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Replacing the heater core on a Taurus

Gabriel_PittGabriel_Pitt Stepped in itRegistered User regular
edited August 2008 in Help / Advice Forum
I just inherited a '99 Taurus sedan. The only real problem with it is it needs the heater core replaced, which looks like it'll cost me around $800. The car really isn't worth spending that much money on it, and I was hoping someone could tell me what chance I'd have of replacing this thing myself for less than that. Is this a part I could scrounge from a salvage yard and replace myself (I have little mechanical inclination, but I know people I could bribe into helping me), or will the time, effort, and expense of trying to do this independently leave me not much better off than if I just took it to a repair shop?

Gabriel_Pitt on

Posts

  • BarrakkethBarrakketh Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    A quick search shows that an aftermarket heater core will run around $55 for your car. Labor appears to be the biggest obstacle, but you would need to take a look at the service manual for the car to see what exactly is involved.

    Barrakketh on
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  • Mojo the AvengerMojo the Avenger Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    If you have people you can bribe into helping you, that might be a good place to start for a labor estimate. Alternatively stop into advance auto or whatever you have nearby and buy a Hayes manual for your car. They run about $15 and it's worth it's weight in gold if it keeps you out of the repair shop a few times.

    Mojo the Avenger on
  • Lord YodLord Yod Registered User regular
    edited August 2008
    This is not a job you want to do yourself.

    If you want to save the money but still drive the car, you can bypass the core by linking the inlet and outlet hoses together.

    Lord Yod on
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  • Donovan PuppyfuckerDonovan Puppyfucker A dagger in the dark is worth a thousand swords in the morningRegistered User regular
    edited August 2008
    On most cars the heater core is buried WAY down deep, in behind the dash. In the HVAC box with the a/c evaporator core and all the ducting and airfow director valves. Sometimes you have to pull the ENTIRE dash out... It's a hell of a job for the uinitiated, it could end up taking days to get it all apart, and then figuring out how to get it all back together again.

    Donovan Puppyfucker on
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