Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Replacing the E30 Heater Core and Valve

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    Replacing the E30 Heater Core and Valve

    This pertains to E30's with the metal pipes



    This job should only take 45-60 minutes to uninstall and reinstall while goofing off and taking breaks to stretch.

    You need:
    1 long phillips head screwdriver
    1 short phillips head screwdriver
    1 standard screwdriver
    1 rachet or nut driver
    1 8mm socket
    1 10mm deep well socket
    Heater Core and or Valve
    3 O-rings
    Some oil for the O-rings
    1 or 2 extra square nuts, your bound to drop one of these pt #07119921431 and they are like ~.31 cents each
    The heater pipes are ~$10 each so you might consider those too
    And some coolant to top your system back off when your done


    Removal:

    -Undo the two hoses that go to pipes located to the passengers side of the brake booster, and drain any coolant



    -Then remove the rear console by removing the rear ash tray and removing the 8mm nut underneath it and pull your ebrake boot out and set it aside

    -Now to remove the front console pry out your shift boot and pull it up so that its inside out and then pry up your window switches and disconnect them

    -With the shift boot pulled up remove the 10mm nut and now is good time to remove the two phillips head screws that hold your front ash tray in place and you can disconnect the lighter.

    -Then turn the standard plastic screws located at the front of your console 90 degrees to unlock them, and now you should be able to remove your console

    -Next remove the floor ducting connector thing on the drivers side



    -And now the air diverter above it by removing the screw shown in the picture below



    -Now you will have the heater core exposed and you can undo the two screws that hold in the heater core that are diagonal from each other



    -Remove the screw that goes through the clamp that holds the pipes in place its located about 2 inches away from the firewall, you can just barely see in this picture its and E shaped bracket just on the other side of the heater core valve.



    -Pry the heater core out a bit and with a short 8mm wrench undo the three bolts that hold the heater core to the heater valve

    -To seperate the heater core from the valve will require some prying but you should be able to push the pipes through firewall an inch or so and you will be able to slide the heater core out

    - There is a 2 pin connector for the heater valve that is located on the top of valve that you need to disconnect before you can remove the valve

    - Then remove the valve with the upper pipe attached and with the lower pipe still loosely in place you can remove it as an assembly.

    Installation:

    -Take you new heater core and install the insulation by referencing you old heater core

    -Take you metal pipes and clean ends with a mild abrasive to insure a proper seal for both of heater hoses that connect on the firewall

    -Install the top metal pipe with a new lightly oiled O-ring onto the heater valve and tighten the two bolts

    -Intall the other two O-rings onto heater valve and lightly oil them

    -Fit the heater valve back into the car by loosely installing the screw that goes through the clamp to hold the pipes in place

    -Then slide the heater core 90% into place so that the top bolt would between the heater core and valve will be accessible

    -After tightening all three bolts between the heater core and valve push the heater core into place and reinstall the two screws that secure it in
    place

    -Now is a good time to plug in the heater valve and replace the air diverter



    -Go back over your nuts and bolts and make sure everything is tight and start the car and run the Heat on high for several minutes and check for leaks.

    - When you verify that you are not having any leaking issue, you can replace the expandy duct connector and then front and then rear console


    My heater core nor valve came with new o rings, so make sure you get those ordered.
    I never looked at the bentley or any other manual before doing this.
    It is all pretty self explanitory when you look at it. But sitting in your seat upside as I did does make this a bit easier if you are too lazy to remove your drivers seat. Removing the steering wheel is easy and will give you a bit more space should you choose to attack it upside down.
    Last edited by nefarious7907; 03-01-2008, 10:05 PM. Reason: More Details


    http://www.cardomain.com/ride/657387

    #2
    Good call on doing the alum pipes - mine were pitted to near perforation, and it's fairly common. It may have been discussed before, but it's worth repeating.

    A new heater core is good, but only half the job - change your pipes too.

    It's not how you handle the good times, but the faith you keep in the bad that defines you.

    Comment


      #3
      wow, i was about to write this walkup too, but i forgot to take pictures of my progress so i didn't.

      good job we needed this write-up

      important note to everyone!
      Make sure the O-rings you get are the right size! i received the wrong size and i just installed them without triple checking (they looked really close) and then i had to remove everything and do it again because i had an even bigger leak!
      yeah i was fucking pissed

      1987 PRO-3 car /1990 325is (2.7i Concours)

      Comment


        #4
        My center console is still out because I managed to loose one of the square nuts and I have yet to connnect the two lines to see how well it works. I could/can take a couple of pictures, you really only need one picture. The diagrams shows how everything goes together exactly as it is in the car.

        Oh and then there is this picture

        almost an upskirt there lol


        http://www.cardomain.com/ride/657387

        Comment


          #5
          Nice writeup, I'm planning on changing the two metal pipes in mine as they are pitting and have holes where the hose goes on...
          ///Monstrosity. (OO≡≡[][]≡≡OO)

          Aside from showing yourself to be offensive, lacking experience and ignorant in the ways of business, you're also illiterate and imprudent. Beyond that, your sense of liability is severely impaired.

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by nefarious7907 View Post
            My center console is still out because I managed to loose one of the square nuts and I have yet to connnect the two lines to see how well it works. I could/can take a couple of pictures, you really only need one picture. The diagrams shows how everything goes together exactly as it is in the car.

            Oh and then there is this picture

            almost an upskirt there lol

            It didn't strike you to yard out the DS seat, then just flop on your stomach on a carpet pad or some cardboard over the doorsill?

            4 nuts/bolts & that seat is outta there.

            It's not how you handle the good times, but the faith you keep in the bad that defines you.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by LINUS View Post
              It didn't strike you to yard out the DS seat, then just flop on your stomach on a carpet pad or some cardboard over the doorsill?

              4 nuts/bolts & that seat is outta there.
              Reinstalling the seats is a 2 person job in my car and I didnt feel like messing with its that much of a PITA. I dont know about other E30's with sport seats but the studs in my floor are really short, so short that I have had cut most of the "feet" on my sport seats off to get them in there. Those seats are probably the only original part of my car I have left.

              And yes half of the job was working over the door sil with some folded carpet padding.


              http://www.cardomain.com/ride/657387

              Comment


                #8
                that looks really comfortable..
                my sports seats come out just fine-the studs are plenty long. weird

                Comment


                  #9
                  I am going to be putting heater back in this or next weekend. Windows fog way too fast if it rains outside ... shit.
                  Mtech1 v8 build thread - https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho...d.php?t=413205



                  OEM v8 manual chip or dme - https://www.r3vlimited.com/board/sho....php?p=4938827

                  Comment


                    #10
                    The studs are a lot shorter on 84 and 85's. The seats do usually have to have the bottom trimmed off to fit securely. And even then its really close.

                    Good job on the lil write up. Lot of kiddos need to address this.
                    sigpic

                    Comment


                      #11
                      More details pictures to come :)


                      http://www.cardomain.com/ride/657387

                      Comment


                        #12
                        pics? thanks
                        Renting my rear wheel bearing tool kit. SIR
                        http://i25.photobucket.com/albums/c5...ps6debf0b0.jpg

                        Your signature picture has been removed since it contained the Photobucket "upgrade your account" image.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          anymore pics? need to get this dome sometimes next week
                          Continuous For Sale Thread
                          323i s50

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Pictures will be posted on Tuesday, been busy working on the front end.


                            http://www.cardomain.com/ride/657387

                            Comment


                              #15
                              deleted
                              Last edited by nefarious7907; 03-01-2008, 10:07 PM.


                              http://www.cardomain.com/ride/657387

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X