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Car Forum / Volkswagen / Water Cooled Volkswagen Cars / May 2007

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1981 rabbit heater core

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I'm a Movie - 23 May 2007 04:16 GMT
I cannot figure out how to exchange the heater core on my 81 diesel
pickup w/ac.
I took off the two clips from the front of the  box, and I was able to
pull off the side vent in order to disconnect the heater hoses, but I
see no way to slide the core out of the box.  
Does the box come apart?
AM I missing a step, screw, or clip in the disassembly process?

Craig

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Lost In Space/Woodchuck - 23 May 2007 11:33 GMT
yes, you are missing a repair manual! That said the heater box needs to be
removed.

>I cannot figure out how to exchange the heater core on my 81 diesel
> pickup w/ac.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
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> ==----
I'm a Movie - 24 May 2007 02:37 GMT
OK let me first of all establish that I do indeed own and read repair
manuals.

I quote from MY REPAIR MANUAL #1 ---
Figure 5.1 and 5.2 are exploded views (the pictures suck!! and don't
show any clips or screws etc.) of the ventilation and heating system.
-------  Once the hoses have been disconnected, you can remove the
heater by working inside the passenger compartment.
THAT IS ALL IT SAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!

I quote from MY OTHER REPAIR MANUAL ---
The housing is held to the body of the heater by two metal clips which
are difficult to locate and even more difficult to release.  In the
center of the clip is a tongue or retaining spring, this must be
pressed in and the clip will come undone.  There is a clip on each
side of the housing and once these are free the housing can be drawn
off the heat exchanger.  Then it goes on to say how difficult it is
and that I may want to hire a professional.

MANUAL # 3 was of no help at all.

Secondly, I would like to point out that none of my  manuals showed
illustrations or pictures of an air conditioning equiped car.  AND --
the diagrams that were provided showed an already removed component
diagram of the heater unit.  In no way was it shown how to REMOVE the
heater or core.

SO ------------------- My more specific questions are these --
How much of the dashboard do I have to disassemble if any in order to
access the hidden and "difficult to locate" clips.
Do I have to remove the top end of the unit (in the engine
compartment, in order to split apart the part that I can see in the
cab?
If I do have to remove the air intake portion in the engine
compartment, how does one remove the screws that are coated with
"tar??" as I have found that when I turn the screws they do not back
out.

I did find areference in the caddy owners web forum to this job and it
turns out that the guy gave up and by-passed his core because he
couldn't figure it out either.

If there is anyone out there who has done this job, could they give me
a basic run down of the procedure?

Thanks, Craig

>yes, you are missing a repair manual! That said the heater box needs to be
>removed.
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
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>> ==----

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Whole Lotta Tom - 24 May 2007 03:22 GMT
I replaced the heater core in both my 1980 and 1982 Caddys.  Both have
factory air.  Both are the same as the same year Rabbits w/m factory air.
Both replacements were done the same way.

OK, this get a little violent.

http://www.driversfound.com/scirocco/techtips/body/heatercore/

That is how it's done. It is easy to cut the case with a short saw.  I used
a piece of sheet aluminum (available at Lowes, Osh or Home Depot or other
hardware stores).  I cut the aluminum with a tab on the bottom that slides
into the case, and with wide sides so that it can be retained to the case
with self-tapping screws.  If the cores ever have to be replaced, just
remove the screws.

Doing it this way means you don't have to take out the case or evacuate the
AC.

Hope this helps.

> I cannot figure out how to exchange the heater core on my 81 diesel
> pickup w/ac.
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> ----== Highest Retention and Completion Rates!
> HTTP://WWW.NEWSGROUPS.COM ==----
Lost In Space/Woodchuck - 25 May 2007 03:21 GMT
cool way of doing things, but at the dealer level the customer would be
TOTALLY pissed off he saw the car cut up like that. Personally I would do it
that way on my own car if I owned one that old.

>I replaced the heater core in both my 1980 and 1982 Caddys.  Both have
> factory air.  Both are the same as the same year Rabbits w/m factory air.
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>> ----== Highest Retention and Completion Rates!
>> HTTP://WWW.NEWSGROUPS.COM ==----
Whole Lotta Tom - 25 May 2007 04:12 GMT
> cool way of doing things, but at the dealer level the customer would
> be TOTALLY pissed off he saw the car cut up like that. Personally I
> would do it that way on my own car if I owned one that old.

Who the f.ck cares?  Dealer level?  Oh, sure.  1981 Rabbits are stacked up
20 deep at the local VW dealer.  Here's a clue, Gabby.  I was not addressing
you.  Review the basics on how to follow a thread.

>> I replaced the heater core in both my 1980 and 1982 Caddys.  Both
>> have factory air.  Both are the same as the same year Rabbits w/m
[quoted text clipped - 33 lines]
>>> ----== Highest Retention and Completion Rates!
>>> HTTP://WWW.NEWSGROUPS.COM ==----
Tom's VR6 - 25 May 2007 05:34 GMT
In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Whole Lotta Tom wrote:

>Here's a clue, Gabby.  I was not addressing
>you.  Review the basics on how to follow a thread.

I don't think he was the clueless one.
dave AKA vwdoc1 - 25 May 2007 05:59 GMT
I would care and I think a lot of other people would care if their vehicles
were butchered without permission!
Of course you can do anything you want to YOUR vehicle.  <g>
YOU can even redesign the heater core box (fresh air box) like you did.
Clever Tom!  lol

I would add that the heater hoses be removed from the engine compartment
first so the remaining coolant inside of the heater core could be blown out
with some air.  Then you don't have a lot of coolant draining onto the
floor.

If the dash comes out then you inspect the area for any water leakage that
might come in around the bottom of the windshield too.

>> cool way of doing things, but at the dealer level the customer would
>> be TOTALLY pissed off he saw the car cut up like that. Personally I
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
>>>>
>>>> Craig
I'm a Movie - 26 May 2007 03:00 GMT
Thanks Tom for the tips.  I think that I will do it the easy way.
I'll never understand some German engineering!!!!!!!

Craig O

>I replaced the heater core in both my 1980 and 1982 Caddys.  Both have
>factory air.  Both are the same as the same year Rabbits w/m factory air.
[quoted text clipped - 31 lines]
>> ----== Highest Retention and Completion Rates!
>> HTTP://WWW.NEWSGROUPS.COM ==----

----== Posted via Newsgroups.com - Usenet Access to over 100,000 Newsgroups ==----
Get Anonymous, Uncensored, Access to West and East Coast Server Farms at!
----== Highest Retention and Completion Rates! HTTP://WWW.NEWSGROUPS.COM ==----
Whole Lotta Tom - 27 May 2007 01:02 GMT
> Thanks Tom for the tips.  I think that I will do it the easy way.
> I'll never understand some German engineering!!!!!!!
>
> Craig O

No problem.  The real props go to the guy with that webpage.  I think the
fellows at the Caddy forum pointed me to it.

http://vwcaddyforum.com/index.php?

>> I replaced the heater core in both my 1980 and 1982 Caddys.  Both
>> have
[quoted text clipped - 46 lines]
> ----== Highest Retention and Completion Rates!
> HTTP://WWW.NEWSGROUPS.COM ==----
 
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