I wish all heater cores were as easy as a G-Body

[airboatgreg]

My 68 Cougar XR7 with factory AC was the worst followed closely by my 77 Grand Prix. Both cars appeared to have the heater core be the first item down the assembly line and the entire cars were built around them. And it wasn't until I tore into the GP that I found one of the previous owners already had it done once before. All of the shortcuts were already taken and it was still a PITA.

I agree those two are a PITA.
Fun fun

 

[airboatgreg]

A few years ago one of my dad's friends asked me to change the heater core in his Ford Ranger. It was the round body style, somewhere around a '96 or '97 model. The square body Rangers were easy to change as a couple of you guys have already mentioned but the round body style trucks are a b*tch. You have to pull the dash out of the way. I priced the job for $100 knowing it would take a few hours. The guy agreed to it but I could tell that he thought I was asking for too much money.

About half way through the job, with the dash unbolted and laying in the seat, the guy came out to the truck to see how things were going. Once he saw how much stuff had to be removed to get to the heater core he told me that he understood why I priced the job for as much as I did. He knew how the old body style Rangers had the access hole under the dash and he thought that this truck would as well. Once he saw how big of a job it was he was glad that he hired me to do it instead of trying it himself.

When I worked at the salvage yard I took out several heater boxes. Some were a nightmare and some were surprisingly simple. I got pretty good at removing dashes. I never understood why the engineers didn't design an access for the heater core on all vehicles. I guess that just makes too much sense.

Another part that's really easy to get to on a G body but can be near impossible to access on some cars is the heater blower motor. I've took out some blower motors that were ridiculously hard to get out.

Some of the access is crazy. What I always preached was it had to be easy on the assembly line. Note I didn't say easy to replace. The car makers only think about assembly and I don't think give a rat's a** about repair. All they care about is sales. That being said the cars of today are the most dependable. 100k plug change. No points, carburetor to adjust and can you believe heated seats. I mean D**n!!!!!!!!!

 

[Opie Knievel]

Some of the access is crazy. What I always preached was it had to be easy on the assembly line. Note I didn't say easy to replace. The car makers only think about assembly and I don't think give a rat's a** about repair. All they care about is sales. That being said the cars of today are the most dependable. 100k plug change. No points, carburetor to adjust and can you believe heated seats. I mean D**n!!!!!!!!!

Good point. One of the guys at the salvage yard used to say that cars are designed to be put together, not taken apart. I agree with him. It just seems like they could design them where they're easy to assemble at the factory and still be reasonably easy to work on.

 

[foxtrot]

Another part that's really easy to get to on a G body but can be near impossible to access on some cars is the heater blower motor. I've took out some blower motors that were ridiculously hard to get out.

The blower motor replacement on the Northstar Eldorados was a PITA! The engine needed to be pulled forward to access the blower motor..

 

[Opie Knievel]

The blower motor replacement on the Northstar Eldorados was a PITA! The engine needed to be pulled forward to access the blower motor..

Yep! I hated those. I got lucky a bunch of times and found cars that already had the engine pulled. What a ridiculous way to mount the blower motor.

 

[Turbolq4]

The blower motor replacement on the Northstar Eldorados was a PITA! The engine needed to be pulled forward to access the blower motor..

Everything about Northstar cars is a PIA!!!

 

[olds307 and 403]

What does the middle of nowhere have to do with it?

Sorry I meant square in the middle tucked behind the dash, the Taurus was bloody awful, did a couple of them.

 

[oxide80]

I've been wanting to replace the heater core on my '81 Mercury Capri (Foxbody), but A/C cars entail dropping the dash, where as non-A/C cars have a door like 455'ed80Regal describes on the Ford Ranger.

Its not fun, but wasnt as bad as I was expecting when I did my wifes 86GT w/AC took me about 4 hours

 

[lilbowtie]

You guys are bringing back some memories. I will agree with Local Hero in my case it was a Thunderbird. N3M3SIS the Fiero was a cake walk.And FOXTROT your right about the blower motor replacement in my Seville. On a side note I thought the starter replacement under the intake of the North Star was going to be a pain that went quite easy.

 

[Longroof79]

Its not fun, but wasnt as bad as I was expecting when I did my wifes 86GT w/AC took me about 4 hours

Thank you for your input. 4 hours isn't bad. This is a plainjane car...no console, etc....so that alone would make it a little easier. I've heard in some cases of that partuicular job taking up to 8 hours or so.