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View Full Version : Heater Core FTL!

12secondv6
12-27-2007, 03:05 PM
Sigh...... the wifey's car decided to puke its guts out at my work.

Yesterday she mentioned the defog was pretty weak and she smelled coolant.... I figured heater core :(

I yanked one out of the bird.... so I kinda know what is involved and was hoping once we moved into the new house I could leasurly take care of it..... well.... not happening. She brought me lunch at work today and mentioned the coolant smell was worse.

I looked for the tell tale signs of a busted heater core and looked under the passenger front mat and coolant was everywhere. I said she should take it to the dealer asap.... because I don't have time to do it. As she was going there the engine temp was rising.... so it must have just let go.

While it is there they will replace the timing chain. That should be done every 60,000 miles... and the OEM one is still on there and it has 125,XXX miles :shock:

The dealer quoted her $375-385 parts and labor for the timing chain.... I researched online and saw people paying low 400's to mid 600's so I'm happy on that cost.

No estimate on the heater core yet.... sigh.... and guess what she gets to drive in while it is being fixed........ the Trans Am :shock:
firehawk1120
12-27-2007, 03:22 PM
Guess i shouldn't tell you that I spoke with her before and it sounded like she was WOT because I could hardly hear what she was saying. LMAO
ShitOnWheels
12-27-2007, 03:42 PM
Guess i shouldn't tell you that I spoke with her before and it sounded like she was WOT because I could hardly hear what she was saying. LMAO

lol. shhhhh :)

that 389 quote for the timing chain includes the external belts as well, since they have to take them off the car anyway they will replace them, so the guy said. :)

blah.
12secondv6
12-27-2007, 03:51 PM
Even the belts? hotness... cause they needed changing anyway :)
JL8Jeff
12-27-2007, 04:32 PM
Ahhhh, so she gets to drive the beater. :wink:
12secondv6
12-27-2007, 05:14 PM
Ahhhh, so she gets to drive the beater. :wink:

Sigh.......yes :-?:cry::-?
GP99GT
12-27-2007, 05:14 PM
i think you guys are mistaken...its a timing belt, not a chain ;)

hyundais and mitsus are notorious for them snapping and bending all the valves...thats why they get changed every 60k
12secondv6
12-27-2007, 05:16 PM
belt... chain..... the timing thingee then ;)

I have been nervous about it..... and this was the perfect excuse to do it sooner rather than later
GP99GT
12-27-2007, 05:28 PM
are they doing the water pump at the same time? it either has to be removed, or is right there to be removed once you get to the timing belt. everyone i know has changed both at the same time
ShitOnWheels
12-27-2007, 05:42 PM
are they doing the water pump at the same time? it either has to be removed, or is right there to be removed once you get to the timing belt. everyone i know has changed both at the same time

Not that I'm aware of. :shrug: Although that doesn't mean that they won't call me with "we wanna add another $500 project to your bill" lol.
Blacdout96
12-27-2007, 06:03 PM
Dont even start with mitsu's. yeah every 60K wiht those belts for them gotta be changed or your valves will meet the pistons in a very bad way. and the water pump is ran off the timing belt so they should change that too while at it, of course this is coming from my experiance with my cars timing belt replacement, but your car might be different. thats a good price tho for them to replace that all.
Clutch Master
12-27-2007, 10:11 PM
Not that I'm aware of. :shrug: Although that doesn't mean that they won't call me with "we wanna add another $500 project to your bill" lol.


if anything you will only have to pay for the water pump, they wont charge extra for labor, id say about 125 since that is the price for our water pumps at toyota. are they changing all the seals since they are in behind the timing belt? cam seal, crank seal, oil pump seal and oil pump o-ring????
firehawk1120
12-28-2007, 02:22 AM
what about the pee pee ring are they changing that too.. LMAO!!!!
Clutch Master
12-28-2007, 05:44 AM
what about the pee pee ring are they changing that too.. LMAO!!!!

listen go find your air filter old man, or better yet start your car.....lol
firehawk1120
12-28-2007, 12:08 PM
don't you want me to get a tune first??? LMAO
12secondv6
12-28-2007, 04:45 PM
Timing belt change (inc new access belts) - $385
Heater core - $680

I asked about the water pump - spoke with the mechanic who did the work and said it was fine. He said, if it had needed it he would have added it.

Heater core arrives on Wednesday.
Timing chain was done today
GP99GT
12-28-2007, 05:05 PM
belt!
12secondv6
12-28-2007, 06:01 PM
belt!
:rofl:
Clutch Master
12-28-2007, 06:59 PM
don't you want me to get a tune first??? LMAO


TUNE!!!!!!!!!!!! HA THATS FUNNY. by the time that happens you'll have your senior citizens card....or do you have that already
;)
Predator86
12-28-2007, 07:07 PM
ya when my heater core took a dump i went to a few shops and got estimates just because at the time it was kinda outta my league....all the estimates i got were close to $1000:shock:

so i just did it myself...wasnt the smoothest operation and it took me like 2 days with my busy schedule but i have heat now!:-P
Knipps
12-29-2007, 12:46 AM
:cold::cold::cold:
i wish i had heat.
i need to get into my buddy's shop and fix her up
1972LT1
12-29-2007, 02:24 AM
Timing belt change (inc new access belts) - $385
Heater core - $680

I asked about the water pump - spoke with the mechanic who did the work and said it was fine. He said, if it had needed it he would have added it.

Heater core arrives on Wednesday.
Timing chain was done today

Get rid of the heater core and air, and you'll shave at least 75 lbs. off the car...better performance and gas mileage.
If you're cold dress in layers.
ShitOnWheels
12-29-2007, 10:06 AM
Get rid of the heater core and air, and you'll shave at least 75 lbs. off the car...better performance and gas mileage.
If you're cold dress in layers.

It's my daily driver. I like my creature comforts of heat and air. And it gets good gas mileage already. It's a 4 cylinder, I don't care about performance, I just need it to get me to places in one piece.
Blacdout96
12-29-2007, 03:36 PM
ya when my heater core took a dump i went to a few shops and got estimates just because at the time it was kinda outta my league....all the estimates i got were close to $1000:shock:

so i just did it myself...wasnt the smoothest operation and it took me like 2 days with my busy schedule but i have heat now!:-P

its was close to $1000 for that 3rd gen? I had a third gen done in abot two hours in the cold a few years back. i dont see how its so hard to replacea heater core. the only ones that I know of that ar ea pain are thunder birds and i believe taurus's cause you gotta take the whole friggin dashboard apart to get to it.
Savage_Messiah
12-29-2007, 06:33 PM
its was close to $1000 for that 3rd gen? I had a third gen done in abot two hours in the cold a few years back. i dont see how its so hard to replacea heater core. the only ones that I know of that ar ea pain are thunder birds and i believe taurus's cause you gotta take the whole friggin dashboard apart to get to it.

Don't you have to take the whole dash apart pretty much to get to it on a 4th gen?
Predator86
12-29-2007, 10:58 PM
its was close to $1000 for that 3rd gen? I had a third gen done in abot two hours in the cold a few years back. i dont see how its so hard to replacea heater core. the only ones that I know of that ar ea pain are thunder birds and i believe taurus's cause you gotta take the whole friggin dashboard apart to get to it.

the thing u gotta understand is that they charge u the "real" way to do it....when u look into the manual it tells u to take the dash pad off, the hush panel,drop the steering column, take apart the e-brake handle etc....and thats what they charge you for when in reality all you have to do is take the hush panel off...disconnect the ecm, remove the core box and holding bracket and walla