I've done my research on the symptoms of a bad heater core and I have practically all of them. I just looked at the passenger side of my floor while I was cleaning my car up and there was some antifreeze on the floor. While I'm driving sometimes there's some white smoke seeping in. My windows tend to get fogged up quite often as well. Just when I think I've done the hardest job ever another one comes into play here. So, a heater core runs for about 50 bucks give or take. When I went online and found out how expensive of a job it was due to the fact that the dashboard had to be disassembled I was really hoping that the fact that I'm driving a car nearly as old as my parents would make the job easier. Am I right or am I in for a ride on this one? I'm far from a pro mechanic but I am a wicked fast learner and with any instructions I can do practically anything. What exactly am I treading into replacing a heater core on my Skylark, is it something that with proper instruction can be doable for the average joe? It's a 1971 Buick Skylark 4 door, with a 350 motor, 2 bbl carb, and it's equipped with A/C.
Damn this really sucks. What I was thinking would be the next best thing to do would be to bypass it but being that winter is coming along it doesn't seem like too bright of an idea.... Defrosters are very much needed.
Here is the thread from when i did mine. my car is a non A/C car, but the steps are similar. http://www.v8buick.com/showthread.php?211827-I-knew-I-was-smelling-antifreeze!&highlight=antifreeze
Jesus christ. lol Fenders and all removed? The only thing I see myself doing as of now is plugging the hoses and getting a cigarette defroster/heater until I can take the time to do all of that. Some dude on Youtube had a 90 something regal and all he had to do was remove the glovebox I was really hoping I would only have to do something similar.
First, Jesus would snap some fingers and "make it so." I've done an AC and non AC car. Really not that difficult. Only one bolt can't be reached through normal methods; and that one can be snapped off or accessed through a carefully placed 1.25 inch hole drilled through the wheelhouse. Don't even need to fully drill that hole either; just enough to bend over the new door you just cut in the sheet metal.
So does the dash have to be disassembled? The way you guys are making it seem is as if it's a job that can be done under the hood. I'm quite lost here.
There are 4 speed nuts or PAL nuts holding the heater box to the inside of the firewall. You need to remove those. They unscrew from the engine compartment. One is inaccessible. There are a couple shortcuts you can take. One is to drill out the stud from the heater box from the inside and just use three bolts to resecure the box to the firewall. another methos that Brad suggessted is to drill a hole in the fenderwell to access the one nut. If it were me, I would break out the hole saw and use a plastic cap plug when done to cover the hole. On the inside of the car, you need to remove the glove box liner and the cables that connect the heater box doors. Then you can remove the box from under the dash. If you drill a hole in the fenderwell, you can probably do the job in a few hours
