I'm about ready to hook up my heater again. It's been offline for several years and we've just had the heater hoses looped together bypassing the unit. I needed a heater control valve which I picked up several months ago and just never got to the project.

So last week I took out my heater box, replaced the heater hose on the inside of the unit (just in case, it was old). I'm ready to put the core back into the heater box, bolt it up, and install the heater hoses... only thing... am I forgetting anything? I've never even so much as pulled a heater hose before, so I assume fluid will go flying as soon as I disconnect them. So what do I do? Get the heater assembly back in the car, hook up the inlet/outlet to the heater box, and then just run the car while adding fluid into the radiator?

As far as I can tell the heater core is good, and the valve seems to work as well. I'm a little nervous about it leaking after I get it installed (doing all the work to find out it's leaking)... even though it's just paranoia... should I just hook it all up and cross my fingers that it won't leak?

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-Anthony
1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200

Use new sealing mastic - make sure it's a high-temperature variety that won't melt or stink.
Drain the cooling system (via the radiator) to below the level of the water pump, lift up your heater core loop to drain the loop itself, then remove the loop and install the proper heater hoses. Then fill up the cooling system (with the engine off.)
There's no way to tell by looking. I bet you don't want to do this job twice, just once, so take the heater core to a rad shop and have it flow- and pressure-tested. If it leaks or is clogged, have it recored.
Only if you want to guarantee (via Murphy) that it will leak!

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I'll bring it by my usual place and see if they can pressure test the core. It never leaked when the heater was hooked up when we first owned the car... After years (5 or so) of just sitting, empty, I imagine it would be ok but yea, I should get it checked. This car has been very good at not having any wonky leaks due to failing mechanicals, so I better keep that tradition going. It's starting to get chilly at night and while I can still drive in relative comfort it would be nice to have that one little creature comfort of 'instant heat' inside the car... =) Being in California has that advantage. But if it got to be REALLY cold, it'd start bugging me.

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-Anthony
1962 Plymouth Valiant Signet 200

LOL so true Dan.

BTW great pic. A little freaky but great all at the same time.