michaels'max

Well, I've looked all over for a place that sells the plastic fittings for the heater core, and no one has em'. Not even the dealership. To get them you have to buy the heater core altogether. If you remember I bought the 4 seasons one from rockauto.com. That did not come with the fittings. So, what I've divised is, to take the new heater core along with the old one down to Performance Radiator, where they will fabricate some brass tubes to just weld on to the heater core. They can pressure test it there and everything, so they should be able to make it so it won't leak. This way, I won't have to deal with the plastic fittings leaking ever. I think the brass is a much better route. But, you tell me what you think. They said it should only cost $35.00 to do.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

You sure have went through a whole bunch of trouble to save a few$$

michaels'max

true, but If I knew then what I know now, I would have bought the oem. However, being as I've spent over $80.00 that I don't believe I can get back, I think this sort of makes sense. And, if it works, why not?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Have you contacted rockauto about a refund???

michaels'max

Well, to be honest, I didn't check with them until after you just asked. They said they would accept the return, I would just have to pay for the shipping, so I'm gonna be loosing $10.00 or so on it. I think I'm gonna think about it a little more, perhaps I will just return it. My only concern about it, would be the time it will take for it to be returned and for me to recieve a refund to get a new one. I kind of wanted to get this job done and out of the way this next week. Oh well, maybe I'll just buy the oem.

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Your info says you live in phoenix....You really don't have to worry about getting cold for a while.....I grew up in mesa, az...

michaels'max

true, I just wanted it to get done before it does get cold. But, I think I'm done playin' around with it. I just called rock auto, and they will accept the return, so I'm just going to return it. I already ordered the oem one with the plastic fittings off another website. It was $157 and some change with shipping and tax included. So, I just look at this as a lesson. I will Include pictures of the install and let you all know how it turned out. If everything goes well with the shiping, I should recieve it sometime early next week. I guess it's gonna take a couple of weeks to get my refund from rockauto after I mail it out. We'll see how that goes.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

Let me know how the refund goes too. How much shipping will you lose out on? Only $10?

I am on the same boat as you are. I wish I went with OEM. I just didn't know it was impossible to find these plastic fittings until after I ordered my heater core!

This is kinda like trying to find injector pintle caps for our Maxima. You won't find them unless you talk to a good injector shop that is willing to help you out. Dealership doesn't sell them.

michaels'max

I'm making an assumption on the shipping. I'm probably gonna go down tomorrow and ship it off, I'll let you know how much it costs. But, you know it does make a difference when you take into consideration where your shipping from and to. I'm in Phoenix, AZ shipping to Indiana. Your in NC, and I don't know where your gonna be shipping to, so it may be different. Did you order from Rock Auto too?

Shift_my vq

how hard is it to actualy do the install itself on the heater core?

Wiking

Like Windows, Plug n Play.

But how to get there?

'Some' info on the links at 'Favorite Links', click below.

Aaron92SE

iTrader: (128)

I got my heater core from internetautomart, which gets his from the same place Rock Auto gets theirs from... 4 seasons.

michaels'max

Yea, I looked at internetautomart site, and it seems he sells that one and the oem one. I don't know why the 4 seasons one doesn't come with them, the heater core is useless without them.

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

that's why I put that pic up there. so people see the lack of those fittings.

I'm sure someone can reuse their old ones, but it's not a risk that I would take.

michaels'max

Okay, I'm in the process of pulling my heater box out now, I've taken off the dash, instrument panels, and all that other junk. I've disconnected the vents from the box, but I can't figure out how to pull this thing out. I already unbolted all the bolts that I could see holding it on to the firewall. My question is, there are three different units on this thing, I don't know what the first one is called, the next one I believe is what the heater core is in, and the last one on the passenger side, I think is where the outside air is taken in. So do I have to pull all three of these out together? Or, should the heater core box come out by itself?

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

Here are Matt93SE's pics of his teardown of the H/C...Maybe they will help..

5_16 and 5_17 may help the most..

http://blehmco.com/pics/car/interior...re/1_teardown/

michaels'max

So I got the heater core in and everything, now I'm trying to get hot air to come out of the vents, I'm not havin' too much luck. Does it take a little while for you to get hot air after you install it for one reason or another, or is it supposed to be instant. I was told that not having much hot air flow through the vents could be a result of there being an air pocket or bubble in the hoses. Is this true, I was told that if there was an air pocket or bubble that the system should correct it, and it would naturaly be purged. Does anyone have any suggestions of what could be wrong with it?

michaels'max

Oh, also I should mention that the top hose going into the heater core doesn't give much resistance when compressed, however, the bottom hose does, almost as if there is nothing flowing through it.

thanks.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

look at your check valve on the firewall. make sure that guy is opening properly.

and you probably still do have air in the system. jack front end of car waaaay up high while you're bleeding coolant system and it should help. also turn heater on high so you get coolant flowing through the heater core.

michaels'max

I think I know what you mean by check valve, but I'm not sure. Isn't it the valve that is connected to the upper heater core hose? It has a sort of valve that hooks into a connection in the upper heater core hose, and then goes into a cylindrical thing that has a sort of vacuum looking hose attatched which connects to a part on the engine block. Is this correct? Anyway, how do I tell if this is open or closed? I mean all I can see is if the valve is being pushed into the cylindrical thingy (sorry I don't know what it's called) or if it's being pushed out.

Wiking

As hot coolAnt flows, hose(s) will become hot.

details at http://www.cardomain.com/ride/748507/8

michaels'max

Thank you, thank you, thank you wiking. I knew that's what it was, I just couldn't find any pictures of the correct setup to figure out what was wrong. A previous mechanic must have messed with the vaccum hoses, the way I had it set up was the hose coming from the engine block was connected to the hose coming from the cylindrical thing. When in fact each hose should be connected into their corresponding locations on the part you have labled 14. Thank you so much, I now have hot air blowin' threw the vents.

Wiking

Hmm. Must be $tealership nobel laureates connectin hoses... No ctrl, valve closed. Hopefully this was not THE reason to swap core?

Here one such hose-inventor connected hoses in operating room. As always, surgery was succesful (not worth mentionin that patient did not survive).

michaels'max

No, the heater core was leaking, infact, odly enough I believe the mechanic that put those two vaccum hoses together was the same one that tried to rip me off when he wanted to replace my power transistor. Which turned out to not even be the complete problem with the no start issue I was having at the time. He wanted to charge me 200 somethin' dollars for the power transistor and labor charges. The thing is, what labor charges? You screw in one bolt to hold the transistor in, and then you plug in the harness. That is another story though.

Matt93SE

iTrader: (44)

well the PTU isn't cheap. to have it replaced for $200 isn't that far out of the ballpark. retail price on a PTU is about $150, then after tax, it's going to be $165 ish.

Shift_my vq

I have checked almost everything I could figure on my car to figure out my heater only blows semi warm air. My check valve thing was completly broken. SO for now i just by passed it with a peice of pipe. I pluged the garden hose into my heater core and flushed it. Water comes out the other side. Seems like it's kinda of restrecting. Like water goes in easier than comes out. Don't know if this is normal. It does blow warm but not hot. Could I have an air problem or do I just need a new heater core? Maybe something with the box? Thanks in advance

Greeny

iTrader: (43)

What is your temp gauge reading when fully warmed up?? It should be right in the middle..If not then you need to replace the thermostat...

You could also have air pockets in the cooling system causing the luke warm heat...

michaels'max

Yea, I have seen a couple online stores that sell the power transistor for that amount. The thing is, this mechanic was ordering the part from the same place where I got the part from, BAP imports. I only know this, cause' I regularly see, the BAP delivery vehicles dropping off parts to this guy. BAP only charged me 65.00 or so for the power transistor, so this guy was way over charging on labor, especially for somethin' that didn't require any "labor" at all. The funny thing is. When I told him I didn't want them to order the part, that I was just gonna have it towed back to my place, the guy became a complet ***, saying something about him just trying to run a buisiness here or something. I guess he took offense to me not wanting him to do the job.

Shift_my vq

It's a fresh t stat. I know it's good. Temp gauge reads out right at the middle. What's the best way to bleed an 89 of air??

Wiking

- its to read. stickies. given links
- drive over 2k rpm 1hr, hose bleeding, keep reserv level up

- cold air in = flap [2.] doesnt work properly. Link already given, if noread = nosee