo at this point, This photo shows the bottom plastic housing already installed.

Up to this point was fairly easy. Getting the bottom plastic housing clipped back on was my challenge. I ended up using a small piece of wood (approx 2" x 1" x 16") as a lever to push the bottom housing up so I could do up the 4 clips. I have not tested the fan yet, to make sure it works, but gosh I sure hope it does.

[Texasbull]

Nice write-up and pics, Wheel. my heater core was disconnected by the PO, so I have no idea if it leaks or not. Debating on whether or not to pull it out first to test it, so as not to flood the interior. Honestly though, this is nothing compared to the 1984 Ford T-bird I had to replace a heater core in. That job took over 16 hours and removal of EVERYTHING from inside the dash of the car... A major pain in the BEHIND!

[donerehart]

Thanks for sharing...this is on my to do list. Much appreciated tips!

[Dougieb]

Hey, Wheel....
Where did you get the new heater core?
I have mine in the radiator shop and they are not sure if it is worth fixing or not.
I will know tomorrow.
But where did you get the new one?
And did it fit properly?
(I checked IAP and they do not have any)

Thanks,

Dougieb

[Wheel]

Got it from Csaba at Auto Ricambi.
http://www.autoricambi.us/cgi/commerce. ... ey=HE6-402
I had to wait a couple of months for his shipment to come in, but it was worth the wait. It fit just like the original.
I had looked into getting the old one re-cored, but when the local shops heard how much a new one was they did not even want to waste the time giving me an estimate.

[timspider]

I know this is an old thread, but just wanted to say thanks to wheel for the no brainer way you laid out the re-install. I was ready to try and make those 3 connections and gaskets after placing the core in the box, which would have been next to impossible.
Thanks to your post, I put the thing together in the warmth of my basement, which allowed me to get it right, and be comfortable doing it. And sure enough, it slid right in with a tiny bend of that edge, and it is all back in now and working without leaks.
thank you wheel and everybody who posts- I don't think I'd be able to own this car without this forum.

[V12StealthHunter]

I tried out the heater on my newly acquired Spider the other day and the valve let go and dumped almost all the coolant into the passenger compartment in a few seconds. What a mess! I've left it all in the sun for a few days and there is still moisture! All that under carpet padding had to come out and will need to be replaced. The fibrous part underneath it has dried but the top rubber matting is now covered in the sticky dried antifreeze goo. I'll likely have to replace it all now

On the website it says;

It will also fit earlier 124s, with minor modifications to the upper heater box.

I'm always sceptical when people say "minor". It usually means just the opposite in my experience. I'm going to bypass the heater for now as I don't need it. But in the future I'm definitely going to fix it as finances become available.

The heater hose that goes to the cylinder head is an outlet hose right? I'm trying to work out the flow of the cooling system so I can flush it while I'm there now. I can see lots of corrosion and gunk in there.