Heater core replacement

[Scribbles]

I had to replace the heater core on the crew cab I just bought. I guess it didn’t like going from sitting for months at a time to daily status.
I just gotta say, I am not a fan of that job.
Now that I’ve done it I’d say it’d be pretty easy to do over again, however I hope I don’t ever have to do that again. I’d rather swap a motor than do that job.
Whining is over now, what’d y’all do today that sucked?

 

[Bent77]

I got out of bed

 

[Scribbles]

I got out of bed

Maybe that’s where I went wrong today…

 

[Shawn]

Ah yes.... the dreaded heater core replacement. Been there done that. Not fun on the last one I did on the m1008.

 

[dyeager535]

Yep, not particularly fun. I've resigned myself to actually following the antifreeze replacement interval so hopefully I can avoid it again for decades lol.

 

[Wes Harden]

Compaierd to modern trucks 2011 supper duty requires the entire dash and sub structure to be removed,then the plenum, discharge the ac, hot knife the plenum to get old heater core out, plastic weld back in + special clips.
I'll do 2 squares a day to never do another super duty.

 

[cheavyk10]

It's easy when your square body doesn't have a/c.
I did the one on my first gen S-10 and it took all day.
We had an expedition for a work truck and same as that super duty Wes mentioned they had to take the entire dashboard off just to get to it. I think it set my boss back like $800.

 

[SnackPack]

BTW, you can still get copper heater cores on Summit Racing. Around $50? I'd go for that over these cheap Chinese aluminum cores.

 

[Wes Harden]

I put a copper Summit Racing heater core in mine last June, perfect match for the I removed, which appeared to a replacement.

 

[ZooMad75]

Squarebody rite of passage.

Non-ac trucks are way easier too.

 

[Capt Ron]

I have done my share of these and after every one I told myself never again. Cut and scratched hands, old/brittle broken plastic tabs etc and simply 6lbs of shit in a 3lb bag. When I installed a core in the Crawlabago {has a/c} a while back I first went to the wrecking yard and used two trucks there as guinea pigs. By using a piece of another housing as a cover I can now replace my core in about 1/2 hour. Remove glove box, a couple of screws on the cover and core hold downs and the hoses.

 

[ZooMad75]

I have done my share of these and after every one told myself never again. Cut and scratched hands, old/brittle broken plastic tabs etc and simply 6lbs of shit in a 3lb bag. When I installed a core in the Crawlabago {has a/c} a while back I first went to the wrecking yard and used two trucks there as guinea pigs. By using a piece of another housing as a cover I can now replace my core in about 1/2 hour. Remove glove box, a couple of screws on the cover and core hold downs and the hoses.
View attachment 400033

Cheater.

 

[6872xtc]

Whining is over now, what’d y’all do today that sucked?

View attachment 399977

I went to work. And had to deal with drivers who don't have a clue. The good ones seldom show up at the shop.

 

[dyeager535]

BTW, you can still get copper heater cores on Summit Racing. Around $50? I'd go for that over these cheap Chinese aluminum cores.

Last I checked, these are ONLY for AC rigs. Would be nice if they made new non-ac cores, but I had to find an NOS one to get copper/brass.

 

[Scribbles]

BTW, you can still get copper heater cores on Summit Racing. Around $50? I'd go for that over these cheap Chinese aluminum cores.

lol, I’m not changing this one until it leaks. But I may need one for the K5 one day so thanks for the tip!

I’ve always avoided heater cores, had this one been leaking when I looked at buying it I’d have probably passed.
But, I’m glad to have finally been through the square body right of passage.