Rear Heater Lines

[MustangMike]

I'm a newbie here - been lurking for a while - this is a great site!!

Anyway, I've got a '97 SR5 3.4 4x4 that needs some help. The lines that run from the firewall (connect to main heater hoses) to underneath the vehicle (next to the exhaust) and up into the interior through the floor are severely rusted. As far as I can tell, they supply the coolant to the rear heater and heater core? The heat and Pennsylvania winters have taken their toll and the lines are about to break. Does anyone know where to get these other than the dealer? I haven't checked with them yet just because I know they'll be a fortune - just wondering if there were any other options.

Thanks a lot!!
Mike

 

[Jay]

I'm a newbie here - been lurking for a while - this is a great site!!

Anyway, I've got a '97 SR5 3.4 4x4 that needs some help. The lines that run from the firewall (connect to main heater hoses) to underneath the vehicle (next to the exhaust) and up into the interior through the floor are severely rusted. As far as I can tell, they supply the coolant to the rear heater and heater core? The heat and Pennsylvania winters have taken their toll and the lines are about to break. Does anyone know where to get these other than the dealer? I haven't checked with them yet just because I know they'll be a fortune - just wondering if there were any other options.

Thanks a lot!!
Mike

Honestly i havent looked at those lines before on my truck. Im from California so rust isnt a concern here. But, if its just simple heater core lines, you can get replacements at any auto parts store. It wont be the exact part, but all that is running in those lines is coolant. Regular heater hose will work.

 

[MustangMike]

Thanks man - it's not that type of setup, for the rear heater at least. There are actual coated steel 3/8" lines (supply and return) that go down the firewall, next to the exhaust, and up through the floor to the rear heater. They're bent a million different ways to fit flush against the firewall. If I put rubber lines in there, they would melt because they literally are inches away from the exhaust (by the manifold).

I did end up getting them from the dealer today - $80 - not too bad I guess. Thanks anyway!

 

[Patrick4R]

I'm dealing with the same problem that you are....did anyone have a final solution for this?

 

[g20tdet]

I'm dealing with the same problem that you are....did anyone have a final solution for this?

Im also in pa and had the same problem, it was leaking. I just took it off and now it just doesnt have rear heat.

 

[steezemcqueen]

i went to Advance and bought some brake lines that were roughly the same length and size and just bent them to fit..worked pretty well for me..just remember to replace the stupid little hose clips where the metal coolent lines start under the hood. real hose clamps are what you need other wise they will probably leak

:thumb3:

 

[steezemcqueen]

i actually thought they were the brake lines at first....then got really confused when they drained over a gallon of coolent

 

[Patrick4R]

I ended up doing a long trip with the 4runner a day after I noticed the problem of the lines leaking. What I ended up doing was disconnecting the rear heat where it comes off the main lines behind the intake. I plan on replacing those lines as I have a feeling that coolant keeps that core clean free of corrosion. Does anyone know where the best place to get those lines would be? Price? Are brake lines safe to use as coolant lines? I think they were 3/8" lines from what I remember.

 

[jdcanadian]

i wouldn't trust brake lines with coolant.

they're not designed for water and i suspect they would rust-out even faster than original.

my 2c.

 

[JohnsD90]

I'm gonna take some pics of the quick fix for this so no one overheats due to leaking coolant, my rear heater won't work till i fully fix the problem but i now can drive down the street and not having to worry about overheating.

 

[JohnsD90]

Disregarding Rear Heater Lines

Please do this at your own risk, this worked for me, your results could vary, i am not responisble if anything happens to your vehicle as a result of this mod Here is the Fix to loop the coolant before it gets to the rear heater lines, I just disconnect one of the rubber hoses from the rear heater lines, and disconnected the other rubber hose from the coolant distributer thing and then put the rubber hose that was disconnected from the rear heater lines and put it on the open slot on the coolant distributer thing. The pics are way more helpful than this paragraph. I just put the spare hose on the coolant lines so when i eventually fix it i know where the hose is. Make sure you connect the hoses back on with the metal clamps or else it may leak. And thegreenmonster gave me this idea. The first pic is the rear heater lines with the spare hose, 2nd pic is the hose that looped the coolant back through the system disregarding the rear heater lines, the 3rd pic is how nice it is to see that thing filled up with fluid.

 

[96Blacklimited]

i went to Advance and bought some brake lines that were roughly the same length and size and just bent them to fit..worked pretty well for me..just remember to replace the stupid little hose clips where the metal coolent lines start under the hood. real hose clamps are what you need other wise they will probably leak

:thumb3:

Wow thanks, for the solution. I posted this sam question months back when the cold snap froze NC. i managed to get my main heater core back on-line but could not find rear heated line replacement. About to flush my cooling system an replace those lines in the mean time. Thanks again

 

[steezemcqueen]

i wouldn't trust brake lines with coolant.

they're not designed for water and i suspect they would rust-out even faster than original.

my 2c.

after 4 years, there were no signs of rust on them. the original ones were rusted through after 6 years

Wow thanks, for the solution. I posted this sam question months back when the cold snap froze NC. i managed to get my main heater core back on-line but could not find rear heated line replacement. About to flush my cooling system an replace those lines in the mean time. Thanks again

no problem. as i said, just remember to buy new hose clamps :driving:

 

[Rapter]

Don't go to the Stealership for this I had it done about 6 months ago and I still can't walk right because they fu(ked me so hard($490.00). :frisky:

 

[MNYota]

I had the same problem. Rusted out and leaking rear heater lines. Bypassed the rear heat under the hood like JohnsD90 did on his Yota. Took about 10 minutes and worked like a charm. I don't have rear heat in any of my other vehicles and it's just fine. More of a luxury item anyway.

If I ever want to throw $80 at my 4Runner and replace those lines, I can just undo the bypass and I'm good to go!

Thank God for these forums. You guys rock!

 

[98OzarksRunner]

I did the same thing as JohnsD90 and it works fine. I don't need rear heat anyway since nobody sits back there.

 

[fightman80]

I located a spot in the metal line that wasn't rusted out, closer to the front of the truck, cut the line, added some rubber high temp hose, of the same diameter, with some hose clamps, and ran it to another non rusted section in the rear!

I'm now noticing a leak again though, so going to take a look at that probably today, may need to do "the loop" and be done with it!

 

[ironhippy]

I had mine break on me in the middle of the woods.

I really wish I had of understood what happened at the time, I spent 6 hours driving home (for a 3.5 hour drive normally) stopping every 15 minutes to refill my radiator. Then I would have to stop every hour to refill the water jugs in my trunk.

 

[rickashay]

wow, my lines just broke today and I stumbled upon this thread! At first glance, I thought these lines were brake lines.... nope.

I am going to eliminate my rear heat for a temp fix, but cant you just run rubber heater hose instead of the metal hard-lines that came from the factory?!? As fightman did but do rubber hose the whole way to eliminate too many joints....The rubber may deteriorate after time but I would think they would last almost as long as the steel lines that have potential to corrode.

 

[Nelsonmd]

wow, my lines just broke today and I stumbled upon this thread! At first glance, I thought these lines were brake lines.... nope.

I am going to eliminate my rear heat for a temp fix, but cant you just run rubber heater hose instead of the metal hard-lines that came from the factory?!? As fightman did but do rubber hose the whole way to eliminate too many joints....The rubber may deteriorate after time but I would think they would last almost as long as the steel lines that have potential to corrode.

That's what I did. You need to string it up high away from the exhaust, but mine seems to be doing fine. Got about 10k miles on it.