Check this gem out. Some ass of a shop cut the firewall out to change the heater core, and it looks like they copper-brazed the chunk back in. This poor, poor car. If I had paid a shop to do the heater core, and THIS is what came back, I'd own the shop after a lawsuit. This is ridiculous! I was showing it to a neighbor who used to work for the DOL out here in Washington, he said the car would have failed inspection and had the title branded as non-street legal. I can't believe somebody got away with this...
Oh well, it's given up it's organs to keep other TBird's on the road and has now been recycled. Can't save them all :(
didnt even try to hide it did they
Mike,that pic shows the line with the dryer.You have that and the others I need,still,right?i haven't heard from you,did you get my payment and note?
By the way,Ford should've designed a panel there just for removing the eater core.The '77 through '79 T-Birds and Cougars had a panel under the hood,remove a few self tapping screws,remove the little panel,and pull out the heater core.You can change one in about 5 minutes....literally.If one had a spare car to get the metal from,perhaps fabbing a hole and panel for that purpose for our cars could work.I don't see how that could fail you in an inspection,though.
That looks like lazy previous owner work.
I agree.I don'th think a shop,even some py ones,would do THAT kind of blatant junk.
Check out some Econoline vans and you'll see a good portion of them have had their heater cores changed the same way.
It was my plan to go this route myself, if and when my heater core ever went again. I had to pay a shop for 8hrs labour when I had it changed the first time. So yeah, a removable panel is a great idea. A hack job and some glorified soldering is a poor idea.
It's really not that hard to do the right way by pulling the dash out far enough to get to it. It's just time consuming and tedious. PITA: yes; HARD: no... Hell, I'd rather change a heater core than swap a lower intake manifold or change a clutch.
Cutting out a section of firewall to get to the heater core is akin to breaking off the wheel studs to change a tire:hick:
If you say so. Removing the dash to replace a heater core is akin to removing my nose to shave my face.
I agree...The first time I changed out a heater core in a fox bird it had to be the most frustrating car related work I have ever done. I cussed the design engineers every which way.
Now I know where the "hidden" bolts are and can get one pulled out just enough to get the access panel off the top and pull the core out.
Still a pain in the a@* to get to tho.
I did the heater core the correct way the first time in under 3 hours, start-to-finish. It's not that hard guys. Try stuff like changing the rear plugs on V6 SHO or changing an AMC cam in-car.
I can change an intake in short order.That's a 30 minute job,wicked easy.I did the heater core the first time in about 8 hours.The second time,about 6 hours,last time,which was the first for the Sport,it took about an hour.Eric gave me some VERY good helpful tips which made the last swap a breeze.
You DO NOT have to remove the dash. You have to move it back, not take it out completely;)
There were some cars when they cut a hole in the wheel well to change spark plugs.
Bingo! I didn't even crack mine or anything ;)
X2
My first dash was the 82 Cougar Wagon. The dash was on the seats in 45 minutes. Since the A/C was under no pressure I took the whole HVAC out to replace the heater core. Another 30 minutes. I wanted to clean it as well so I went the extra step. Two ink pens, three packets of petrified katsup, one mustard, some bugs and a kleenex. I also wanted to pressure check the evaporator core.
All back together in an hour and a half.
I didn't disconnect any wiring at all. It was long enough for it to lay down on the seat. It was a lot easier than I thought it was going to be. I did get the metal support in front of the glove box in upside down though but it was pretty easy to reverse even after I had the dash back in place.
I don't look forward to doing it again but the hole in the firewall thing is actually a good idea....if only the follow through was done, which it was not. Talk about lazy.
I would never have thought about doing that!:D
Stupid me, I had the whole dash out of my car (to replace a cracked dash) and didn't replace the heater core while it was out. The 20 year old heater core. It's almost a certainty that mine will start leaking now :hick:
As for the guy that said he'd brand the car unroadworthy - unless he could show me in the book where modifying the firewall was illegal I'd have his license. It's a hack job, sure, but it does nothing to make the car unroadworthy...
Oregon titled car, they have all sorts of stoopid flaming hoops to jump through. That's why I bought my 'Vic through a WA licensed broker and got lucky on the RX-7 (over 20 years old). Basically it would have come out with a branded title (totaled/rebuilt) at best. All paperwork basically.
Ever lift the carpet in a trunk and see something simpler for the fuel pump I seen it on fords and GMs.
NEVER AGAIN WILL I DO THAT!!! What a freaking STUPID ass POS moron made that motor fit in there. I swear that was the most difficult job ive ever done!
Hehehee, yes, yes it is. Front's are easy though ;)
yea, my buddy got me to do his SHO, and man i regret working on the STUPID car. Seeing as the trans was blown a tune up didnt do him much good anyway.
Where are these "secret" bolts to removing the dash. I think my heater core is bad nad I figured It'd ask to try and save myself the trouble.