Copper corrosion - heater tubes stuck

[live4theking]

I'm still wrestling with my heart box. Everytime it touch it something else seems to be difficult. Any way the tubes that go through the firewall are held to the box by four screws and then they slip over the heater core with orings to create the seal.

I cannot get them off. This means I cannot get the heater core out. I've went so far as to heat them with my map gas torch to try to loosen them. No dice. I've been spraying them with penetrating oil for a couple of days now. It still seems tighter than tight. I'm assuming it is corrosion from from 54 years, but I've never heard of this with copper parts.

Any suggestions for how to get this apart would be very much appreciated. Am I missing something obvious?

 

[bigmoparjeff]

You're not missing anything. 4 screws, and the pipes should slide off.

Mine came right off no problem.....36 years ago.

I do remember having a hell of a time finding the correct size o-rings. Everything that the parts stores had was too thick. Finally got two from the owner of the gas station that I was working at. He had a decent size box of assorted o-rings that happened to have the correct size.

Maybe someone can chime in that's done one some time in the last decade.

Jeff

 

[live4theking]

I've been soaking this thing for 3 days now. It's still stuck like no one's business. I heated it with the torch again and sprayed cold water on the other parts. Still no dice.

I'm trying not to ruin any parts.

 

[live4theking]

Finally.
I removed the round vent doors and rod for the defrost. Then stuck an oscillating tool in the hole and cut the tubes off. The vibration from the tool must have broke them loose because the cut pieces practically fell out then.

I still have no idea why the were in there so tight.

 

[bigmoparjeff]

That's odd.

Well, at least it's finally out, and since you are replacing the heater core, no harm done.

Jeff

 

[live4theking]

A few minutes in the glass bead cabinet sure changed their appearance.