General DIY Repair Procedure Method Derived from Heater Core Replacement

[IPreferDIY]

Here is a general repair procedure method that DIY’ers might find helpful for complex repairs. I developed this method after the heater core went on my 2000 Grand Marquis LS in May 2011. I knew this was going to be a fairly complex repair, so I just connected the heater hoses together with an elbow connector and hose clamps and spent lots of time doing research before tackling this job in the fall.

I started with Haynes and Chilton’s manuals and created my own checklist. I then found what I could on the internet and added anything new to my checklist. Before actually working on my own car, I spent a day at a U-pull-it yard and practiced on one of theirs. The one thing I learned from practicing that I hadn’t learned anywhere else is that Ford puts retainer washers on the plenum bolts on the engine side of the firewall during assembly to hold the plenum in place before putting the nuts on. It took me awhile to figure out why the plenum wasn’t coming out after taking the nuts off.

When it came to working on my own car, I used my own checklist and also had a pile of scrap paper for organizing all the fasteners and other small parts. When I took off fasteners/small parts, I wrote a number on my checklist, wrote the same number and a description on a scrap piece of paper, wrapped the fasteners/small parts in the paper, and placed the package in a fastener/small parts box. When re-installing, everything ended up where it was supposed to be.

This method also worked great for my intake manifold replacement in May 2012, though I hadn’t bothered practicing at the U-pull-it yard.

[Ziggy]

Sounds like you're a pretty fart smucker, there sir!

[IPreferDIY]

I try, but I have a bit of a memory issue. I forgot to note that I borrow the Haynes and Chilton's manuals from the local library. I'm definitely a feap chucker!

[sly]

[IPreferDIY]

I was working on my U-pull yard 'kit' and figured I'd share my current approach to working in U-pull yards.

Before I had to worry about timing chain tensioner arm issues on my 2000 MGM (the problem affects 00-03 panthers), I just lugged around a tool bag with the basics. When things got too heavy to carry, I resorted to using a fold-up mini two-wheeler that I got for other purposes. I put relatively flat stuff on a cardboard tray (from cases of Campbell soup), and put the tool bag on top. When I needed even more stuff, I put a heavy-duty mango box with that stuff under the tool bag.

After the bottom tray got all beat up, the bouncing around on gravel caused the flat stuff to slide out. Instead of just taping up another tray to reinforce it, I happened to have a box slightly bigger than the tray, so I taped up the box to reinforce it and put a new tray inside it. Since the mango box has ventilation holes, I taped that up too. Now I've got three layers that fit in one box, along with some added compartmentalization in my tool bag (from a small cardboard tray and a small rectangular aluminum shepherd's pie tray).

Instead of trying to find carpet or whatever to cover the ground at the U-pull, I bring the cardboard separators that are used on pallets of bottled water and other stuff. I use one specifically for my tools, essentially spreading out the three layers so I can access everything while keeping it in a confined space. I also have a small cardboard tray for accumulating tools and fasteners that I'm working with at that particular time. One of my goals is not losing stuff I bring. After one lost item and two time-wasting close calls, hopefully this won't be a concern anymore.

[turbo2256b]

At least on the box panthers it makes it easier to remove and install the heater box if one shortens the studs that go through the fire wall unfortunately its easiest to shorten them after removing the heater box.

[sxcpotatoes]

I think maybe the heater cores on 90+ Lincoln Town Cars and later CV/GMs are easy to access without pulling the dash at all just by dropping the glovebox out completely.