What is involved in swapping the heater core in a 78 Fairmont? Does the dash have to come all the way off?
What is involved in swapping the heater core in a 78 Fairmont? Does the dash have to come all the way off?
Does it have A/C? If so...no, but it's probably easier to pull it. I think you can sneak it out the passenger's footwell if you're lucky and have said the right things to the right god(s).
If it DOESN'T have A/C then you undo the two heater hoses in the engine bay, open the glovebox and take everything out, and remove it.
Then remove the 2 screws on the heater core cover, slide the core out, slide the new one in, and put it back...like 15 minutes (not including drain/fill cooling system).
If it's an A/C car someone else will have to talk you through it.
Just because it doesnt have A/C doesnt mean it doesnt have an A/C box!!
Been there and done that a few times.
Haha, no kidding. During my years behind the parts counter, more than a handful of times I'd have someone return a part because it was incorrect and in trying to solve their problem get to the "with or without A/C" question...
"without A/C" is *NOT* the same as "the car used to have A/C, but the compressor and all the lines are gone" or "the stuff is there, but the A/C doesn't work"
1981 Durango (ends my 18 year drought of not owning a F/Z)
Yes, but ford also put empty A/C boxes in from the factory.
I'm a parts guy as well, any 87-93 mustang customer gets the one listed for A/C.
Just like late model F-150 rear axle seals....they're always the ones for the 8.8 rear, even if the truck has the 9.75 rear. lol
The one WTF thing that Ford did that *still* gets me is the 2WD Bronco II. Both 2WD and 4WD had transfer cases - except the 2WD one has a plug where the front output shaft would be and was lacking most of the internal guts. They even stuck stickers on it and issued a TSB that basically said "no, this is not a real transfer case and no, you can't put guts into it to make it a functional transfer case"
Sorry OP for the thread hijack. Seriously.
Last edited by Durango; 12-20-2010 at 02:47 PM.
1981 Durango (ends my 18 year drought of not owning a F/Z)
Replacing a Fairmont's heater core is just like doing a Fox Mustang's if both vehicles originally came with factory A/C. V8only did a good write up on heater core replacement in the Mod Maintenance and Mechanicals section . You don't have to remove the dash all the way or remove the entire HVAC assembly.
Dean T
Last edited by Dean_T; 12-20-2010 at 11:46 PM.
Proud owner of the one and only Friggin' Futura
Thanx The car HAD ac but no more. Did a 5.0 swap and other stuff and I'm in the process of getting it winter drivable.
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