Post by
chipahoy »
https://forums.nicoclub.com/chipahoy-u191989.html
Wed Feb 15, 2012 1:01 pm
If you haven't changed a heater core in a Nissan product, you haven't lived. Remove everything inside up front including the steering wheel, console, instrument panel, etc. About a 4-5 hour job if your good.
I don't know why Infiniti, as a premium brand automobile, would use plastic inlet and outlet tubes on their aluminum heater core. Cheesy, cheap, and brittle, especially when subjected the heat generated by a V-8 under the hood. If you have broken either of the tubes while connecting/tightening the hoses, don't feel bad. Recently, i crushed the upper tube while tightening the hose clamp. Again, i cant believe the piece of crap using plastic tubes on the core, when outside on the firewall, the opening valve tubes are aluminium. It defies logic.
Faced with the scenario i outlined in the first paragraph, i came up with a workaround. I purchased a Prestone Flush and Fill kit that comes with three different "T" fittings designed to install in the inlet heater hose so that you can back flush the cooling system. I used the smallest, the 1/4", and filed it carefully so that it fit snugly inside the broken off tube. Then, i coated both the inside of the tube and the outside of the "T" fitting with Gorilla glue, pushed it into place, then sprayed it with water to help the glue cure. The next day, i reattached the heater hoses and wa-la, a workable repair. This will save you a lot of money and time....Carl Snyder, Pembroke Pines, FL