Heater Core Replacement

[wstuler]

I've got a 98 Expo EB and I am getting my heater core replaced from a local shop. I started smelling anti freeze in the interior earlier and then it started leaking in the garage and left a puddle of anti freeze under the AC drain line.

A new heater core, blend door replaced and coolant flush/fill is $875. How does that sound?? Too me... it sounds a little high but I know the heater core is quite a job!

What do yall think?

 

[opie]

-new heater core (about) $100 (google search, not cheapest, not most expensive)

-couple jugs of anti-freeze $20

-Haynes manual $15

on a quick glance thru of the Haynes manual (which covers '97-'03) it appears as though this is a job you could do on a saturday or sunday if you have nothing else to do.
One of the first things i noticed was that it said to have the air conditioning system evacuated first which led me to think that the heater core was a dual heater core/air conditioning evaporator all in one unit....BUT.... it is not. They are separate. So i'm guessing they're recommending having the air conditioning system evacuated for safety reasons. So I guess you have to decide just how much your time is worth to you. They're getting about $700 in labor.

Why are they going to replace the blend door? Unless thats something other than what i think it is, it shouldn't need replaced.

Coolant flushes are pretty easy if you can get the drain plugs out of the bottom of the block. (those can be a bit stubborn sometimes. The Haynes manual walks you thru that as well)

 

[pronstar]

Good advice.
I'd spend a day on it versus giving the dealer $700 in labor.

As an alternative, you could have a few other local shps look at it. You can be up front tell them that you are looking for "bids" on the job, and that you know what all is involved.

That's another cool thing about a service manual. Even if you don't want to do the job yourself, it gives you an idea of what a shop should/shouldn't be charging your for a particular repair.

 

[opie]

one other thing that just occurred to me at work today...if you do decide to replace the heater core yourself, be sure to flush your system, fill it, run your engine and let it heat up BEFORE you put your dash back together.

I spend a day replacing a heater core a few years back on a mini van i had. When i got done and got everything put back together i went to the grocery store and dumped about half a gallon of coolant on my floor on the way back. The new heater core had a hairline crack in it. So not only was i mad about being sold a defective heater core, i was really ticked about having to spend another day tearing everything apart again....

just food for thought.