OK to disconnect heater core for a time?

[Maxxx]

My heater core on my 72 satellite (non AC car) is leaking into the passenger footwell. Just making sure I'm not being terribly negligent, I'd like to tie-off the heater hoses at the water pump nipples (just bridge them together with a couple copper elbows or something). I assume there's no harm in running the engine this way while I get the heater core replaced and clean up the carpet? I understand there's no window defrost but I don't drive the car enough or far enough to worry TBH.

 

[T2R9]

You will be fine. Send the core to Glen ray, $125 and a two week turn around when they did mine and you know it will fit.

 

[Maxxx]

Thanks for the input. I'm surprised there would be a fitment challenge for replacement, but I guess it could be a headache! Now I've got to figure out how to take apart the vent assembly underneath the dash. I'll search here to see if its been covered previously.

 

[mopar 3 B]

One hose is 5/8 the other 1/2. It will take an adapter to connect the two.

 

[mopar 3 B]

Drop the whole unit. Takes less than 30 minutes. Only need to remove the glove box for access. About 6 nuts on engine side.

 

[threewood]

Absolutely send it to GlenRay. I would not count on re-pops to fit like the original.

 

[Maxxx]

OK thanks for the input! Gonna try and get at this tomorrow.
I haven't looked but I'm assuming 5/8" & 1/2" inside diameter?

 

[mac]

OK thanks for the input! Gonna try and get at this tomorrow.
I haven't looked but I'm assuming 5/8" & 1/2" inside diameter?

for the hoses, yes

 

[Maxxx]

Cool thanks Mac

 

[Maxxx]

Got it tied off, as you can see: about 3" length each of 1/2" & 5/8" heater hose, stainless worm clamps at both ends, copper male barb fittings inside with opposite 1/2" threaded FIP, the hose that connects is stainless steel with small silicon washers inside each male end, though still I coated the threads with oatey great white pipe joint compound good up to 500F (hopefully it holds up...). Now I have the challenge of filling the rad back up without having experience with this strange coolant reservoir....

 

[Maxxx]

Does anyone know the protocol for filling up this coolant reservoir? Should I pour antifreeze into the rad and monitor how the level rises in the overflow tube? How high? Engine will be cold, naturally.

FYI I did not drain the cooling system from the rad nor block. I just crimped each heater hose one at a time with my only set of vice grips before popping each one of them off the water pump and quickly plugged the water pump nipples up with corks. I first did the 1/2" hose and when I released the vice grips it dumped a ton of fluid out of the heater core 1/2" hose while the 5/8" hose was still connected. So probably the system dumped a lot of fluid this way through capillary action (overflow reservoir is bone dry).

 

[T2R9]

I would just top the radiator off and fill the reservoir up about a quarter of the way. Its designed to receive overflow when the coolant heats up and the radiator will draw from it when its low. Just keep an eye on the level in there for a few days and it will find its happy spot.

 

[Maxxx]

Sounds like a plan, thanks T2