I decided on a work around that didn't involve a new connector in the firewall.

The old connector was a mess as the release clips had long ago cracked and fallen away. To get the engine hoses and heater core pipes off I had to physically destroy the plastic junction with a coping saw, box cutter, and side cutter.

Anyhow, it turns out the metal end pieces of the engine heater hose and the pipes are the same size. I bought 4 feet of 1/2 inch ID hose. Then I shortened the heater core pipes by hacksawing them off about 3/4 inch above the welded plate holding the pipes together. I had to shorten the pipes because the hose clamps were at the firewall and prevented the pipes from aligning with the heater core.

Each 2 foot piece of new hose was curled once in the engine compartment so it aimed DOWN through the firewall hole to mate with the shortened pipes.

Then I placed some old carpeting around the hoses so they won't contact the sharp edge of the firewall.

Took longer than I thought, but I'm back on the road for less than ten bucks.

- thumbs