SHO HEATER CORE?!?!?! help

[99toursvt]

hey, im getting my old SHO is good selling condition, and i need to fix the heater core. a new one is 30 bucks at napa. but i know there is a great deal of laber. so my first question is, is my heater core what is really broken.

symtoms: no heat, when car reaches full temp steam comes out of the dash, smells like anitfreeze. soon after this first happend the temp gauge broke. so do you think if i swap in a new heater core it will work right?

i consider my self to be fairly handy, but not a full on mechanic by any means. i have most major tools. do you guys think i can do this?

from what i under stand you have to get at the heater core from the inside of the car. first removing the seats, then the dash, then it sould be on the right side. so am i on the rigth track? or should i not even attempt? thanks

 

[Ryan]

Sounds like it. You pretty much listed all the tell tale signs of heater core. As for the temp gauge not working, probably temp sending unit.

I've never actually done one, but have heard they are a huge PITA.

 

[99toursvt]

so would it requir an expert? i'm on spring break now so i can put all my time into it. i think im ganna go buy the part. im hoping im getting the right part cuz 30 bucks for a new heater core sounds cheap. but im not really sure, thanks for the fast reply rtstabler.

 

[99toursvt]

got the part $29, looks like a lil radiator. hope it works. advise?

 

[sohowcome]

whoa a '89 wish I had the cash for it right now! Would love to own it.

-Zach

 

[99toursvt]

all i can say right now is my dash is half way off, and its taking a lot of swearing. but all in all so far so good.

 

[Ryan]

thats exactly how you do it

Originally posted by 99toursvt
all i can say right now is my dash is half way off, and its taking a lot of swearing. but all in all so far so good.

 

[sohowcome]

Originally posted by RTStabler51
thats exactly how you do it

Wow I think I dont want to do that

 

[99toursvt]

well the dash is 90% off. does the steering wheel need to come off? or can i just lower it.

 

[ac427cobra]

Sorry I'm late!!!!

You should be able to just "drop" the steering column instead of removing the wheel!!

 

[99toursvt]

after about 14 hours of work the dasd is back on and the heater core replaced. tommarrow ill finish up the interior (seats, center console, kick panels etc...) then we will see if it works. i would like to add the is the hardest auto mechanical project i have atempted. anyways i let you guys know if i get her running again

 

[ac427cobra]

1) Think of how much money you saved by doing it yourself..

2) Think of how much better in tune you are with your car now.

I just went through a similar situation doing all of my cooling hoses and the radiator. It was a PITA and I'm sure your job was much worse!!!

Good Luck with it!

 

[99toursvt]

oh god yes, heater core is hard, iv done the radiator thing atfer i smashed into some one, along with the core support. THEN like a month later i hit a deer going 40....yeah that owned my car so basicly ive bought 2 hoods, 2 sets of head lights, 2 CORE SUPPORTs, and so on. ive had bad luck with my car. not to metoin back in 1990 right when we just got it, it was in a hit a run, the whole side got messed up.

i do know lots about hte car now, more than i want to. i could of done it faster but im cleaning hte car out good (no seats or console in there right now.

lol whats pathetic is this was broken for about a year, so i could have heat, lol. glad its fixed now. imma fire her up soon today.

 

[99toursvt]

SHES ALIVE and working, heat, and no fog coming from the dash. shampoing the car with the seats and console out make it much easyer. i forgot what color the carpet is suposted to be.

 

[ac427cobra]

Glad to hear another success story!! :thumbsup: :beer:

We Love success stories!!!:coolman: :beer:

 

[99toursvt]

i just drove her for the first time tonight, i felt like a bad ass driving around with only one front seat and no spare tire, i got on the trottle a couple times and she seems to have a lil more kick. is it possible that now that the water system can fully presserise it runs better?