Seattle Scott

This all started early last Winter. The little red flakes on my carpet had been joined by a foul smell and fog on the passenger side of the windshield. I knew I finally had to replace the heater core. I started the job 10 months or so ago. I worked on it for a day and then put the car back together, I could tell this job was going to be a major deal.

Well, it is getting a little cold and wet around Seattle and I decided to finally do the work. It took a good eight hours or so before I had the heater unit out and on the garage floor. I was at an advantage too because the driver side upper foot panels and vent were already removed and I had practice removing other assemblies.

I dissembled the heater box assembly, took out the old heater core and looked at all the pink crust on it. I then looked around in a slight panic when I couldn't immediately find the replacement heater core I bought ten months ago. I found the part and compared it to the original core.

It was the wrong size. The outside dimensions were OK albeit the core had not been foam wrapped yet but the heater hose connections were wrong. The original core had 2 centimeter OD lines but the replacement had 1.5 centimeter OD lines.

To make a long story short I had some bastard sized heater core. After many phones calls and hours on the Internet I found out the standard part that always fits part is a PN 443-819-030. The same part I bought that did not fit and the same, new part that I currently have in my car. Seems not all 443-819-030s are all created equally and my heater hose is probably bigger than yours is. HAHAHAHA.

I want to publicly thank the Parts Department at University Volkswagen/Audi for locating and obtaining a heater core for me <b> the day before Thanksgiving</b>. They located and bought a heater core that worked and did it in record time. I want to thank Dave, I couldn't even give him a tip to go have a good lunch with. He smiled and said, "I'm just doing my job."

So, if you plan on doing this job, take at least three days. A trained mechanic takes around 12-14 hours to do the job. I used one day to remove the heater box, one day to disassemble, clean, rebuild the heater box assembly and let it cure and one day to install the heater box and reassemble the car. Downside is the job is long, complicated and a pain at times. Upside is you can save yourself about $1100 in labor replacing a $50-$90 part. All 443-819-030s do not cost the same either.

I offer two big tips.

1. Use a digital camera to document your work as you go. The pictures will help you reassemble.
2. Make sure you have good replacement correct heater core before starting.

I have to say, after disassembling the car the clever tricks used to hide all the fasteners in the interior are pretty cool. You may not appreciate that as you start pulling the rear cigarette lighter to get the center dash console out but it is pretty amazing by the time you put it all back together. ;-)

The mess :

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12414/dust.jpg">

The heater box :

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12414/heaterbox.jpg">

The bad core :

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12414/old_heat_core.jpg">

Wagonmann

I'm a little nervous because you and I have been on parallel tracks with repairs and service, but I really don't want to do this repair.
Jim
'97 A6qw
It was perfect today

Seattle Scott

I guess I am just lucky. University Audi had done a core in another 97 the week before Thanksgiving.

Muhammad

Nice work!

Gary

Very expensive repair.

GaryJ

beep-beep

Why you did not pull heater box from inside of the plenum chamber?

Seattle Scott

I did. That's the only way to get it out, i.e. heater box is pulled from the engine side of firewall

beep-beep

then you did not need to touch the console and glove compartment.

jimweisptd

Lower dash panels &amp; the radio are the only things that need to be removed. Some people go crazy taking more apart than they need to, I did the first time.

Seattle Scott

You know which ones I mean? In the pic the the two wiring conectors are on the right side of the picture and those big round vents (you only see one in the picture). Actually I'm curious what tricks you used to get the large rubber boot on the vent just below the large round connector and just above the front footwell vents.

You got fingers that are 16 inches long that can crack walnuts? ;-)

<img src="http://pictureposter.audiworld.com/12414/heaterbox.jpg">