Task Mastering: Heater Core & Wiper Assembly
One of the first projects I knew I had to tackled when I got this 1971 seven months ago was getting the heater box out, to replace or renovate it. While I knew I would have to live without cooling in the summer, it was clear that the heater would have to work to make the car drivable in three other seasons.
The fan didn't operate, and I figured the motor was probably seized or broken, but I was a bit intimidated as a first-time restorer to deal with anything under the dash. But with most of the lights, blinkers and gauges working, the non-operational heater/blower felt like a glaring functional defect. The wipers and washer pump were also kaput, so these systems seemed like something I wanted to address once I got the car running and driving, however marginally.
The washer pump was easy to remove -- and once I find a new motor -- should be a straightforward fix. And I was able to get the wiper motor and assembly apart with only a little more effort, though I couldn't completely get the wiper arm out until I rescued the heater box from the dash. I'm still a little wary about getting it all back in since the wiper assembly is a bit awkward to reach.
I will also need a new wiper motor, since the existing one seems to have failed. The wiper armature was fairly frozen on one side, which may have killed the motor, so I welcome any advice on getting the whole apparatus back in, together and working right.
Getting the heaterbox out was a bit tougher than expected, in part because the tutorial applies to '72-'76 models that enable the two control faces attached to the cables to be popped out. I learned the hard way that for these earlier models the cables have to be detached behind the dash. There was also a circlip on the main cable that runs to the heater valve that flew off to who knows where as I contorted myself in the floorboards to reach it. But I felt a small jolt of satisfaction in finally getting this component out.
Once I did, I decided to fire up the car, just since I hadn't run it in a week or two. The starter turned well -- I had previously wondered if it was starting to fail -- but the engine immediately sounded like it wasn't getting any spark. I quelled my immediate fear and trepidation of a sudden no-start condition and jump into diagnostic mode. I started by taking a close look at the coil and distributor, and in just a minute or two noticed that in wrestling off the heater hoses, I must have dislodged the wire spade attached to the dizzy. With it attached back on, the engine fired right back up.
That quick sleuthing and fix really buoyed my spirits. There's nothing quite like an old vehicle that had been running suddenly not firing to rattle a neophyte wrencher's confidence. Figuring things out in short order was a boost in the right direction.
Meanwhile, I'm equally glad move ahead with a heaterbox fix or replacement unit. I will also try to see if I can rebuild the heater valve per one of the tutorials. In originally freeing the stuck valve I managed to break the cable off, so will need to consider how to rejuvenate or replace the cable.
In terms of restoring the heaterbox itself, I guess the first place to start is to determine if the fan is still operational or salvageable. From there I will try to follow the how-to on taking the rest of the assembly apart to check the fan, get the heater core serviced, etc.
I'm all ears for advice and guidance, including whether I should just look for a replacement rather than attempt the rebuild.
I took this picture of the three wires attached, plus the orange-ish spade wire attached next to them. Which is these should I use to test the fan, and what does the orange wire do?
Edited by jackm
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