I've been looking for a couple hours(maybe not in the right spot) for a detailed how to, on replacing a heater core. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy reading all the tech articles. But I am running out of daylight. Can sombody send me a link, or tell me where to look? Thanks for everything!

 

first off, let me say your name is sacrilege to Mopar. although it is the best way to imrove a Vette!

seriously though, i spent 10 seconds, did a search, and came across these........

2000 Heater Core Replacement Summary

and

heater core replacement

on the latter link, skip down to the 4th post, and down to about 1/2 way through his post.

you can also read up on this, Guidelines for Using SEARCH to get a better understanding of how the search engine works on here.

this project is gonna be more than an afternoon task. they really make these 2nd gen trucks a RPITA to do the heater core in. take your time, and in case you somehow manage to miss this in the links LABEL EVERYTHING YOU REMOVE so you know exactly where it needs to go back. even snap a few pic's as you're going through it, it'll help when you put it back (ain't digital cameras wonderful for that! ).

GL, let us know how you made out.

 

Dont know what your replacing the heater core on but I recently changed mine on a 2001 blazer and the vent door acuator at the same time and I agree that it makes things alot easier to put together when you label everything, especially the screws. The wiring is a little easier to put back together since all the connectors are basically idiot proof. When I did mine I labeled basically every section and what the screws where conneting(instrument panel to dash, lower left dash, obd2 braket,etc,) It is a long job though, so make sure you have beer and a friend/radio/wife to keep you company. I also used both of the above summaries, each had good info especially the one by adam since it was step by step, Haynes needs to add his work into the manual

 

see the link to pictures and brief diagrams. If you're quick and on basic stock Blaxer you should be able to do it in about 15 hours. More wires = 20 hrs. If you do decide to do additional work while its all open, well -- can be up to 35hrs.

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?ai...5&l=be6f90205d

 

if its the same on a Camaro, then be prepared to have a day free. i had to take my dash apart to get to it.

 

I had never done this repair before and completed it in 3.5 hours with my dad, who knows beans about cars. This is for a '95-97 Blazer, '98s are different and much more difficult.

I'll give you a basic rundown of what has to happen. I'd suggest you get a Haynes manual, it has this procedure and many others.

1) Undo the screws under the dash all the way across. Then the screws on both sides next to a pivot bracket by the door.

2) Undo the steering column bolts that hold it to the dash. The column will drop, let it rest on the seat. Undo the speaker grilles and the bolts underneath them. They're long bolts - THESE BASICALLY HOLD THE DASH IN AND PREVENT IT FROM TIPPING BACK!!!

3) top of dash should pivot backwards if you lift on it.

4) Get the major wiring harness out on the passenger side. You can see it through the windshield. It's a big ol' bastard.

5) At this point i tried to pivot my dash back farther and it didn't want to. Nothing was holding it i don't think, so i just kept pushing and lifting and pulling a little. A bit of force did it and it pivoted back quite a ways.

6) Undo the rest of the wires. The hardest one will probably be the radio antenna. This is the hardest part, there's probably 5 or 6 harnesses that need to be unplugged. Some easy, some hard.

7) When everything is unplugged, get a helper and lift the dash out. It's not too heavy, but it's big.

8) Undo the heater hoses on the engine side of the firewall and undo the 6 or so bolts around the heater core.

9) Take the core out.

10) Reverse process to install.

 

You fellas know that you're responding to a thread that's almost 1 year old, right?

 

Thanks for the input guys. I ended up tracing the problem to a clogged drain on the heater box, I guess its pretty common. I thought it was the heater core cause the windshield kept fogging up.

 

thanks for the update hemi.


guess it's a good thing those guys revived an old thread, eh?

 

I guess it gave them something to do. but on the other hand, had I gotton these responses before, I would have tore the dash apart for nothing. Of coarse I would have replaced everything anyway. Thanks. h