Replacing heater core

mdroc1

Club Member
Jul 7, 2019
84
55
Australia
Dear All

I have to replace the heater core due to a leak.
A couple of general mechanics have said that they need to take the dashboard out to replace it and is likely to be a very big job.

Can anyone here with mechanical experience on cougars provide an indication of how many hours it would take to take out the dash and put it back in? I assume that fitting the part itself won't be much of a job once access is gained.

An educated idea of length of time for the whole job would be great. I had one guy say its anywhere from 5 to 15 hours. He's never done it on a cougar before, but they were his shortest and longest times doing the work on different types of cars.
Thanks
 
I would allow yourself a weekend for this especially as you've not done it before. I've done a couple over the years and it must be one of the most awkward jobs. For this one job alone and winter approaching, it's well worth considering subscribing to gain access to the forum how to sections. UKCC is the nearest you'll get to a cougar workshop manual and of course the quick response from our brilliant members here.

Sent from my I3113 using Tapatalk
 
Hi Mate
Thank you kindly for the post
But if I may clarify one important thing

I'm absolutely not doing this myself. It will be given to a professional
I'm just wanting to hunt for quotes and get the right one.

You mentioned removing the dash didn't give you access; Caught my eye because i don't want to lead a first-timer on the wrong path
If dash removing didn't give you access, how do you replace it then?
Cheers and massively appreciated :)

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hey mate
appreciate response massively but I'm blocked from accessing link you posted
how do i get access?
Best regards
 
I'm absolutely not doing this myself. It will be given to a professional
I'm just wanting to hunt for quotes and get the right one.

Well okay. But if that's the case, why are you asking us?

appreciate response massively but I'm blocked from accessing link you posted
how do i get access?

Subscribe to us. You'll get all of the support and you'll get people coming to you to help. Not that you have to of course. And if you're giving the car to "a professional", why would you even ask us for things that they apparently know?

I'm not sure what's going on and am very sorry.
 
... you'll get people coming to you to help. .

MFSM Down under sounds good :) wonder what the bacon is like over there ...

To answer your question the information on how to do this is in the members only section , maybe check out the rest of the open areas and if you like what you see stick around and subsribe, its the best $25 you ever spend for your Cougar.

Either way I wish you good luck
 
When mine went last year it cost me a bottle of whiskey and a couple of packets of cigarettes for 2 ford mechanics to change it for me. I am seeing them on Thursday so will try and remember to ask them how long it took them to change it.
 
Hi Mako
I'm asking because none of the professionals I'm asking have worked on a cougar before and I'm trying to check whether their estimates are generally reasonable.

If one says it could around 12 hours and it ends up being 15 hours, I might not go ahead with the job at this stage. If someone here has done it in 4 hours and laughs at the suggestion that it would take 12, I'd like to know so I continue to hunt around.

Unfortunately cougars are very rare in Australia and while standard servicing and repairs are fine to estimate, the heating core is a job where no one I'm speaking to professionally is really sure.
Cheers

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MFSM Down under sounds good :) wonder what the bacon is like over there ...

The bacon down under is probably amongst the best in the world. We have all sorts of spin offs, such as hickory smoked bacon and it's thick cut and proper like in the UK. None of this wafer thin nonsense they serve in the rest of Europe.

Don't want to create too much controversy but I think Australia is the master of breakfast excellence. To us, a full english breakfast is a big plate of 1980s slop!! :)

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I stripped a Cougar and even after taking everything out from the dash I still couldn't remove it :(
However, a member has posted a how-to where you DON'T need to remove the dash (y)

(the link works, the post is in the members' area).

Thanks I subscribed and instructions look perfect to hand over to mechanic. Much appreciated.
 
There's another initial strip down with pictures in here under 'Dash Removal' :-

https://forums.ukcougar.club/threads/32835-Cougardb-How-Tos-Collection

However, in the UK, I'm sure that there is some sort of Industry Standard Guide as to how long various jobs on vehicles should take. I think the idea is that when there are insurance based repairs, the garages are supposed to consult with this and should quote accordingly. I'm not sure what granularity it goes down to, i.e. water pump on a cougar, water pump on a jag etc., as there will always be variations from vehicle to vehicle. The Cougar C1 alternator being a prime example ! But it should at least be able to provide a guide I believe. The point is, Do you have anything like that in Oz ?