Liquid Comin From Front Foot Wells?

[Craved]

any tips for us going through the same thing! basically im just up to removing the heater unit/ havent tried it yet, wouldn't mind some tips

i got a new core sent from japan, cost $365! looks a bit high from what i read doski got one for $250. try natrad as he did!

[predator]

i've been taking shots of everything the whole way.. will post a full walkthru guide soon.

um, you basically got all the dash off already, so main difficulty after that for me was getting that damn metal bar off (which you have to be able to wriggle the whole heater unit out). So yeah, undo that (two nuts on left, about 4x bolts on right). You'll also have to undo the steering wheel bracket (it bolts into that bar 2x big bolts) and kind of angle it forward.

Undo the 5x nuts/bolts that hold the heater unit in.. get into the engine bay and undo the coolant hoses (see the bypass thingo). After that it should be free to wriggle it up and out. Its difficult, but comes out eventually.

[MADGT4]

I had a mate call his "supplier" and he was told he could get me a new core for $100 second hand but i said to him no i want a brand new one to avoid this happening again, called his "supplier" again and he called nissan and they quoted him $600!

Now i dunno about you guys but that seems about as steep as it comes!

I'm still waiting on a call 2morrow but i really hope i won't b dishin out that much for one!

I think people should post the best price they find from any mainstream business and we can then contact them in our own respective town/citys and get it from them.

[Craved]

now i know why its such a hassle, was hoping that didn't need to come out

might do it on the weekend if i get time

thanks for the info predator, big help.

[predator]

natrad is aussie wide.. http://www.natrad.com.au/

[Craved]

i got mine from UAS, they ahd it imported from JPN

[2rismo]

pred, post your guide in FAQ once your done, mate.

I'm sure this will help people in the future.

Adrian

[predator]

I rang around today a heap of places. Nissan wanted $700 (yep, $700!!) for a new core, shipped from japan. So well *that* isn't happening. Also found that basically natrad doesn't exist up here in QLD anymore, so scratch them.

Looks like i'm going to have to take a risk on a 2nd hand unit and hope its fine. I found one around here at a wrecker for $150 and have to buy the entire heater unit (surrounding vents and plastic box), so guess that is reasonable.

[MADGT4]

Hold the phone Natrad quoted me $249 for a newie so all is not lost

[predator]

Got all back together today, and all seems to be working fine. Fingers crossed it doesn't ever happen again!

So $150 and a stack of hours later, its fixed. Probably saved about $500 by doing it myself, and its not *that* difficult, just time consuming and a bit like one big jigsaw getting it all back together.

One thing i noticed today when i picked up my new (2nd hand) heater unit, is there is a difference between the actual heater cores. The core i now have is actually thicker than the old one (whether that is important to longetivity i don't know) - and won't fit into the same slot in the box.

So if you do pick up a new heater core, either get the whole box (if 2nd hand), or make sure you get the right sized core!! as the wrong one, won't fit.

So if you're wanting to do this yourself, read my "how to pull apart entire dash howto" thread.. http://www.skylinesaustralia.com/forums/sh...ead.php?t=31550. I'll try and get up a "how to replace heater unit" which is like a followup guide to that one, soon.

Next step for me: full cooling system flush!

[R31Heaven]

Have fun finding the hole, bloody heater cores get what is called pin hole leaks in the solder joints and they are as small as the tip of a pin so are bleedin hard to find. You find them in your car when the presure builds up enough and then they piss out heaps of water. Take it to a radiator place and they can put it under presure to find the little devil.

[predator]

yeah.. nothing obvious when i pulled it out, but it was definitely leaking. I've got a new one now and its all done and fixed. Didn't want to take the risk of getting the old one repaired.

[dr30man]

I've just finished reading this whole thread and didn't see the obvious answer in by-passing the heater altogether. I had the exact same problem in my skyline and when i rang up a radiator specialist i was told i could replace the heater (heater core) for a price or just by-pass it for free. And as im from QLD, i have no need for a heater so i decided to by-pass the heater (which took 5min tops (and i have no idea about engines)) and have had no problem since. I know its a little late for predator but for others who read this and have no need for a heater, just by-pass it, simple as and easy as.

[predator]

yup.. its an easy fix to bypass, and for many all you need. For me though i like having stuff working as it rolled out of the factory, and for resale, etc, etc.

The heater also indirectly "balances" the whole system, so when you stick it on 25degrees (which is still cool) it uses *some* heat from the heater to balance out the aircon. Although if you've got an DR30 i guess you don't have the digital stuff and prolly don't matter.

[ryder32]

well i just finished putting a new heater core in my 32... and its a pretty long and annoying process but i got it done with some help from my dad.

pretty much you have to

1. Remove the dash (not hard but takes about an hour to get everything out)

2. Remember to note where all the looms connect to because there are quite a few spare ones floating around and it gets a bit confusing.

3. Once you have the dash off you will see the dreaded alloy bar that stretches the width of the dash. remove the cable ties that pop into the bar with wires in them, undo the 4 nuts (2 on each side of the bar), the 4 bolts on top of the steering column and the 2 big ones that come up from underneathe and drop the steering column down, be careful it doesnt drop too far or it might get damaged or something (so i was told).

Then there are 2 brackets that bolt to the floorpan from the bar, take these off and you will be able to pull the bar off, might take a bit of motivation on your behalf.

now the fun part

4.Disconnect the coolant hoses from inside the engine bay, unbolt the heater box bolts and loosen some of the ones on the air conditioner unit (this makes it alot easier to get the heater out). wiggle and jiggle the heater unit out but try not to move the air conditioner box too much becuase there is a drain hose that goes out the firewall from the aircon unit and once its out its not very fun to put back in because it makes lining the aircon unit up with the heater a bitch.

So once you have the heater unit out undo the clips on top of the heater core and the spring that runs down the side, pull it out...new one in and away we go.

To get the heater unit and the air con unit to line up and makes it alot easier to put back in you have to move them simultaneously, working them with the other to get it in place (keep in mind that from the factory the heater unit is put in first then the air con unit).

This might take a bit of work and gets a bit frustrating but youll get it done.

5. Put the bar back on and the cable ties and wires back on and start re assembling the dash again.....remembering all the looms and where everything goes....make sure its all in the right place now or have fun taking it all back out again.

i hope this helps people with this problem and i hope it is easy to understand.

the heater core cost me $110 second hand from a jap wrecker in maddington in WA...so all in all it cost me $110 bucks and alot of hours.

NB. if you buy a second hand one it pays to test it BEFORE you put it in the dash, so disconnect the coolant hoses from the old one in the engine bay, hook them up to the one you bought, hose clamps and all...then start the car. run the heater on full, fans blasted and wait till the engine heats up. HOPEFULLY the new one shouldnt leak, mine didnt. but just thought it would be alot easier to test it now rather than find out its leaking again after all the hard yards.

Andrew

[Rocky88]

I started getting the same thing in my r32. At firts I thought it was clutch pedal fluid but now I have doubts.

The yellowish-brownish fluid is only leaking in the clutch pedal area and in rather small amounts. It really seems like it's clutch fluid except that the clutch-brake fluid is blue... and coolant is green. What the hell is on my floormat???