The heater core removal is actually the easy part. Removing the Dash to gain access is completely unacceptable.
(http://i54.tinypic.com/k2yf6b.jpg)
(http://i56.tinypic.com/20hamv.jpg)
1996 GMC Jimmy.
Does this seem reasonable to you?
I was starting to warm up to the newer GM products but my guess is they still do screwy stuff like this.
On the Mercedes I would have to remove the glovebox, and then I think a vent duct, and then remove the cover where the heatercore is at. That would take like less than 10 minutes.
How many cars built in the last 20 years do you think are any easier?
I just edited above. I'm not sure if it was easier, but my 91 S10 didn't require removal of the dash. But yes is too was a PITA
my buddie's about to do this in his S-10, I'm staying the F away that day
My '80 Honda Civic was the same, complete dash removal.
I got to do it twice, as I fell for the ruse of getting the first heater core repaired. [bang]
Quote from: D Paoli on October 25, 2010, 03:59:50 PM
I just edited above. I'm not sure if it was easier, but my 91 S10 didn't require removal of the dash. But yes is too was a PITA
There was a time where you pulled the two hoses...
removed a small cover...
and the core was right there.
Good thing we made progress. [thumbsup]
[bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang]
84 Mustang SVO looked about the same except less space to work in......
Most everything nowadays requires dash removal.
Quote from: humorless dp on October 25, 2010, 04:48:48 PM
There was a time where you pulled the two hoses...
removed a small cover...
and the core was right there.
Good thing we made progress. [thumbsup]
That's how my old F-250 was, half hour job
I bet I could change the one in my Jeep in 5 minutes.
;D
Quote from: D Paoli on October 25, 2010, 03:42:53 PM
Removing the Dash to gain access is completely unacceptable.
(http://i54.tinypic.com/k2yf6b.jpg)
Not to mention that they installed the steering wheel on the passenger's side of the vehicle.... [bang]
Quote from: ungeheuer on October 26, 2010, 03:10:57 AM
Not to mention that they installed the steering wheel on the passenger's side of the vehicle.... [bang]
You're standing on your head.
my 66 tempest custom you can just stick your head under the dash and remove anything you want
YAY for CAD designed cars, we now realize how much crap can be shove behind and around other things making it impossible to work on before it's even built.
'The major difference between a thing that might go wrong and a thing that cannot possibly go wrong is that when a thing that cannot possibly go wrong goes wrong it usually turns out to be impossible to get at or repair.' - Douglas adams
Seems like a random error... coz GM got this one correct...
(http://images.drive.com.au/drive_images/dealer/autsce/C315/7_600.jpg)
Quote from: Rameses on October 25, 2010, 08:49:19 PM
I bet I could change the one in my Jeep in 5 minutes.
;D
My '99 Cherokee had to have the front seats, center console, steering column, dash, AC lines disconnected and heater box removed to do the same job. I was not pleased.
Quote from: humorless dp on October 25, 2010, 04:48:48 PM
There was a time where you pulled the two hoses...
removed a small cover...
and the core was right there.
Good thing we made progress. [thumbsup]
[bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang] [bang]
Sounds like the procedure for my '06 Volvo.
;D
Quote from: Rev. Millertime on October 26, 2010, 04:18:10 AM
Sounds like the procedure for my '06 Volvo.
;D
But everyone knows it costs a fortune to fix them furrin cars :)
Quote from: howie on October 26, 2010, 04:28:43 AM
But everyone knows it costs a fortune to fix them furrin cars :)
That's an urban legend!
Buy a jacket
Quote from: DW on October 26, 2010, 04:04:34 AM
My '99 Cherokee had to have the front seats, center console, steering column, dash, AC lines disconnected and heater box removed to do the same job. I was not pleased.
Things are a little different in my Jeep.
You can almost see the heater core from the passenger's seat of a '48 CJ-2A.
;)
In the future.... global warming will make heater cores obsolete
- A Gore
*BTW...you are all welcome for that whole internet thing I invented.
Quote from: bobspapa on October 26, 2010, 09:02:24 AM
In the future.... global warming will make heater cores obsolete
- A Gore
Yeah....it's a whopping 38 degrees here today....and raining. :P
Quote from: Speedbag on October 26, 2010, 10:16:58 AM
Yeah....it's a whopping 38 degrees here today....and raining. :P
its acid rain due to the decrease in spotted owl poo.
everybody knows acid is heat based.
acid= heat=warming.... poof global warming even when its cold.
Well after spending several hours taking it apart and changing the core, it's almost back together and I only broke three switches in the process. Glove box light, driver door light switch, and rear wiper/sprayer switch.
I did get the opportunity to change the buried turn signal flashers and change the bulbs in the insturment cluster.
How many screws did you have left over?
I'm not sure yet but I'm going to have a few that's for sure.
It's not just GM. My Ford Taurus requires pretty much the same procedure.
JM
I've owned 2 Cadillac Seville STSes...30 minute job to change the heater core. As was the 92 Sedan Deville I owned in HS.
2001 Bonneville SSEi...dash removal required.
Not to mention that the drain for the ac/heater box in the Bonneville is a hard plastic line that drains between the subfloor and the bottom of the car not to the outside...only way to unplug it according to GM...heater box removal. I miss the days of the rubber drain nipple you pinched to fix the problem.
And this is why we the dealer charge a premium. We'll do it right, but God knows that none of us really want to do it in the first place! I've done them in Dodge Caravan's, Dakota's, Ram's, S-series trucks, Cadillacs, El Camino's and a few others.. and I'd say 90% do require massive interior dash removal in order to accomplish the replacement. Next time dont brake your heater core. ;D
I haven't had to take the dash off my Monster yet. Should be easier ;D
Quote from: Ratfink749 on October 26, 2010, 03:27:30 PM
And this is why we the dealer charge a premium. We'll do it right, but God knows that none of us really want to do it in the first place! I've done them in Dodge Caravan's, Dakota's, Ram's, S-series trucks, Cadillacs, El Camino's and a few others.. and I'd say 90% do require massive interior dash removal in order to accomplish the replacement. Next time dont brake your heater core. ;D
Amen.
Quote from: Mother on October 26, 2010, 07:36:41 AM
Buy a jacket
Welcome to the forum, have you seen our introduction section? ;D
Quote from: Mother on October 26, 2010, 07:36:41 AM
Buy a jacket
Excellent excuse to buy heated gear. ;D
Now it wont go into 4WD. Yep that's right, there is snow all over the place and 4WD won't engage now. I wish I had the book that explains the transfer case computer and switch circuit but I don't. Anyway traction is the suck and it's supposed to get down to 1 degree today. I would like this POS to work for another year and get something else. Grrrrrrrr GM!!! >:(
I think some of the older GM trucks use vacuum operated 4x4 actuation. They also used alot of vacuum controls for the heater vents. When you had the dash loose a line may have been left disconected causing the problem.
Dash removal for replacing heater cores is very common on modern cars. Just about any engine work you do on a modern car will make you want to remove the engine to do it.
Quote from: Rameses on October 25, 2010, 08:49:19 PM
I bet I could change the one in my Jeep in 5 minutes.
;D
In my '73 FJ40 Land Cruiser, it took two screws to remove a little sheetmetal cover over the heater core ... unless you're talking about the rear heater, which was just a finned ring with hot coolant tubes running through it and a little fan in the middle, screwed to the floor.
(http://www.cruiserparts.net/parts/parts/rearheater.jpg)
[thumbsup]
Quote from: caperix on November 23, 2010, 03:19:36 PM
I think some of the older GM trucks use vacuum operated 4x4 actuation. They also used alot of vacuum controls for the heater vents. When you had the dash loose a line may have been left disconected causing the problem.
Dash removal for replacing heater cores is very common on modern cars. Just about any engine work you do on a modern car will make you want to remove the engine to do it.
[thumbsup]
what's a heater core? ;D
Quote from: DuCaTiNi on November 23, 2010, 04:00:22 PM
what's a heater core? ;D
The thing that keeps your ass warm on the way to work. ;)...
and your front too. :-*
Quote from: Ratfink749 on October 26, 2010, 03:27:30 PM
And this is why we the dealer charge a premium. We'll do it right, but God knows that none of us really want to do it in the first place! I've done them in Dodge Caravan's, Dakota's, Ram's, S-series trucks, Cadillacs, El Camino's and a few others.. and I'd say 90% do require massive interior dash removal in order to accomplish the replacement. Next time dont brake your heater core. ;D
Actually, dealers doing it wrong is why I have such good first hand experience with my heater box removal process. I had mine in for some a/c work in the fall. $1,200 later and I left happily knowing what I had just avoided by paying the dealer. It was nice weather and I didn't use the heat or ac for a few months. When I did, it was neither hot or cold. The guy had put the blocker door back together wrong. It was stuck in the middle and never got hot or cold. Kind of a freak weather snafu that kept me from catching it in time for the dealer to honor his repair. Oh well, karma sucked for him. He lost his dealership in the Chrysler bankruptcy.
Quote from: humorless dp on November 23, 2010, 04:11:21 PM
The thing that keeps your ass warm on the way to work. ;)...
and your front too. :-*
Heated seats keep your ass warm ;D
Quote from: humorless dp on November 23, 2010, 04:11:21 PM
The thing that keeps your ass warm on the way to work. ;)...
and your front too. :-*
Quote from: howie on November 23, 2010, 06:10:52 PM
Heated seats keep your ass warm ;D
[thumbsup] heated seats for the win [thumbsup]
Sweet! I may do this...
http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=11695 (http://www.zr2usa.com/mboard/index.php?showtopic=11695)