'94 heater core R/R - done

[Guyute]

Well it's back together and on the road again. Took me two weekends and a few hours here and there. I'm slow and distracted easily so that doesn't help.

This 80 has a little over 200K miles. Had the classic interior fogging and slight anti-freeze smell. We had a A/C leak before this so I had taken it halfway apart before.

Took a ton of pictures to help put things back together correctly. The pictures helped mostly on the routing of wire looms and such. The plugs only seem to fit the correct switch.

The FSM does a good job of leading you through most of it. Dropping the steering column helps a ton.

I'll post some pictures now...

Careful not to break these little tabs on this main upper trim piece>



locker, dimmer, mirror and OEM security>


Speedo and stuff>

I've had a 'D' bulb on the shelf for about 5 years. Forgot to put it in while it was all apart! Doh!

Hidden bolt under the false vent (US passenger side)>


n00dly appendages>


Gooey center>


Cross support bar was kind of a PITA to get out>


New core and CB. Also replaced heater hoses while I was there.


There is your problem>


The unit>



Inside the unit>


This is as far as you'll have to tear it down. All downhill from here>


I went with the constant torque clamps. Got them home and had buyers remorse. They are over $4.20 each. I used one for the PHH (block side) then bypassed the metal hose and used Breeze Liner Clamps for the rest. Took the CT clamps back to Napa and bought the liner clamps from a trucking company for a little over $1.30 each >

Breeze Liner Clamps

New core, new home. I think I paid like $260ish for the core>


Installed a new CB and MP3 Modulator while I was in there. I somehow lost the stereo antenna inside the dash monster and there was NO WAY that I was pulling sh1t back apart. The OEM antenna had been broken twice so I replaced it and ran a new antenna wire trough the firewall. Need to have that stinking antenna to make a MP3 modulator work. Doh!


Cheap universal stereo antenna >


Mounted all the MP3 stuff under the shifter console and ran the wire out here>


All done>



Need to charge and check the A/C still. Overall it is not too bad. I was overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I kept pulling but, it went back together well. I think I spent the most time cleaning up a mess the alarm installer created several years ago. Hope this helps someone.

Later,
Brian

[Brian894X4]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing.

Quick question, sorry for being off topic, but what's the computer fan thing for? Is that factory? What is it cooling?

[Guyute]

Originally Posted by Brian894X4

Nice pics, thanks for sharing.

Quick question, sorry for being off topic, but what's the computer fan thing for? Is that factory? What is it cooling?

Hello,

Not sure what it's for. I didn't add it and the dash had never been apart so I assume it's factory. Maybe to cool the big ol' factory stereo? Looked like it pushed air down but, I didn't spend too much time looking @ it.

I read that you were doing some cooling system work @ the same time. Hope all is well. Your rig used to belong to some friends of mine. Nice low mile rig.

Later,
Brian

[concretejungle]

i wonder if that fan is for the stereo maybe?

Guyute, are you an ugly pig? who danced a jig?

[gisham]

this post freaks me out- looks like another job i would have to pay someone to do, and it dont look like it would be a cheap one-

god please dont let my heater core go bad!

[Guyute]

Originally Posted by concretejungle

i wonder if that fan is for the stereo maybe?

Guyute, are you an ugly pig? who danced a jig?

Stereo is the only thing I could think of too.


Nah. LoL. Our first FJ55 was named 'Guyute' for obvious reasons. Sold a couple years ago >


The newer 55 is just called the '5-5'


The 80 here is named Suzy G (Greenburg)

[Guyute]

Originally Posted by gisham

this post freaks me out- looks like another job i would have to pay someone to do, and it dont look like it would be a cheap one-

god please dont let my heater core go bad!

Ahhh. You can DOOO IT! It looks worse than it is. One piece @ a time, take a ton of pictures. It goes back together well. It was time consuming but, not too hard.

Doesn't sound like many cores have gone bad so you'll be fine.

[Buckru]

I am about to undertake this project myself. If you had hit this project hard, how much time do you realistically think it would take? Trying to guage if I need a day or two.

Buck Buchanan

[Brian894X4]

Originally Posted by Guyute

Hello,

Not sure what it's for. I didn't add it and the dash had never been apart so I assume it's factory. Maybe to cool the big ol' factory stereo? Looked like it pushed air down but, I didn't spend too much time looking @ it.

I read that you were doing some cooling system work @ the same time. Hope all is well. Your rig used to belong to some friends of mine. Nice low mile rig.

Later,
Brian

Now that's a small world! No, everything went just fine. Just a little overkill PM work. This rig has been very nice to me so far and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

That probably is for the stereo system, seems to be mounted right above that. Quite strange, but then Toyota didn't seem to leave many stones unturned when they designed the 80 and these rigs were meant to spent quite a bit of time in very hot conditions in certain parts of the world.

[96r50]

You can hear that fan run if you turn the key to ON and have everything else off. I know I've heard it a few times (and wondered what it was).

[Guyute]

Originally Posted by Buckru

I am about to undertake this project myself. If you had hit this project hard, how much time do you realistically think it would take? Trying to guage if I need a day or two.

Buck Buchanan

Me? I'd take two days. If your quick, experienced, have all the parts and don't add any "while I'm in there" stuff then a long day is possible. We have an extra vehicle so I was able to hit it when I had time. Less stressful for me and the famdamily.

Good luck. I have more pictures if you need anything let me know.

Brian

[concretejungle]

Originally Posted by 96r50

You can hear that fan run if you turn the key to ON and have everything else off. I know I've heard it a few times (and wondered what it was).

by golly, i think you are right!! I wondered what the heck that was, i even thought maybe it was fluid running through the heater core, but now, i really think it's the fan!

[Brian894X4]

You know I don't hear anything on my '95, maybe the later model dash doesn't have that fan?

Sorry to take your thread off topic.

[96r50]

Originally Posted by Brian894X4

You know I don't hear anything on my '95, maybe the later model dash doesn't have that fan?

Sorry to take your thread off topic.

Mine's a 96