I just got back in country and picked up a core at adv auto. I'll pull the car into the garage and will replace it from below the dash without anything but the cover removed and the center console pushed a little. If you need any tips, lemme know. i can't help on how to stop the blood rushing to your head because you do work on your back with your legs running up the passenger seat.

 

A tourniquet applied around neck is guaranteed to keep blood from rushing to the head. If you get dizzy while your head is on the floor and your feet hanging over the back of the seat, just give the tourniquet another twist. Eventually you will get it just right and won't feel any discomfort.

 

Okie Dokie

remove plastic shiled that allows air to blow to the vents

undid 4 screws holding heater core cover

undid one screw holding diverter flap

of course hoses are disconnected

the heater cores from adv auto are way different than factory ones. They are lighter and smaller

remove core from the plastic cover. set aside the brackets

put some foam tape on the sides of the heater core (the small tanks)

place heater core into car and get pipes to go through firewall

note that i did not say re-install core into plastic cover.......

put cover over heater core. Note that the foam tape makes for a snug fit

install at least the 2 screws on the right and the bottom left one. If you can contort, get the top left one


go to firewall and try to push the pipes back in and you will see that the core is in pretty firm

I can't reconnect the hoses because I don't want to burn my tender skin on the nasty hot coolant so I'll do it in the morning

but, it's in and took all of 30 minutes

I hope this one doesn't leak like the more expensive one i put in a few months ago

 

Well, due to a surgery, I have not attempted to replace the core yet. Two questions: 1. How in the world do you get the heater hoses off the core nipples; looks like there is no room to get a hand on them to loosen the clamps and pull them off? 2. If I was to bypass, which I may do temporarily, where do I do the bypass? Thanks guys.

 

Basically, all you need to do is form a loop with the inlet and outlet heater hoses. Either connect them together with a section of pipe, or trace one of the hoses back to a connection, remove it and put the other hose there in it's place.

 

Be careful on the premade hose, GM no longer makes them. I cut the straight hose off to make room to get at the premade hose, then just kept worked it with channel locks, pliers, whatever would fit until it loosened and then I pulled the heater core off the hose. I reused the stock hose clamps and found a set of hemostats helped a lot to get it in place.

 

Well, I started the project. This is a huge PITA! I took the top dash off, but still cannot get at the top screw holding the core cover on. Do I have to remove the whole passenger side lower dash to do this? I don't see any way of doing this otherwise, but maybe I'm missing something. HELP!!

 

yup, you are missing something

please step away from the car and listen to me. Go get an iced tea and sit down please. No, you said you were going to quit smoking, so please don't smoke while I'm speaking.

First, go get an 8mm socket or box wrench and disconnect the negative battery lead please and then come back.

You need to remove the kick plate on the passenger side that is above your knees as you sit in the seat. It is held on by 3-4 screws and has the footwell light sitting in it too.

Once you remove that, you next must remove the plastic duct. Now, pay attention to it because when you re-install it, it must connect on the left side. it has a channel notch in it.

So you now have that duct out and I think it was 3-4 screws too.

Go get I believe a 7 mm socket. You will also need a 12 or 18 inch extension and a universal. If you have a 1/4 inch drive socket wrench as well with a 1 or 2 inch extension that is perfect for the top screws.

There are 4, count them 4 screws holding the heater core cover. This is where you get a droplight and lay on your back with your head in the footwell.

Well lookee there, the 2 on the right aren't so tough to get so get them.

Now comes the tougher ones but not really that bad. You will use the long extension. You might need the universal on the socket, you might not. Remove the bottom left screw.

OK, you are 75% there. Now, take the 1/4 inch drive socket with the 1 or 2 inch extension and put the socket on it. You will be taking the top left screw out by touch. Find the screw and then get the socket on it.

OK, that's it!!!! Now go disconnect the hoses and using the heel of your hand from the firewall side, give the core a little bump and it will unseat (it's rusted) and you can go into the car and pull it out.

Before you put your dash pad back on, would you please go to the parts store and get some vinyl/plasitc interior paint and spray paint that dash pad. It looks like crap because the prior own didn't Armor All it regularly

Oh, and why no go on line to amazon.com and pick up some better 4x6 speakers? Your right front sounds like it's cracked or something

 

Okay Torque, I have the cover off and the hoses disconnected, but the core doesn't want to move. I even took a large dowl and tried pushing it backward with that, but it seems to be hung up on something. Do I have to remove the paraphenalia thats around the core first, or is all that suppose to come out with the core?
I appreciate the help and the humor! Note: the dash is in great shape as well as the speakers.

 

did you get the 4 screws off of the heater core cover? If so, it's just being difficult. Sometimes soft music changes the mood.........never mind, that's something else.

Anyway, be sure that the 4 screws are out and removed. There is one triangle shaped "deflector" which is attached by 1 screw. It is what the duct would attach to on the left. Remove that screw and pull out that plastic just a bit. I moved that a bit the first time I removed the core but have become the core-master since and don't need to move it.

Did you have to cut the hoses off of the core? If so, it isn't coming out if there is any of the hose still on the pipes.

If all else fails, a tap or two with a SFH, not to be confused with a BFH and it should break free. You do it with a long socket extension on a pipe and tap tap.

Oh, and I appear every Saturday night so tell your friends and please be generous to your waitress