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How to - Heater Core Removal and Hoses Photos Thread

smokin_vx

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Hi guys just a few pix of my heater core / system overhaul i did a few days ago.

Special Thanks to "Thumpin" for his help!! Cheers Mate

Before I start Please note that i was quoted $1,600 + Parts from an Air Con Repair Shop and $3,000 + Parts from Holden in New Zealand to have this attended too. I am not a mechanic but do have a knack for tearing things apart.

Tools you will need:
1 x Socket Wrench
1 x 10mm Socket
1 x 20cm - 30cm socket extension bar
1 x Phillips Screwdriver
1 x Neednose Pliers
1 x Disassembly Instructions supplied greatfully from Thumpin.

NOTE: If you can put together a kitset computer desk then this is no different, If you cannot then find someone who can! :whistling Follow the instructions and keep a mental not as to what screws go where.

Tip: I found that remembering that the screws with a point go back into holes with the plastic retainer plug and the flat end screws for into metal only holes.

I am not going to explain much as it is just really dissasembly and is self explanatory.

Here we go....

Step One - Remove Dash Fascia (Surround)

IMGP3278.jpg


Step Two - Remove Lower Right Dash Under Steering Column

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Step Three - Remove Glove Box and Centre Console Side Panels

IMGP3266.jpg


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Step Four - Remove Dashboard Cover

Note: 5 Bolts at the base of the windscreen and dash you will need your Socket Wrench, 10mm Socket and Extension bar for this as it is very tight and hard to work with.

You should end up with this...

IMGP3217.jpg


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Step Five - Remove the Passenger Airbag Support Bars and Remove HVAC Bolts

NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE DEGASSED THE AIRCON UNIT BEFORE COMMENCING FURTHER!!

NOTE: MAKE SURE YOU HAVE FLUSHED ALL THE COOLANT OUT OF THE SYSTEM BEFORE COMMENCING!!

In this step you will need to remove the Passenger Airbag support bars, a few bolts and screws.

Then you will need to disconnect any air ducts, which they should just pull off.

Next you will need to pop your engine hood. MAKE SURE YOUR A/C HAS BEEN DEGASSED SAFELY. Mine was already degassed luckily.

You will see five bolts along the firewall you will need to un-do these as these are what anchor your HVAC unit inside you car. Also you will need to unscrew your A/C pipes from the firewall by unscrewing two small star screws and a bolt this is located on the passenger side on the firewall in the engine bay. Now un-do the heater core pipes. if you cannot undo like mine just cut them with scissors and replace them.

undo.jpg


Once you have unbolted the HVAC unit from the firewall, jump back inside the car and slide the grommet down as shown below and remove the HVAC unit.

undo2.jpg


Once removed it should look like this now..

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Step Six - Remove Heater Core and Replace

The heater core will just slide out from the HVAC unit where you can now slide in a new replacement unit. I replaced mine with an aftermarket brass one which was $100 cheaper than from Holden.

undo3.jpg


IMGP3248.jpg


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Step Seven - Replace heater Tap with New One

Since my Holden had a redirected heater system i didnt know which component was at fault so but assumed it was expensive as they opted to redirect that to repair. There are only three compoments really - Heater Core, Heater Tap Valve & Hoses. I replaced all three for good measure while i was in there :thumbsup:

***PHOTOS TO COME***

To install the hoses and heater tap is very easy. Just undo all the hoses and remove the heater tap, replace heater tap and attach new hoses exactly how it was before.

Step 8 - Double Check all clamps and bolts etc.

Check all hose clamps, bolts and screws are secure so we can now refill the coolant.

Step 9 - Refill Coolant

Refill Coolant as directed.

Step 10 - Wipe down before test run.

Wipe down any water spillage on hoses so when you test the car you can see if anything is leaking.

TURN HEATER INSIDE CAR TO HIGH AND FAN ON FULL. NOW START THE CAR. ONCE CAR IS RUNNING BLEED THE COOLING SYSTEM USING THE BLEED VALVE AND TOP UP COOLANT AS REQUIRED.

Once you have done that you're all done.

PS: Will be adding extra photos soon.

I hope that helps some of you guys and saves you some hard earned money at the same time.

Good luck and hit me up if you get stuck.

Special Thanks to Thumpin :bow:
Make sure you bleed the cooling system also while you are testing.

If any of you guys would like to add anything further please do :D
 
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Dan_VX_Spac

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Top effort. My brother in law and i did mine i was quoted $1100. All it took was half a day and a $100 part to fix.
 

smokin_vx

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thanks mate! Well worth it to do it yourself aye :) i spent a total of $450 $270 for the core, $50 for the tap and the rest on hoses and an extension bar.
 

wrx884

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Good effort on the write up man mayb if i spent a lil more time i could have helped as i did mine a couple weeks ago, i got quoted $900 4 the lot (cheapest) but instead got a heater core $110 (brass 1) and coolent $45 myself so all up costed me roughly $170 all up coz i needed water 2.

1 thing i might add theres an evaporator unit also inside the HVAC unit (right next 2 the heater core) make sure u blow that out clean and dont get any water inside the unit as thats bad apparently. Give the HVAC unit a good wipe out also helps get rid of that musty coolent smell 2.

All up tho i had 1 dam screw left over haha did u have many or any?
 

VYMAD

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Yeah awesome write up, handy to know, thanks!!!
 

HARVZ-6

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great work mate!

will deffinatly be using this in the weeks to come
 

DVS

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Nice work, thanks for the pics. I wish I never have to do this, ever. :D
 

smokin_vx

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Good effort on the write up man mayb if i spent a lil more time i could have helped as i did mine a couple weeks ago, i got quoted $900 4 the lot (cheapest) but instead got a heater core $110 (brass 1) and coolent $45 myself so all up costed me roughly $170 all up coz i needed water 2.

1 thing i might add theres an evaporator unit also inside the HVAC unit (right next 2 the heater core) make sure u blow that out clean and dont get any water inside the unit as thats bad apparently. Give the HVAC unit a good wipe out also helps get rid of that musty coolent smell 2.

All up tho i had 1 dam screw left over haha did u have many or any?

Yeah seems that Aussie is far cheaper than NZ! Hmmmmm, i think i had 2 screws but im sure they are for the diagnostic plug which is still dangling around under my feet!! I was thinking that same thing when doing mine.. hope i dont have any screws left over!! :bang:
 

frustrated

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Thanks for the write-up and photos, great job.

I did mine on the weekend, it's a VT but almost identical to the VX. $120 for a brass heater core, about $40 for coolant, about $11 for hoses, $6 for the four o-rings in the air-conditioning connector, + $200 for A/C de-gas and re-gas. The whole process took about 8 hours I guess, taking it slowly and giving everything a good clean. Not too difficult, and you end up with a useful pile of nuts and bolts left over at the end :rofl:

I followed the instructions in the Gregory's manual (for the VT), which are mostly OK, but not quite right in a few places. It told me I had to take the steering wheel off, which I did, but then made the mistake of starting the car (to test that everything was working before I put the dashboard back in) without the airbag connected, and this causes the airbag light to come on and can only be reset with a Tech-2.

I tried to find some replacement foam to put around the heater core to seal air-leaks, but couldn't find any at Holden Spare Parts or Auto-One. So I left it out. It's nice to have a heater again, without the smell of coolant.

Oh, one other problem I had: for some time I had noticed that the heater tap wouldn't turn off when I rotated the temperature setting fully counterclockwise (cold). It turned out to be a vacuum valve that is activate by a ramp on the back of the temperature control dial - the ramp wasn't quite pushing the valve in far enough - missing by about 0.5mm. So I used some epoxy resin to build up the ramp (after drilling a few holes in it to give the epoxy something to grip onto). This worked fine.
 

vbtruk

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I need urgent help!!! I cant seem to remember at all where this one bracket goes, it is pictures in the 3rd picture down on the floor, the z shaped tube can some one help, thanks.
 
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