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replace heater core w/ some pics

shovelbill80

shovelbill80

1/2 ton status
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well it sucked not having any heat for a while. i also had a couple lingering AC issues to contend with so i did the heater core today. took 5 hours with lunch, going to store for epoxy, reparing the diverter door i broke and dealing with my sciatica. here's a few pics for some guys/gals that might not have done this job yet.

kinda of a paain, but very easy work. first thing is to drop the inner fender (wheel well) onto the tire. there is one nut behind the bastard so you get to take out 497 bolts to get this one. heater box out in the passenger foot well.
04021112301.jpg


2 piece box has like 10 small bolts holding it together.
04021112371.jpg


empty box after removal. you need to slide out the door shaft that seems to always be rusted into the plastic.
04021112561.jpg


and this is what happened

04021113271.jpg
 
some Permatex 2 part stuff like JB Weld. had to find the small piece that holds it straight.

04021113431.jpg

0402111343a1.jpg


another shot of the core.to metal clips and 3 little bolts hold it in

tn.jpg


here's the little pain in the ass part that always breaks on the other door. i replaced this a few months ago.

IMG_2150.jpg


i fixed a hidden vacuum leak...truck seems to not "surge" on idle anymore either.......got all functions working. i hate have a vehicle without air, now i got very cold air for the summer :D...............for what it's all worth.
 
good deal...

for the record.... that nut can be removed without removing the well with the right tools...

med depth 1/4" drive socket, swivel, extension, ratchet and some patience...
 
ryoken said:
good deal...

for the record.... that nut can be removed without removing the well with the right tools...

med depth 1/4" drive socket, swivel, extension, ratchet and some patience...
Click to expand...

or drilling a hole in the inner fender.... :woot:
 
i knew i should've searched for tips on this job.......i did know about the hole trick, but i really wasn't sure where....got enough holes in her now from rust.

and for the TBI guys/gals. there are clips on top of the heater box for the wires....unclip them and just tie up a bit....no computer removal necessary.
 
ryoken said:
good deal...

for the record.... that nut can be removed without removing the well with the right tools...

med depth 1/4" drive socket, swivel, extension, ratchet and some patience...
Click to expand...

Yep, I did my heater core about 8 years ago and did not remove the wheel well. I used 1/4" drive stuff as you said and it wasn't a big deal. I did the whole job in an hour.
 
an hour! it took me an hour just to stand up straight again after taking off the damned wheel well. it sucks gettin old :rolleyes:
 
Where did you find that "little pain in the ass part that always breaks on the other door"?

I did my heater core a few weeks ago and found that it was broken. Luckily the shop that did my core in the past drilled a hole in the inner fender so it was easy to get to the nut. But,.......that damn stud broke the plastic housing where it clips in. :angry1: Looks like the hidden nut won't be a problem from now on anyway.
 
Don't feel bad, it took me around 6 hours to do the same job on my '83 pick-up. It has the whole firewall and heater/AC assembly covered in a factory noise damper. It's like a huge rubber sheet...it cost me a fair bit of time trying to find a way to extricate parts of it without ruining it. I dropped the inner fender too...

Rene
 
tRustyK5 said:
Don't feel bad, it took me around 6 hours to do the same job on my '83 pick-up. It has the whole firewall and heater/AC assembly covered in a factory noise damper. It's like a huge rubber sheet...it cost me a fair bit of time trying to find a way to extricate parts of it without ruining it. I dropped the inner fender too...

Rene
Click to expand...


and pulling the well is kinda a 50/50 thing.. depending on mood and tools owned really.. i've done it both ways... doing it the swivel 1/4 drive route can be a little frustrating and time consuming... some times it's quick, sometimes your d*cking with it for a bit.... not feeling patient that day, just rip the well out...
 
CGT80 said:
Where did you find that "little pain in the ass part that always breaks on the other door"?

I did my heater core a few weeks ago and found that it was broken. Luckily the shop that did my core in the past drilled a hole in the inner fender so it was easy to get to the nut. But,.......that damn stud broke the plastic housing where it clips in. :angry1: Looks like the hidden nut won't be a problem from now on anyway.
Click to expand...

are you talking about the broken door part i "fixed" or the front diverter door clip that rjf posted the link for.....i have that one i can send you, had to buy a bag of 5 of the fukkers from the dealer.
 
shovelbill80 said:
are you talking about the broken door part i "fixed" or the front diverter door clip that rjf posted the link for.....i have that one i can send you, had to buy a bag of 5 of the fukkers from the dealer.
Click to expand...

If I remember correctly, the one that is broken is on the actuator that sits against the firewall and the rod points towards the seat of the truck. It looks like the actuator will pull on the door even though the white plastic clip is broken, but it appeared that the door wouldn't move all of the way in the other direction. I am not real sure how that door is supposed to work or what it exactly does. I may have to pop the cover off and look at it again. I thought about making a new clip out of sheet metal.

It looked like it may be the same clip as the last photo in post #2.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me with this. If it is the same part you have extra of, I would be more than willing to pay the cost and shipping of the part.

Chris
 
This just makes me want to yank the whole thing out and slap in an aftermarket Summit heater.
 
Ruk Roe, The other day I turned my heat on to defrost my windshield, real nice and hot cleared everything right up, then when I turned it off (slid the lower lever from right to left) something snapped and snapped and now I have full time heat, yes its 80 here in sunny Fl.:doah:
Is that the part that went SNAP? :eek1:
 
CGT80 said:
If I remember correctly, the one that is broken is on the actuator that sits against the firewall and the rod points towards the seat of the truck. It looks like the actuator will pull on the door even though the white plastic clip is broken, but it appeared that the door wouldn't move all of the way in the other direction. I am not real sure how that door is supposed to work or what it exactly does. I may have to pop the cover off and look at it again. I thought about making a new clip out of sheet metal.

It looked like it may be the same clip as the last photo in post #2.

Thanks in advance for any help you can give me with this. If it is the same part you have extra of, I would be more than willing to pay the cost and shipping of the part.

Chris
Click to expand...

Chris.....PM me your address and i'll send it off as soon as i can.

here's a diagram i got from the dealer for anyone that never seen one. the part in question is #24.

defrost.jpg
 
Super good info,


Now I gotta do this ****t to mine too!!!


I would have thought this would be a piece of cake to do on an old 73-91 K5 blazer with AC.........................but its easier to do on my 95 chevy truck with AC.
 
Does the sealed box inside the engine bay (where the AC accumulator runs into) need to be removed/pulled off the firewall for the core swap? I need to do mine soon and was wondering about that and if someone has a pic of the needed inner fender access hole. Thanks
 
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