93 240 - How bad is my problem???

Uh-oh, this sure sounds like a leaky heater core. Like a miniatuare radiator, but it's located in the base of the dash console, on top of the transmission hump. When it gets a leak, the coolant gets sprayed out via the heater/cooler vent system and is most noticeable on the windshield.

You need an intelligent tiny ten-year-old kid to get in there and do the job. Maybe a five-year-old would fit even better.

It costs a couple hundred or more to get this job done. I'd only suggest it as a do-it-yourself job if you're an experienced and patient mechahic as it's a real pain to get in there, lots of small parts, etc. etc.

Brcue Pick

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Sammy wrote:

Your heater core is leaking, the part isn't particularly expensive but it's no fun to replace, you have to remove the entire heater box which means taking apart the center console in the dash. Forget the dealer, a good independent mechanic should be able to do this for substantially less than $1000, last one I took apart took about 2 hours to get it apart and 3 to put it back together, I would guess a good shop would take about 4 hours to do the job.

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately I don't have the money to get the job done by someone else.

Should I also change the blower while I'm there? I don't think my blower is particularly noisy, but since I'm the neighborhood. Is a bolwer expensive? Parts will have to come from a dealer.

Any other advice?

Thanks.

P.S. I've already decided to remove the two front seats, that should make it more confortable to work.

If you buy it at the dealer nearly everything is expensive, you may be shocked. I'd always look into ordering online unless I needed the part

*now*. If the blower motor is quiet you could probably get by with oiling the bearings, it's when the oil dries up that it damages them. Take your time, put screws and fasteners in labeled baggies, sort all the parts in a box or tub, and if you have one, use a digital camera to take pictures as you take things apart. There's nothing particularly hard about the job, just a lot of taking things apart and then remembering how they all went.

Jings crivvens help ma boab as we (allegedly) say in these parts!

Before changing the heater core try a radiator sealant... Radweld's what we use in Scotland generaly. The lable on your bottle may vary!

Otherwise; I'd take the core out and pass it to a radiator guy who will pressurise the thing and solder up the leak; or do you a re-con unit for but a crate or two of beer (or dollar equivalent)....Mabe even do the junkyard thing! Cores (heater and rad) can be tested with some hose and a wallpaper steamer!

Or you can just buy a brand new one for about $200, if the radiator sealant doesn't work (and I'm not sure I trust that stuff to not clog other things up) and you have to remove the thing, I would just use a new part unless I was totally broke and my time was worthless. The labor on this job will far outweigh the cost of the part. For things that are easy to replace then by all means recycle a good used one, but replacing the heater core on a 240 is somewhat like replacing the crankshaft in the engine. Nothing particularly hard about it so to speak but it's rather complex.