Interior leak and overheating

General chat about the car goes in here.
Spyderbuddy

Post by Spyderbuddy »

don't forget the plug on top of the t housing it helps to burp the air out of the system
Mad-Machine

Post by Mad-Machine »

Only the later 2 litre cars had the plug ontop of the T. The earlier models needed to be hand burped or have a t installed in the heater lines.
spider2081
Patron 2024
Patron 2024
Posts: 3015
Joined: Fri Jan 27, 2006 11:45 pm
Your car is a: 1981 Spider 2000
Location: Wallingford,CT

Post by spider2081 »

The surface on my heater core is uneven sort of bulges out like maybe the coolent froze. Has anyone tried a high temp RTV silicone gasket maker. I am thinking of trying it in stead of the gaskets.
CarlaRWG

Post by CarlaRWG »

Well I've replaced the thermostat (the old one had part of the seal stuck out of it kinda figure that means it's bad), and the sensor on the radiator (didn't have one before).

Ya know off topic real quick, a Fiat is not lets grab the duct tape and go to town car, if your mechanically challenged buy a Ford Pinto not a beautiful sports car.

I've got the dash, uppper and lower out, heater cover and am working my way toward the core. I know it's the area of the problem because there is rust and deterioration along with fluid on the right interior of the box cover and fan located within.

Would it help if I loosen the hose mounts in the engine compartment next to the firewall where the hoses go to the core?
So Cal Mark

Post by So Cal Mark »

if you're removing the core it's imperative that you disconnect the hoses and remove the support plate on the firewall
CarlaRWG

Post by CarlaRWG »

Thanks, removed the hoses.

I finally have the core out and I am depressed because what I see does not give me warm and fuzzies! The first one I removed is full of a sandy type mud the second one had little build up but not as bad. The core it self to me looks bad. Covered in debris, rusty, lime build up. I don't think I'm going to get away with just new seals.

What are your opinons?
So Cal Mark

Post by So Cal Mark »

I'd pressure test it
CarlaRWG

Post by CarlaRWG »

No pressure testing this unit. Removed the retaining nuts on the long and short pipes and they broke off at the mount and guess what theres no hole on the other side where there is supposed to be one.

Seals were sticking out and falling off, evidence of corrosion everywhere.
CarlaRWG

Post by CarlaRWG »

Received the new heater core and valve with gaskets and picked up new hex nuts @ Ace. Put everything together than I noticed one small issue. The casing that goes around the heater fan is warped (like it reshaped due to heat), so I will get a new one but I want to test the fan motor before putting everything back together. I want to make sure the bent plastic that prevented the fan from turning didn't cause motor damage.

I am looking for information on how to test the heater fan motor!
Can anyone please direct me?
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