h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I installed a new heater core in my Camaro today. Or rather, I worked at it - I started yesterday afternoon (it was slow at work) and I'm still not completely done. I didn't know how big of a project it is to replace the heater core in a '70-81 Camaro with air conditioning.

The other day I smelled coolant, and checked under the passenger side dash (where heater cores usually leak). I leaned under the dash and propped myself up on my elbow... then noticed that my elbow was wet with coolant. I called Chevy and asked about a heater core, $65 and they'd have to order it. I called O'Reilly's, $25 and they had it in stock. I bought it at O'Reilly's and went to work.

I didn't realize you have to pull the inner fender. That's fine, it's rusted and I've wanted to replace is anyways. I called Chevy, it went out of production last year and they don't have any left. They suggest Wesco Classic Chevy, very nice people, $40 and they have it in stock (but it's used). I'm out of a car so I ask the used car manager at the dealership where I work if I can borrow a Ford Exploder until Saturday afternoon (today). He reluctanly agrees.

I pick up my part and get back to the dealership. It's late, so I do a little work then clean up and go home. I go to a class this morning about some new products at the dealership, and afterwards I go back to the dealership. I give the Exploder back to the manager and thank him. He gives me the same look as usual - like he just caught me pissing in his coffee.

I cursed more this afternoon than I have in a long time. Not only does the inner fender come out, you have to take all the bolts loose on the inside of the heater box. The crappy Chilton manual I have says to take loose all the bolts on the engine side (NOT TRUE!) and that you have to recover all the refigerant and remove the A/C lines (ALSO NOT TRUE!). I curse quite a bit more.

I finally wrestle the inner heater box free and spill more coolant onto the floorboard. I accidently yank several wires free under the dash. The is the end of a vacuum line laying on the floorboard and I don't know where it goes. You have to turn the heater box upside down which you cannot do with the control cables attached. There is not enough room to disconnect the control cables. I got them free finally and got it upside down. Then there are five more screws to get the heater core out. Then you have to separate it from a piece of plastic it is mounted to. And that's just getting it apart!

I spent about three hours re-installing the heater box, re-attaching the engine side of the system, installing the newly repainted slightly used fender, and hooking up the battery (which had to be removed to remove the inner fender).

The stuff under the dashboard is still scattered throughout the car. I'll put it back in Monday, or if I have too much work, Wednesday. I have never had this difficult a time replacing heater cores. Japanese cars RULE! There's a GM engineer out there somewhere who probably retired after making too much money building crappy A/C & Heater systems like that. He needs a retroactive beating.