Hi Guys,

Upon removing the heater hoses from the firewall connections under the bonnet to fit new hoses as a preventative maintenance measure, one came off really easily. A gentle twist and 1/3 of the plastic spigot came too :io:

I've found Mal's instructions for removing the dash to get at the core:
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=66385&page=2&highlight=heater+core+seals
and:
http://www.aussiemagna.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59355&page=2

Reading between the lines it seems I do not have to replace the core, only the hose adaptor/fittings and O rings.

Will they change out OK, or should I replace the core too once its all apart, or will it last a lot more years?

Thanks
Steve

Moral of the story: Never twist a hose that has been on for ages, especially on a plastic spout - the plastic and rubber tend to heat weld really well over the years, and the plastic goes brittle as well. I remove the clamp, then slice down the length of the hose on the fitting and peel it off. New hose gets lubricated with water, then pushed straight on. Learnt my lesson with the older copper radiators where you could get brittle solder and pull off more than you wanted to when changing a hose. lol

Heater core - maybe you need a new one, but have a good look at it when you pull it out. Perhaps just a new (pair of) fittings and "O" rings will do it?

IIRC heater core is like a mini radiator, if your main radiator is in good condition chances are the heater one is as well.

Moral of the story: Never twist a hose that has been on for ages, especially on a plastic spout - the plastic and rubber tend to heat weld really well over the years, and the plastic goes brittle as well. I remove the clamp, then slice down the length of the hose on the fitting and peel it off. New hose gets lubricated with water, then pushed straight on. Learnt my lesson with the older copper radiators where you could get brittle solder and pull off more than you wanted to when changing a hose. lol

Heater core - maybe you need a new one, but have a good look at it when you pull it out. Perhaps just a new (pair of) fittings and "O" rings will do it?

IIRC heater core is like a mini radiator, if your main radiator is in good condition chances are the heater one is as well.

Thanks for that. I normally loosen the hoses with something, different techniques depending on access. In this case I wanted to keep the old hose(s) as a spare. Did the same process on my other TJ a few months ago with no problems. As it happens, easier to buy 2 hoses, ah well. For assembly, I like to use a silicone lube on rubber hoses to aid disassembly later. The cooling system is in good nic, no signs of any problems re corrosion, so I guess I'll get the spigots and seals and then pull it apart. Regular coolant changes and rainwater seems to work for me. In the meantime I'll bypass the heater so i can get it out of the shed until I'm up for pulling the dash.

Steve