Heater Core Alternative - Escort Core into 260/280

[sweatybetty]

5 hours ago, Dave WM said:

good thinking of deleting the metal piping!

how does the valving work?

that is where i am at with mine. both hoses and the control cable out the firewall. now to just find the correct valve.

[Captain Obvious]

Sweaty and Dave, Some time ago I moved my water control valve up into the engine compartment, so I'll just reconnect to that location as before the Escort core. Because of the work previously done, that part of the job should be easy. One hose will go straight to the head with no splices, and the other hose will go to the Acura valve in the engine bay.

I wrote up the details of that valve relocation in this thread:
http://www.classiczcars.com/topic/44009-heater-water-****-valve-relocation-project/

Here's a pic of the valve in the engine bay and there are some other pics in that thread:

[sweatybetty]

very nice

[Captain Obvious]

I'm also sure that, if one desired, it would be possible to use a newer style water control valve and mount it under the dash in a similar configuration to the original. Some of those valves come in 90 degree versions, and I bet someone could figure out a way to connect one of those up and keep the temp control valve on the passenger side of the firewall using all easy to find components.

I haven't done it personally, but I believe the studious and energetic Z owner ought to be able to find a way to make that work.

[Dave WM]

I also assume that if we have a working good temp control valve some pre bent hose would allow a replacement of just the core with no other mods?

[Captain Obvious]

I haven't tried it to confirm, but I believe the studious and creative Z owner would be able to find off the shelf molded hoses that could be modified to accomplish that.

[sweatybetty]

 i prefer the valve in the engine compartment just because of possible leaks

[Captain Obvious]

Yeah, I agree. That's exactly why I went through the effort to move mine up there. I wanted to get rid of the rats nest of hoses under the dash and simplify everything under there. I figure the fewer separate hose lengths and fewer clamps, then the fewer leak sources.

Only reason I would use to justify putting it under the dash is that I believe the Escort core and the newer plastic bodied ball valves to be more reliable than the old stuff. I think at this point, if I used a new style ball valve and figured out a way to stuff it under the dash, I don't think I'd ever have to mess with it again. It would become the new owners problem at some point hopefully long in the future. 

[Dave WM]

good point about not piping in water into a possible leak point in the cabin. Less there to go wrong the better.

[TomoHawk]

This is a cool topic. 

My Escort is a 1997 model, but unfortunately, I sold it to someone so I can use it for parts.  If I hadn't sold it, I was going to give it to charity, so I could probably use some of the parts, like the front seats, which are still in VGC.

It's too bad my local radiator shop won't accept customer- supplied parts.

BTW- as of July 1st, the local AutoZone has them for $40

Edited July 1, 2017 by TomoHawk

[TomoHawk]

there may even be another heater core that will fit the purpose even better than the Escort one.  You'll only need some kind of a comprehensive catalog with photos and specifications and some time.

[Captain Obvious]

Could be, but I've not turned up a comprehensive catalog that has pics and reliable dimensions.

I decided on the Escort core because it was the thinnest, smallest, most generic, cheap core that I could find with tubes that stuck straight out on the same side. No long funky bent tubes. No weird mounting flanges. Generic, small, thin, and cheap because it's from a ubiquitous cheap car that was produced in high volumes.

There could very well be something even better out there, but finding it is the hard part!