diy for heater core replacement? best place to buy parts for?

**Yuppie** · 08-19-2013 10:58 AM

As the title states, can someone link me to a diy for heater core replacement and what is the best place to buy the parts? I don't want to attempt or have a shop do this so I don't want to put cheap parts in there.

TIA

**infinkc** · 08-19-2013 11:23 AM

here is one.
http://audi-diy.blogspot.com/2007/10...core-swap.html

i cant remember the one i used when i did mine. I bought the core from ECS http://www.ecstuning.com/ES1942/

**Yuppie** · 08-19-2013 11:33 AM

Thanks Kris. Do they supply the hoses too or do I have to buy that separately?

TIA

**Yuppie** · 08-19-2013 11:42 AM

Also anything different/additional process for an s4 since the write up is for an a4?

**dubzackvr6** · 08-19-2013 11:50 AM

they're the same. Basically everything you see from the center console forward comes out. It's really not bad, it's just time consuming. As far as the coolant hoses go, you'll have to buy those separately.

The one bolt that annoyed me was for the AL dash frame, located in the raintray near the wiper motor. Don't forget about that one.

**tekkie** · 08-19-2013 12:46 PM

Is it leaking or just not blowing heat? Mine stopped heating and i tried flushing it a bunch of times with water without much luck, finally i tried some muriatic acid and in a few mins it was like new! Not much crap came out but it went from no heat at all to perfect, worth a try if thats your problem because the swap is a nightmare.

**Shhmaudi** · 08-19-2013 01:00 PM

Originally Posted by tekkie

Is it leaking or just not blowing heat? Mine stopped heating and i tried flushing it a bunch of times with water without much luck, finally i tried some muriatic acid and in a few mins it was like new! Not much crap came out but it went from no heat at all to perfect, worth a try if thats your problem because the swap is a nightmare.

you put muriatic acid in your cooling system?

**tekkie** · 08-19-2013 01:03 PM

You just flush a small amount through the heater core, nothing goes in the engine

**dubzackvr6** · 08-19-2013 01:14 PM

I've done that as well, good temporary fix, it'll buy you a few months. The real fix however is to just replace it.

**tekkie** · 08-19-2013 01:18 PM

Even i you did it every 6 months for 10 years it would be the same amount of time as replacing it lol

I agree the long term solution is to replace it, i did this flush nearly 2 years ago and its still working :) so until it stops I am not swapping it

**infinkc** · 08-19-2013 01:27 PM

Originally Posted by dubzackvr6

they're the same. Basically everything you see from the center console forward comes out. It's really not bad, it's just time consuming. As far as the coolant hoses go, you'll have to buy those separately.

The one bolt that annoyed me was for the AL dash frame, located in the raintray near the wiper motor. Don't forget about that one.

Yea this one got me also. Also when you get the car, i suggest soaking it in water, there is a lot of oil on the fins, I didnt soak it and it was burning off for days smelling up the car.

**ezfour** · 08-19-2013 08:25 PM

^^That write up is pretty great minus a few things you will figure out along the way. I have been meaning to make an addendum to the above with pictures but am lazy and have much more important stuff going on lately.

I got the Febi core from here http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/..._pg1.htm#item3

Main points are: Take out old heater core, put new one in. Done!

Pictures are your friend.

Put your seats bottoms all the way down and sloping forward. You will be upside down under the dash and don't want your seat bottoms digging into your back.

There are two sizes of bolts through most of the dash so you can just pile those up. 8mm and 10mm I believe

Take off both wiper arms, cowls, and entire ecu box.

After removing the pedal cluster bolt its a good idea to mark the interior of that bolt hole against the upper aluminum frame. This will help for re-alignment later.

You don't need to remove all the electrical connectors on the steering column. There are only 2 small torx screws that hold the column cover onto the dash from the inside of the column cover. You can get to them if you can feel where they are, pointing forward on either side of the steering column. I don't remember the torx size though! It is fairly easy to break the bottom column cover and the plastic wiring loom retainer the routes the wiring around the upper steering column.

If not removing the connectors, get a box or something to rest the steering column on as the wiring isn't long enough for the column to reach the ground.

Group your wiring connectors for the center stack. I wrapped all radio connectors together, etc. It isn't hard to remember where they go but this way you wont be tangling them up in knots.

Mark the aluminum frame bolt positions as I didn't and centered the frame between the bolts only to find things weren't lining up and had to redo it all. The frame is offset towards the driver's side. This is why pictures are your friend.

Once you get down to the aluminum frame and the center stack frame you can choose to remove the black center stack frame at that point or take them out together. It was kind of a bitch to maneuver with them connected but can be done.

As Kris said, dip the core in water or soapy water as there is oil on it to keep it from rusting and it will smell weird for a while while it burns off. A girl I know said it smelled like dead mice. Not sexy.

Reinstall is reverse of removal. :) Good luck.

**Anthony White** · 10-13-2013 03:34 PM

Just to relaunch this old thread - though it's not that old.

I'm looking at replacing my heater core at the moment. What else should I plan to do while I'm in there? It's a lot of time to take the dash apart, so I want to make sure that I only need to do it once.
Any additional insulation you'd put in? Replace the blower motor (there doesn't seem to be a problem, but 12 years and 200k miles)?
I'm not feeling like I wand to change the air-con evaporator, unless it's really necessary, as that would require degassing and regassing, and the air-con is working really well.

Any further tips?

Best wishes,
Anthony

**Yuppie** · 10-13-2013 03:53 PM

Depending how long your heater core has been acting up you may want to replace the hoses too.

**ezfour** · 10-14-2013 12:03 AM

There is no way to do it without disconnecting the AC. Theres not too much do to in there, I cleaned up the cobwebs and lubed the airflap actuator arm joints. You could use this time to wire after market gauges more neatly or remove the beltline trim. The blower motor comes out real easy with the dash in, just remove the glovebox which is only 4 bolts. Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions

**Anthony White** · 10-14-2013 07:24 PM

@yuppie - My heater core was bypassed by a previous owner, so no idea how long. Yes, I shall replace the hoses as well.

@ezfour - so I need to de-gas the AC in advance, and re-gas once I'm done? And how difficult/likely to be seized/stuck are the AC hoses? Sorry, I'm still waiting for my bentley manual to arrive, I'm sure at least some of this is covered in there.

A

**zillarob** · 10-14-2013 07:39 PM

Originally Posted by ezfour

^^That write up is pretty great minus a few things you will figure out along the way. I have been meaning to make an addendum to the above with pictures but am lazy and have much more important stuff going on lately.

I got the Febi core from here http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/..._pg1.htm#item3

Main points are: Take out old heater core, put new one in. Done!

Pictures are your friend.

Put your seats bottoms all the way down and sloping forward. You will be upside down under the dash and don't want your seat bottoms digging into your back.

There are two sizes of bolts through most of the dash so you can just pile those up. 8mm and 10mm I believe

Take off both wiper arms, cowls, and entire ecu box.

After removing the pedal cluster bolt its a good idea to mark the interior of that bolt hole against the upper aluminum frame. This will help for re-alignment later.

You don't need to remove all the electrical connectors on the steering column. There are only 2 small torx screws that hold the column cover onto the dash from the inside of the column cover. You can get to them if you can feel where they are, pointing forward on either side of the steering column. I don't remember the torx size though! It is fairly easy to break the bottom column cover and the plastic wiring loom retainer the routes the wiring around the upper steering column.

If not removing the connectors, get a box or something to rest the steering column on as the wiring isn't long enough for the column to reach the ground.

Group your wiring connectors for the center stack. I wrapped all radio connectors together, etc. It isn't hard to remember where they go but this way you wont be tangling them up in knots.

Mark the aluminum frame bolt positions as I didn't and centered the frame between the bolts only to find things weren't lining up and had to redo it all. The frame is offset towards the driver's side. This is why pictures are your friend.

Once you get down to the aluminum frame and the center stack frame you can choose to remove the black center stack frame at that point or take them out together. It was kind of a bitch to maneuver with them connected but can be done.

As Kris said, dip the core in water or soapy water as there is oil on it to keep it from rusting and it will smell weird for a while while it burns off. A girl I know said it smelled like dead mice. Not sexy.

Reinstall is reverse of removal. :) Good luck.

I would prob just put this in my car before I went through all that nonsense. PITA!
If an avant, plenty of room for a sweet chiminea in the back for heat.

**ezfour** · 10-14-2013 10:04 PM

@nthony: Yes the evaporator is in the HVAC box along with the heater core and the whole box will need to be moved to remove the core. The lines just come off at the firewall junction under the interior air filter housing. Theres only one allen bolt and the lines pull right out. You could take this time to replace the o-rings if they are damaged or you are really anal about it.

You can see the hole in the firewall behind the HVAC box where the evaporator connects with the lines from the engine bay

Rob, it aint so hard, but I think a chimnea or BBQ in the trunk would have been a better idea :), livin in Tahoe= free wood.
Reminds me of this