92 Oldsmobile Cutlass need advice about heater core removal.

[snippits]

Removing and replacing heater core on a 92 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme S, 3.1 engine, LHO VIN T.

Down below in bold, and underlined is what I don't completely understand from the repair manual. 

"Disconnect the negative battery cable.
 
Properly drain the engine coolant into a suitable container.
 
Remove the upper weatherstrip from the body.
 
Remove the upper secondary cowl.
 
Remove the lower secondary cowl upper nut.
 
Disconnect the heater hoses from the heater core."

 

 

 

[55trucker]

The *upper* weatherstripping being referred to is that length of rubber that seals the hood when it is down.

The secondary cowl cover is that plastic shield that you see which is full of leaves. Remove both of them to get at the fastener that is below the cover.

Aside from releasing the heater core hoses everything else is done inside the passenger compartment.

 

[snippits]

OK I understand now.  Thanks!

Guess that means I got to take the windshield wipers off too, so I can remove the cowl that is full of leaves.  I will give it a good cleaning while it's off.

I got the clamps/hoses off of the heater core already, and they were a PITA.  Had to use flexible hose clamp pliers to get the clamps off.

 

[55trucker]

Take some relief in knowing that if you had the LQ1 engine in there to get at the heater hose fittings one has to pull up the upper plenum assembly to allow one to get access to them.

[1987 GMC Jimmy]

Even though I knew better deep down, I was hoping after seeing this that the heater core was removed from the outside like on a GM B/G Body. Maybe an A Body, too. Oh well...

[snippits]

Got around to doing the heater core last week.

The cowl does not need to be touched period.  Just remove the in/out hose clamps to heater core from under the hood.  Once the heater core cover is off, the heater core has one screw that needs to be removed.  That screw is attached to a bracket clamp that holds the two heater core pipes apart.  New cores come with the clamp. 

The core itself is held tight by a metal retaining bracket that has two slots on top where the core slides in, and the bottom part of the bracket is a flat piece of steel that is springy.  Once the top of the core is inserted into the bracket, pull down on the springy piece of steel to insert the bottom of the core.  It's held in there good and tight.

I used the OSC 98485 heater core.  This was a one piece unit.  No installing the individual heater pipes.  It came with a new bracket clamp for the heater core in/out pipes, and it also came with a roll of foam padding that was peel and stick.  The foam goes around the heater core.  Just look at how it's installed on the old heater core.

 

 

Edited October 28, 2020 by snippits