as timing would have it, my heater core took a **** on my floor before I got time to fixing it. now I gotta rent a car for wifey til I fix it. damn.

 

Thanks for the pics and explanations, just picked up the same vehicle, so now it's time to collect as much info on it as possible in case this happens to me , nice job!

 

Part came in today, swapped it out in about an hour.
not sure how much I saved as a DIY'er but I know it's more than I was willing to pay!!

best of all... NO MORE IMAGINARY PANCAKES!!

1. Next job, fix the latch on the tailgate. it's been broken shut at least a full year now.
2. Shocks
3. Water pump for back window. it's not working.

 

Great post

Only 2 suggestions I have;

1- unplug the rubber hose under the sarcofagus, It will aid in removing and replacing the unit

2- if you have power seats make sure you put the seats all the way back BEFORE you disconnect the battery

Thanks again!

 

I just picked up a 1998 V70 unfortunately dont have any maintenance history. Alas, am reviewing all the sticky and regular maintenance posts.

Regarding heater core, with the newly obtained info on this thread, went ahead and put on the heater today despite the 70F outside temp in CA today. Sure enough I do smell coolant for the first half a minute or so but then goes away and warm air blows out of vents. I could not detect any wet carpets though, even after leaving the heater on for a while with the windows open. How else can I check whether I should change the heater core or not?

Sidenote: A parts shop locally is closing down so I could pick one up for $90. Figured before the winter comes (even though dont get the same cold winters you guys in Michigan do, still nice to have a working heater for night-time driving ) and with 150K on the car, I will probably need to replace it at some point during my ownership. Would I notice leaks visually when removing the carpet? I dont want to wait until it is too late and have no heater & a swimming pool in the car

Thanks for the help!

Matt

 

Would this procedure be the same on my 99' v70 fwd ?

 

Hey Matt,

It's not only a matter of comfort, but your cooling system is compromised if your heater core is not fully sealed and intact.
If it is a bad leak, your degas bottle levels will drop...

If you want to know for sure if your core is leaking, peel back the trim and pull up the carpets. The insulation is very good, there could be a pool in the corner, near the go fast pedal, and you might not see it THROUGH the carpet...Ask me how I know.

You shouldn't smell coolant out the vents. Do your windows ever fog up??

 

Yes....