85 Heater Core=Cut Box To Replace?

5spd85GT · 01-15-2004, 09:30 AM

Okay campers, just a small update. Only had a short time to work on it last night,and...ran into a snag. I was able to remove the remaining material that will allow the core to slide up and out freely, but I miscalcualted the room / clearance (i.e. length) to pivot the core out. Okay, the A/C vent ducting is in the way and cannot be pushed upward enough to allow clearance. It is slight on the left (facing the dash) and a little more significant on the right. This is blocking the upper most corners of the core. Obviously (or maybe not so), there is no easy way to loosen anything to allow clearance (where is it going to go, no room). I am noodling with this and hate to say it again, but one could cut the sections of ducting with a Dremel disk to clear the core and then seal them back with ducting tape, or something similar. I'm talking about cutting a section to provide clearance, not cut the duct in two. Looks as if the right hand cut would be diamond shape (especially if it were laid flat) and the left would be similar, but much smaller. Ideally, this would also allow for a quick (well...) change when this needs to be done again (you all know it will).
Hmm, wonder how many purists just had the eyes roll back in their heads?

What's that? Yes, it is possible that I would already have finished the job by doing it the looooonnngggg way. Doubt it though. We have rain in the forecast for the next few days, so I probably won't be able to get back on it until Sunday.
I did notice (with my fingers) the spongy foam underneath the core (saturated in fluid), but without being able to stick a mirror in there to look around, I'm not sure about where the factory placed their seating goop for the core. Anybody, anybody?

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01-15-2004, 09:30 AM	#10
5spd85GT Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Deep East Texas Posts: 12	Okay campers, just a small update. Only had a short time to work on it last night,and...ran into a snag. I was able to remove the remaining material that will allow the core to slide up and out freely, but I miscalcualted the room / clearance (i.e. length) to pivot the core out. Okay, the A/C vent ducting is in the way and cannot be pushed upward enough to allow clearance. It is slight on the left (facing the dash) and a little more significant on the right. This is blocking the upper most corners of the core. Obviously (or maybe not so), there is no easy way to loosen anything to allow clearance (where is it going to go, no room). I am noodling with this and hate to say it again, but one could cut the sections of ducting with a Dremel disk to clear the core and then seal them back with ducting tape, or something similar. I'm talking about cutting a section to provide clearance, not cut the duct in two. Looks as if the right hand cut would be diamond shape (especially if it were laid flat) and the left would be similar, but much smaller. Ideally, this would also allow for a quick (well...) change when this needs to be done again (you all know it will). Hmm, wonder how many purists just had the eyes roll back in their heads? What's that? Yes, it is possible that I would already have finished the job by doing it the looooonnngggg way. Doubt it though. We have rain in the forecast for the next few days, so I probably won't be able to get back on it until Sunday. I did notice (with my fingers) the spongy foam underneath the core (saturated in fluid), but without being able to stick a mirror in there to look around, I'm not sure about where the factory placed their seating goop for the core. Anybody, anybody?