mgrinnell Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Hi All, I am working on replacing the heater core in my 92 Olds Cutlass Supreme S 3.1. There was a thread on the forum that had great verbal descriptions on how to complete the job but all the images had been lost on ImageShack hosting them. Anyway, I am to the point of removing the heater core but am not certain whether I need to remove everything including the pipes through the firewall and if I have to also remove the pipes from the firewall it seems I need to remove a clip or some such thing from inside the engine compartment rather from the passenger compartment side. I've done a bunch of work on this car but this is the first heater core. Any suggestions on how to complete it would be welcome. Thanks kindly, Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 (edited) If someone could confirm similarities between this procedure on the 1994 and 1992 to be the same or similar I`ll type out what is the manual for it. Edit: checked part numbers on autozone and they have the same part number for both years. Let me go find my book and Ill get right back with you. Edited November 11, 2014 by rich_e777 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted November 11, 2014 Report Share Posted November 11, 2014 Current Info as of 1994, I will include the 3.4 DOHC incase someone happens to land here in the future. If no engine is mentioned per line then both engines are included. Says you need a Heater Hose Clamp Tool J38543 but if you already know how to remove the hoses from the core I reckon you wont be needing it. But it seems pretty straight forward. (Remove or Disconnect) 1. Air filter with ducting 2. drain coolant 3. rotate engine forward 3100 only 4. Upper Intake Manifold(plenum) 3.4 only 5.fuel lines 3.4 only 6.Upper radiator hose at engine assembly 3.4 only 7. Exhaust cross over pipe 3.4 only 8. Transmission dipstick tube 3.4 only 9. Both heater hoses at heater core 10. Right and left sound insulation panels.( Sound insulators under the instrument panel ) 11. Rear compartment heat duct adapter and hardware 12.Heater outlet duct bolts and duct 13. Heater core cover 14. Heater core Installation is the reverse and there might be some short cuts to this but I don't know them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitzel Posted November 12, 2014 Report Share Posted November 12, 2014 On a 1992, hmmmm, rock the engine forward just like you would with the spark plugs. Disconnect both the upper and lower heater core hoses (and on a 1992....inspect them for any damage or corrosion, particularly the steel part beneath the coolant bottle which tends to rot out over time!). Take apart the dash, airbox, etc. The rest should be pretty obvious. You will want some RTV or some sort of heat resistant glue as there's pieces of foam attached to the existing heater core that you'll want to gently peel off and transfer to the new heater core before reassembly. As for the pipes, well, the GM-supplied original heater core is actually 2 pieces -- the pipes which seat into a heater-core-only piece using some sort of locking mechamism. The aftermarket heater cores tend to be one piece assemblies including pipes. So check what you have -- if you have a replacement that has the pipes, then obviously you'll have to do the under-hood stuff. You'll probably have to do the under-hood stuff anyways as I don't know of any way, even if you had one that was identical to OEM, that you could get it all together in the tight confines. Much easier (I know, I know...) to merely disconnect the pipes under the hood, and replace it including the pipes. Just make sure you don't touch the AC side of things and you should be okay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 I did a heater core in a red roof Inn parking lot in Dayton Ohio on my 92 z34 without removing the crossover, upper rad hose or fuel lines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schurkey Posted January 11, 2015 Report Share Posted January 11, 2015 I did a heater core in a red roof Inn parking lot in Dayton Ohio on my 92 z34 without removing the crossover, upper rad hose or fuel lines What do you do when you want a challenge? Rebuild the transmission by the side of the road using borrowed tools? You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 It was a matter of necessity lol. I was getting choked out by the sweet coolant mist coming into the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rich_e777 Posted January 12, 2015 Report Share Posted January 12, 2015 Best way to get at the back of the engine without throwing your back out leaning over the engine bay. Wait, are you on the airbox? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GOT2B GM Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 No I removed the air box and and sitting with my feet where the air box was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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