Help! Easy 190E heater core question
 

OK ... I replaced the heater valve ... not the problem ....got the left dash lowered (knee board removed) saw the source of the leak!

It is the left silver pipe coming out of the left side of the heater core. Easily dribbling away. OK so far so good. It has two bolts that holds on a collar which keeps the pipe secured to the heater core unit.

The question: Is there a gasket in there? That is between the silver pipe and the heater core unit?

Additionally, when tightening it, how tight?

Thanks .... the guts of the dash are on the floor awaiting someone's expert reply.

Haasman

The silver pipe is held onto the heater core by a flat collar, is it possible to wiggle the pipe away from the core to see if the place where it goes into is cracked?

There should be an o-ring on the pipe that seals it to the heater core.

Thanks for the response .... how does one get the pipe away from the core enough to see the o-ring?

can the pipe be pulled away enough to replace the o-ring ...

anybody?

I have never done the job so I can't explain the procedure, but the pipes are disconnected as one of the first steps in the removal of the whole box. This indicates to me that they should be fairly accessable. The picture shows two screws attaching the pipe flange to the heater core. They are sealed with part # 000 835 37 98 (a gasket).

Sorry to repeat but .... can the pipe be pulled away enough to replace the o-ring?

any body?

My daughter blew her heater core during the rush going South on 101 just pass Blossom Hill. You know what thats like the Friday evening before Christmas.
I couldn't tell for sure if it was a supply tube or the heater core. But there wasn't much room to see where the damage was. I decided to pull the heater. I picked up a Haynes manual for the 84 to 88 190E (hers is a 90 2.6) but the manual was close enough to get me through it all. I wish I could remember back that far (going on two years) so I could tell you if the tubes come out on their own...I would think that if you can get the bolts out, that may be half of the battle. But there could be some wierd crooks in them that would make it though.
If you have to yank the dash, it's not really that big a deal. Just a million things to remove, air bag, steering wheel, trim on the A pillars, speakers, instrument panel, glove box, center dash switches, and then maybe the dash. While your in there you may want to consider changing the vacuum elements. Make some notes and drawings. The Haynes manual will walk you through the whole ordeal.
Ernie

Ernie

Thanks for the reply. I think I can do it ... I just wanted to make sure I could change the O-rings first and see if I could avoid the project.

Reading your post did make me think of one thing I didn't try: twisting the pipe so it rotates on its long axis after trying to pull it away from the heater core unit. This may work. I will give a try tomorrow night.

It certainly would be great to only have to replace the O-rings. I will check into the Haynes manual. It might have a pearl in it.

101 south at Christmas time. Whew, that can be a nightmare without blowing the heater core!

Jeff

Anyone .... how does one get the pipe away from the core enough to see the o-ring?

Sorry...I cannot understand your post. Isn't it possible to remove the silver metal pipe after removing the bolts with the collar?

Is it stuck in there? I have seen this thing many times in my car and even have a very little leak at the same place? I always thought it's just to pull off after removing collar?

ATT: I am asking! Don't go ripping it apart because of this reply.

It would be very kind of you if you could post some kind of description on the work when you get it fixed.


Edit: I did just take a look in my hayes manual. I presume you've already flushed the system AND the heat core. After that it should be just to remove the bolts and collar and pull the pipe away from the core. After that it you swap the o-ring or gasket and put it back together, right?!

My question: Is it possible to remove the silver metal pipe after removing the bolts with the collar that holds it on to the heater core?

I was told to use a bit of force to pull the pipe out. I will try this in the next several days and report back to this post.

From the job description in hayes it should be just to pull them off after removing collar. I wouldn't be surpriced if there some violence involved in this but be careful not to be to violent :D

I guess you already got the o-rings/gaskets that are needed for reassembly.

Thanks for the reply!

No Ihaven't pulled the pipes out yet. I was uncertain as to whether they could come out at this stage or not.

Next I need to see if the o-ring is bad or if it is truly a bad heater core.

I will keep everyone posted.