Okay. Here's the scenario and bear with me please. I know in the grand scheme of things and the Big Picture that the Heater Core NEEDS to be replaced. The job really is too big for me and I'm surprised that I've been able to get this far. For the next 3 or four months, I need to go approximately 10 miles a day and on back roads at roughly 35 to 40 miles an hour with zero freeway driving.

Can I bypass as I (and others) explained above (included note below as well) and get by for now until I can get it taken care of professionally. I know it's the wrong thing to do overall...but can I do it without destroying my engine? If I go easy, don't race the engine, monitor it daily (especially for hose leaks) and be extremely careful. Can I get away with it? And you seem to really know what you're talking about and I appreciate both your wisdom and sharing your obvious experience.

quote with extra revised additions in bold:
"Okay. I've looked at the diagrams a few times already. I didn't understand that the two (perpendicular adjacent) hoses going into the firewall and then the Heater Core were both supply lines (there seems to be some differing opinions on this with some folks saying SUPPLY while others are saying RETURN). If I were to do a bypass, my guess would be that I cut the 2 tubes going into the firewall (again, perpendicular adjacent on the passenger side), put an adapter on the remaining hoses with a horseshoe U-tube (and 4 hose clamps to secure both lines 2 on each line). [and I've seen 20 videos on the web that suggest this course of action with the U-tube really works] Then I find the exit/Return hose and clamp that off (near the firewall on the driver side). This would cut both the supply and exit Return hose and completely bypass the Heater Core altogether as the supply anti-freeze/water circles back into the Radiator and (for the exit/Return) when it (the anti-freeze/water) tries to collect (not collect, but rather go back up the line on the exit/Return tube on the driver side) from the exit/Return from the Heater Core...it doesn't know where to go because it's clamped off so it to then circles back to the Radiator."

I mean, if it doesn't have a supply line nor a exit return line then nothing goes to it and it doesn't matter whether it's currently working or not. IT IS BASICALLY OUT OF THE SYSTEM.

In fact, all of the videos do not show doing anything other than the 2-supply lines on the passenger side. U-tube style bypass.

This works right???

Thx all,
B.