Heater tubes under console need replacing

Might have to take apart the interior but I cant think of any reason engine removal would be necessary.

The easiest way to do the job of course is to take the car to the vendor and just get out the check book of course.

Luckly in SoCal the heater is not very important to enjoying the car.

It's been awhile since I was in there but I think that you can get at them from the top, under the console.

Cut them out with a sawzall and replace them with aeroquip hoses.

Heater tubes are pretty tough to access. I have mine stripped down and still find them tough to get out. There is no under car access unless you plan on taking them out. They do seem to be tack welded in at some point. You might be able to remove the seats and carpet, cut them up and get to them form there but it won't be easy. At some point if you want to do it right you may just decide to pull the engine. That is not as bad as it seems.

There is nothing you can do from under the car. Here is some photos of what you are dealing with:





Gary

It's pretty obvious to me that the console is at least a chassis stiffener, but I think that you need to make an access into the top of the rear part of the console box.

From there you should be able to cut each tube in two and remove them.

The perfect solution to replacement would be to put one piece stainless tubing in to replace what you take out.
We don't live in a perfect world now do we? Well maybe you don't anyway.

Use a teflon core "aeroquip hose" and you won't ever have to worry about it again.

Gary,

Thanks for posting the pictures...that says it all.

FYI, I also talked to Bob Byers and he mentioned that some guys have been able to pull and wriggle the pipes until the welds broke to get the old pipes out.

It seems there are a few other options also:
1. Plumb the pipes below the car which get the pipes and heat out of the inside of the car.
2. Splice into the existing radiator tubes and run tubes to the heater core with an electric auxillary pump to move water through the core.
3. Clean out the old tubes that run through the console and slide smaller plastic tube inside the original steel tubes and then connect to the heater core.
4. Forget about hooking up the heater core and plug the hose feeds and buy a 12 volt electric heater that plugs into the cigarette lighter or is wired separately.

Haven't decided which way to go yet.

Tom personally I would avoid the electric heater. I have a California Olds Cutlass. The heater was disconected when the engine was re-built a few years ago. They never bothered to hook it back up (I am too skinny for that and it's too cold here!)

I tired an electric heater. It's not big at all but it blows circuit breakers, dims the lights in the car, and I can only feel heat if I take my gloves off and put it over the opening in the heater.

It's in the shop getting the heater core hooked back up right now.

Gary

A company called WIRSBO makes a plastic tubing in a bunch of sizes .. that is rated to handle heating tmeperatures in a residential home .. 220 degrees maybe more and the connectors are avaiable at any plumbing supply store ... you could snake this thru the console and just remove the old tubes with a sawzall ... should work .. if you need the tubing I could send it to you ..because you only need maybe 10' and it comes in 250,500 & 1000' .
Ron

Hey ACCOBRA,
Thanks very much for the offer, I will probably take you up on that...I'm going to try and yank (literally) the old tubes out in the next few days. Art Stephens pulled his tubes out and recalls that they were tack welded in. If they were spot welded in I should be able to find the weld on the outside of the tunnel and drill through the weld to release the bracket. I'm getting the feeling that this might be a viable option. I'll keep you posted. Thanks again!