Series 1 Heater Core Replacement

Bard Th Hesvik wrote

Unlike you lot, who live in the garage all year round, I only visit our beloved cat a few times during the winter, normally to pick up some parts to work on at home (the garage is about a mile from our house, nearly in the town centre). This winter I've worked on the seats, cleaning and re-suppling (Glip Tone delivers what it says in the ad!)

All the time though, I've known that I have to replace the HEATER MATRIX (strangely, footwells full of anti freeze does not keep your feet warm), so yesterday I dug even further into the area beyond the dash and facia without really finding a way to get in to the heating chamber. On the bulkhead in the engine bay there are two bolts which look as if they're holding something on the other side of the firewall.... Is this it? do I just have to remove everything in my way and unbolt the entire fibre-glass chamber?

Please, if you've done this yourself, give me a few hints and pointers!

Yup, as they say in the American West. I had a similar problem when I first got my 73 SI XJ6. You can only get to the heater core (matrix) from inside the car, so disassembly of the entire dashbaord is required. Also, the console needs to be removed. Even then, there is not enough room to remove the fiberglas cover over the heater core and A/C evaporator - you will only be able to tip it back at the top. It will tip back sufficiently to remove the core. Be careful with the A/C evaporator. The heat sensor from the 'Cold' switch is literally stuck into the fins and has its lead-in tube loosely bunched into the fiberglas box. It's rather fragile tubing.

Sorry about the wondeful news. The job took me two evenings after work plus a Saturday to complete. - about 12-14 hours total.