86 toyota pickup heater core

[Dain Bramage]

so, on the hangover run my heater core popped and started blowing steam. i knew it was going out, and had been planning on replacing it when my folks went to mexico, mid-january, so i wouldnt have to rush and i would have something else to drive. that isnt an option anymore. i plan on tearing into it on sunday. is this a job that can be done in a day? i can tear it down and drive it without any of the dash, i have no problem doing that if i have to. but i would prefer to do it in one day.

 

[Bunk1]

The heater core is dead center in the dash, You will pretty much have to rip EVERYTHING out to get to it. There are a few hidden bolts that hold the dash on so take the center console stuff (heater/stereo etc) out first so you can point a flashlight up to the hidden nut that holds the dash pad on.

Maybee you could fashion up a heater core eliminator for the meantime?

 

[NotMatt]

The heater core is dead center in the dash, You will pretty much have to rip EVERYTHING out to get to it. There are a few hidden bolts that hold the dash on so take the center console stuff (heater/stereo etc) out first so you can point a flashlight up to the hidden nut that holds the dash pad on.

Maybee you could fashion up a heater core eliminator for the meantime?

x2 on what Bunk said. I did it in an afternoon/evening, but I've had several Toyota dashes apart before and knew where everything was.

Take the hoses off the core inside the engine bay and hook 'em together with a t-fitting, then tackle it and if you don't get it all done before you have to drive next, you'll be fine... just no heater and no dash.

 

[Dain Bramage]

ya, i snagged a backflush T from work today, just in case i had to make it driveable before i got everything done. i also looked it up and book time on a heater core is only 1.9 hours.

 

[NotMatt]

book time on a heater core is only 1.9 hours.

:eeek: I'm glad I'm not a mechanic by trade, haha. I guess I did take a lot of beer breaks when I did the heater core in my '85.

There's three bolts that hold the dash pad on on the pass. side like Bunk said... you have to remove the glove box and most of the blower assembly and look up there with a flashlight and simultaneously get a long extension up there to get them out. That's a fun part.

 

[Bunk1]

I would pay to see a tech do a core r&r start to finish in 1.9 hours. Like maybee 10 bucks or so.

 

[Dain Bramage]

ya, i'm not expecting to finish it in that time. for a heater core, i think i will be doing good if i can get the interior put back together and burp it in 6 hours. :redneck:

 

[Dain Bramage]

I would pay to see a tech do a core r&r start to finish in 1.9 hours. Like maybee 10 bucks or so.

i did a bronco 2. 30 minutes, including burp.

 

[Totalled]

i did a bronco 2. 30 minutes, including burp.

Yeah, but dude... 5 screws and you're there... it takes longer to drain the coolant than it does to R & R the core on an RBV... be fair now.. :flipoff:

 

[Dain Bramage]

he said "a heater core". i merely provided an example. :haha:

 

[skrause]

Are you sure it's the core and not the hoses? I thought mine had died a few years ago but it was just a rotted hose, and the coolant just made it into the cab through the hole in the firewall. Also you will need a special tool to crimp new seals for the hard lines to the new core. I have a brand new core if you need it, just let me know.

 

[Dain Bramage]

already bought the core. hoses are new as of about 25k miles ago. if you have this SST it would be a huge help, otherwise i am just gonna stick some new o-rings on, put those little c-clamp thingys on, and goop some rightstuff on the hardlines.

 

[Dain Bramage]

oh ya, and the core is out as of 4 hours ago.i didnt have much trouble with the bolt in the center of the dash pad, the one that was the bitck was behind the vent on the right side of the dash pad.

 

[Dain Bramage]

so the core is wrappen on the sides with foam. i dont have foam tape that is exactly like it, i have some camper seal tape, is it safe to use that?

 

[skrause]

so the core is wrappen on the sides with foam. i dont have foam tape that is exactly like it, i have some camper seal tape, is it safe to use that?

Any foam tape will be fine, it's not like boiling water is going to catch it on fire or anything. I don't have the tool for those crimped seals, was just glad to find it was the rubber hose instead once I saw them there.

 

[CoWBoY!]

sounds like to much fun now try to tighten the center bolt on the dash once you got it in lol :fawkdancesmiley: :redneck:

 

[ToyZuki]

:eeek: I'm glad I'm not a mechanic by trade, haha. I guess I did take a lot of beer breaks when I did the heater core in my '85.

There's three bolts that hold the dash pad on on the pass. side like Bunk said... you have to remove the glove box and most of the blower assembly and look up there with a flashlight and simultaneously get a long extension up there to get them out. That's a fun part.

I've done it in 1.5 on the 85. Only because I was doing a cab swap and got it all done and had to replace the harness so it was fresh in my head and all the tools were already on the floor board.

 

[Dain Bramage]

sounds like to much fun now try to tighten the center bolt on the dash once you got it in lol :fawkdancesmiley: :redneck:

done. i dont know whats so hard about that, put your ass in the drivers seat, lay across the center console, stick your head down into the passenger footwell, hold the penlight in your mouth, and go to town. :fawkdancesmiley: its simple, really.

 

[skrause]

done. i dont know whats so hard about that, put your ass in the drivers seat, lay across the center console, stick your head down into the passenger footwell, hold the penlight in your mouth, and go to town. :fawkdancesmiley: its simple, really.

Quoted..... because there's something very very VERY wrong with what you just said. :eeek: :haha: :haha:

 

[Dain Bramage]

what? all i meant was that it requires flexibility, is all.