SpidermanGeek
New member
You should try replacing one in a Dodge Neon.
To the engineer that decided the heater core location
- Thread starter cashmoney
- Start date
You should try replacing one in a Dodge Neon.
jeremyc74
Banned
Unfortunately when it comes to stuff like this serviceability is way down on the priority list for the designers. They're more worried about how to make everything go together easy the first time than how to get back to the first part in the process if it has to be replaced.
In the case of a high volume vehicle like the 4Runner the guy on the line only has about 40 seconds to get his part of the job finished before the dash moves out of his station.
A lot of people don't realize it, but the dashboard is an assembly of its own, just like the engine or transmission. It's built on a separate line (sometimes even in a separate facility) and then gets mated with the truck shortly after paint.
In the case of a high volume vehicle like the 4Runner the guy on the line only has about 40 seconds to get his part of the job finished before the dash moves out of his station.
A lot of people don't realize it, but the dashboard is an assembly of its own, just like the engine or transmission. It's built on a separate line (sometimes even in a separate facility) and then gets mated with the truck shortly after paint.
You don't repair Neon's. You replace them.
Yup. Watching them build cars on an assembly line is a true dance of modern engineering. Really cool stuff to watch.
maverickhawk
Member
Are you making the list of people I like to get pissed at shorter or longer?
Krispydixie
New member
poisedforflight
New member
I see a lot of comments on maintaining the cooling system. What advice do you have for maintaining the heater core to keep from having issues long term?
Pretty much everything you do to maintain a cooling system helps maintain the heater core. Regular coolant changes/flushes, using distilled water to flush and mix coolant, and using Toyota red coolant. If you aren't going to use Toyota red coolant then go with Toyota pink coolant. Different coolants have different additives which can help or harm your cooling system so I stick with what the cooling system was designed for even though I have 79 gallons of Dexcool concentrate I could use lol
gamefreakgc
Elite Member
Regular maintenance intervals. Can't say that enough. Red coolant every 2 years and pink coolant every 5 years. Mileage doesn't matter as much as TIME. I think that's where people go wrong, that and putting green or univeral yellow in. That'll speed up corrosion very quickly.
Speaking of which, I'm almost due for a coolant change. Almost been 5 years since the engine swap.
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poisedforflight
New member
Flushing would be draining all of the original coolant, filling with distilled water, running engine for X minutes then draining the water and refilling with coolant?
Correct. I usually remove the thermostat but put the thermostat gasket back in so that I don't have to wait for it to heat up for the thermostat to open when flushing. A spill free funnel and parking on a steep uphill incline help a lot for burping the cooling system (getting all the air bubbles out).
Actually, the above method is the basic flush, yes. Having said that, if the water comes out filthy dirty, you might want to fill with water and run for X minutes again. I normally run it for 30 minutes, to ensure a real good flush, or burp. WITH both front and rear heater controls turned up to full hot, to ensure the heater cores, and piping, get flushed out real good too.
Parking on a steep hill to burp the system is the method I use, mainly because I'm too cheap to buy ramps to do it on, and my driveway has a steep part at the outer end.
Since I change the coolant every spring, I don't replace the thermostat every time. I TEST it, but unless it tests out bad, I don't replace it. I do, however, replace the big radiator hoses with every change. I keep the old ones in the truck, throwing away the previous set. That way, they are, at the very most, 2 years old. AND I have a spare set of hoses in case anything happens.
Mass production isn't perfect, and I have gotten hoses with pin-holes in them new off the shelf before. Hoses that tear, whatever. I keep a gallon of antifreeze and one of water in the truck at all times. A hose fails on me, I can replace it, and refill with the right mix of coolant/distilled water. A habit I developed in Yuma, with normal daytime temps well over 100°F. Most days, over 110°.
I wish you all the best!
Pat☺
poisedforflight
New member
I don't have any evidence that the hoses in my truck have ever been changed. Based on some shoddy work by the PO and not maintenance records I don't trust much with it. I should probably plan on replacing ALL of the coolant hoses but it's going to be a research project to figure them out.
It's hot as hell down here in South Mississippi as well, I wish I had your dry heat.
edit: I found an incredible post where someone laid out all of the part numbers for a 2000 model but mine is a 1998 so I'm not sure how much I can go by it. Especially since I don't have a rear heater.
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3335468-post12.html
Can anyone help me possibly come up with a priority order on which to replace?
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gamefreakgc
Elite Member
The coolant hoses will give you clues before they fail. You'll start to see a pinkish crust on the ends of the hoses where it leaks a tiny bit then dries up. The only regular maintenance items on the coolant hoses is indeed the upper and lower radiator hoses as they see the hottest temperatures and the most vibration and abuse as the radiator is mounted to the frame but the engine is on rubber engine mounts. The only other real culprit is the oil cooler hose that goes from the water pump outlet near the thermostat along the driver's side of the engine to the cooler that is mounted under the exhaust, part 10. 15778-62030. It's rather hard to get to unless you remove the alternator or get real creative. But like I mentioned before, it'll give you clues if it's about to start leaking. Before you go and buy it see if you even have one as some engines don't have an oil cooler.
The rest of the coolant leak spots are gaskets, not hoses. I do not recommend pro-actively replacing a gasket because it might leak in the future, that's just a lot of time and money that could be better spent elsewhere. This is a Toyota and it'll take a lot of abuse and keep on truckin'.
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pluton
Senior Member
My idea would be to do the big radiator hoses and the oil cooler hoses first. Heater area hoses next...and throw in a new heater valve...They definitely only last so long. Last would be the several small hoses on top of the engine. Take some phone photos looking straight down and then compare with the parts diagrams.
