I am having my heater core replaced.
The mechanic says it will take 9 to 12 ou
hours to take the dash apart and replace thece
the heater core. Is this a correct time
estimate?
It’s a big job.
Doing it right requires AC system evacuation/recharge, heater hose replacement, significant dash disassembly and replacement of the heater/AC plenum seals. It’s probably a good idea to replace the AC evaporator while the plenum is apart.
Choose the mechanic wisely because it’s easy to damage the dash and the brittle heater plenum if they aren’t super careful.
A mechanic experienced on the 71-73 Cougar or Mustang could probably do it in far less time, but 9-12 hours isn’t unreasonable for a general mechanic.
2 Likes
I think the estimate is good if it includes replacing the foam rubber which is turned to dust after 50+ years.
2 Likes
Is there a YouTube video that can help my mechanic? Or, do you know anyone who has replaced a heater core on a 1972 Cougar? We could contact them for advise. Thank you for your response.
Boy I hope so. Heater core might be in my future as well. I’m sure the nomenclature is different. But I’m sure it’s close.
I have a copy of the 72 factory shop manuals if you need.
I have taken quite a few of the A/C heater boxes out of cars as I was parting them out. The first thing that needs to be done when pulling the heater box is to disconnect the S shaped drain hose that comes off the bottom of the box and goes into a hole in the floor pan. If you try to pull the box with that hose still in place you will most likely break the hose nipple off the bottom of the box.
Once the box is out of the car you will need to separate the two halves of the box. If you try to remove the clips that hold the two halves together the wrong way you run the risk of breaking the lip off the box. Those clips need to be removed from either the top or the bottom, not the middle.
Randy Goodling
CCOA #95
1 Like
Is it in a digital format that can be emailed to whneville@earthlink.net? Or, can you take cell phone photos of the pages that deal with the heater core removal and text them to 951-675-0166. Thank you
Reprints of the 5 volume 1972 shop manual are about $100 and readily available everywhere. If you own a vintage car, then you NEED the shop manuals.
If not for this job, then the next one.
1 Like
Yes indeed, it was one nasty job on my ‘68. especially getting that box in & out of the car. For whatever reason, out was far worse than back in. I thought working upside down in a convoluted position was bad on the ‘88 Vette’s micro footwells… that was until this job reared it’s ugly head. I will say though, drain corner aside the whole assembly is in excellent condition & intact. Got lucky I’d say given some of what I’ve seen other’s heater box look like, some so bad and too far gone, they needed a whole repro unit. So R&R aside, cleaning and restoring that A/C-heater box as part of the whole system restore was very satisfying. While in there to clean and re-foam, also replaced the vacuum actuators and dried out old rubber hoses. both kits from WCCC. It took quite a while to dial in the cable adjustment to get the ‘warm-cool’ control slider back to stay in the upper click-lock position for shutting off the water valve but the switch works now. Had a place down in FL custom fabricate the new A/C hoses.
As Royce touched on, it was crazy to see when you even tap your finger on any of the foam areas inside the box, they literally just turned to dust. and Randy is right, that drain area is brittle and fragile. Once pulled I found that corner cracked and the drain missing, someone tried to glue a spread piece of hose to the open hole. another hack-job that looks like it dates back to the year one. Well in working with the new carpet, I actually found the sheared off nipple underneath the insulation pad. I cleaned everything on that corner, roughed it up with a sanding block and used JB Weld to reattach the nipple, then added on the correct long rubber flex drain from NPD securing it with a small hose clamp. On 1st startup, it began smoking from the engine bay, found the drain hose bottom was touching the exhaust, but once moved over near the transmission case it’s been perfect. The end result in restoring fully functioning A/C and heat after it had all been shut down & bypassed decades back of course is wonderful and another mission accomplished✅
It’s the original 5-volume paper manual. It’s in a box out in my garage. I can dig it out and send it to you for $50.00.
$50 is a great deal. Suggest whneville jump on this!
If it is for a 1972 351 CJ XR7, I’ll take. How do I pay you?
It covers all Ford and Mercury car lines for 1972.
You can paypal me at sfhess@juno.com Friends and family. Include your address in the comments.