97 rear heater pipes rotted

[jerryls]

Can someone tell me what the front and rear heater hose plumbing looks like. I need to replace the lines(using rubber instead of $150 replacement pipes) going from the engine compartment down to the bottonm of the car. I can't see where they hook to up top.
Thanks

[jerryls]

I answered my own question today by taking everything apart, so I might as well post it. Replacing these pipes or even replacing them with hose is a pain in the arse. One of the pipes(that rot) from the bottom connects to a short hose that goes to the lower connection of the front heater core(on driver side firewall). To get at it I took off the wiper motor assembly and all the vacuum hoses that were in the way. Not sure if I need to that but it's hard to take off the hose clamp without moving things
The other pipe (from the bottom) also connects to a short hose and then connects to a metal pipe that goes to the engine block. That connection can be accessed by taking off the air cleaner(two bolts in front and loosen 3 large hose clamps on the air bellows). The connection will be in the back facing down just to the side of the battery.
The two heater cores (front and rear)appear to be in series. To bypass the rear heater you could connect a piece of hose from the lower front core outlet to the above pipe going to the engine. I plan to run two hoses from the two connections all the way down to the two lines to the rear bypassing the $150 metal pipes that rot. I'll post the results in a few days.

[jerryls]

We'll the above was wrong!! I thought i followed the two pipes to the top and bypassed them, but when I connected the two with a hose, it leaked out of the connections I cut. I need to find out where those pipes go as you can't see them from any angle.??

[jerryls]

Can someone please tell me where the rear heater core is hooked up. ie where the two metal pipes connect to that come up from the bottom of the van? Is there a 'T' or something behind the engine?

[jerryls]

Finally figured it out and I was able to bypass the rear heat. Yes there are "T"'s at the top of the pipes. The two heater cores are in parallel. To bypass the rear heat, you have to run two hoses from both connections of the front heater core directly to the two engine connections.

[paulf717]

Originally Posted by jerryls

Can someone tell me what the front and rear heater hose plumbing looks like. I need to replace the lines(using rubber instead of $150 replacement pipes) going from the engine compartment down to the bottonm of the car. I can't see where they hook to up top.
Thanks

I have a 1996 grand caravan. I spent 700.00 at the dealership on the front 2 heater line that are behind the intake. When I picked up the van and got home the 2 lines that feed the rare heat started to leak. The dealership should have know that when u repair pipes that the next weakst point will start to go. Can anyone tell me where to order those 2 lines and install them. Please help. This vehicle has 116000 miles on it and is still in good shape. Paulf.

[jerryls]

The 2 pipes behind the manifold are the rear heater pipes! If the dealer charged you $700. they should have replaced the pipes. I would take it back to the dealer and demand they fix it. If they just cut the pipes and patched them with hose, then they should not have charged you $700. The pipes that rot start from below the car and come up on the passenger side, they go over the top of the manifold to the drivers side where they have a T on each end. They then connect to 4 short hoses that go to the front heater core and the engine. It's a nightmare of a job to replace the rotted pipes. You have to at least take off the wiper assembly. You can buy the pipes at a Chryler/Dodge dealer for $150.00 Again, I would go back to the service dealer that charged you $700. Don't let them tell you something else is leaking, as the only pipes that rot are those rear heater pipes. It sounds to me like they patched the pipes and didn't replace them. Also, check your VIN for recalls as some models had a recall for the pipes.

[paulf717]

Originally Posted by jerryls

The 2 pipes behind the manifold are the rear heater pipes! If the dealer charged you $700. they should have replaced the pipes. I would take it back to the dealer and demand they fix it. If they just cut the pipes and patched them with hose, then they should not have charged you $700. The pipes that rot start from below the car and come up on the passenger side, they go over the top of the manifold to the drivers side where they have a T on each end. They then connect to 4 short hoses that go to the front heater core and the engine. It's a nightmare of a job to replace the rotted pipes. You have to at least take off the wiper assembly. You can buy the pipes at a Chryler/Dodge dealer for $150.00 Again, I would go back to the service dealer that charged you $700. Don't let them tell you something else is leaking, as the only pipes that rot are those rear heater pipes. It sounds to me like they patched the pipes and didn't replace them. Also, check your VIN for recalls as some models had a recall for the pipes.

Thanks I;ll will check them, but I'm preetty sure the line that came out fromm behind the maifold were the ones they replaced because as a got home the 2 connections into the rear heater were dripping. I always get screwd one it come to dealer ship,

[jerryls]

Originally Posted by paulf717

Thanks I;ll will check them, but I'm preetty sure the line that came out fromm behind the maifold were the ones they replaced because as a got home the 2 connections into the rear heater were dripping. I always get screwd one it come to dealer ship,

Do you mean intake manifold? Those lines are part of the pipes that go down to the rear heater connections. The two metal lines from the engine don't go in the back. One comes from the driver side about half way back the block. The other comes from below the thermostat and travels along the front of the engine. At least that's the way it is on the T&C. If you go the parts dept of the dealeer and look at the rear heater pipes, you'll see how they come up and over the exhaust manifold and have T's at the end.