emoryemt-i

well the windows are fogging and it ain't cause of a hot woman . i need to replace the heater core in my truck and was hoping someone could tell me where to find a set of instructions or pics to help me i did a search but so far haven't found any helpful info . thanks guys

Chrisreyn

Copied and pasted from FAQFarm.com:

Heater Core remove/replace in dodge 1500 truck 1995-01. I can pull it in 3.5 hours. putting it back takes about 2 hours, plus charging the AC, about one more hour more. Having a friend around really helps. Disconnect the battery before attempting any work to avoid a short.
1)Remove first screw on plastic door sill on both sides. (the things on top of rug where door closes)Remove kick panels.
2)Remove panel under steering wheel.
3)Remove two nuts holding up steering wheel.
4)Remove screws where windshield meets dash board.
5)Remove 2 bolts left and right under dash but against sides of car (under kick panels).
6)Dashboard is now loose and can be pulled towards the seats.
7)On right side of dash hook a wire way up to screw that holds moulding clips, or pull the dash towards the seat and put a jackstand under the passenger side.
8)The whole heater box is now visible.
9) You've got to remove vacuum lines, controls, and electric plugs from heater box.
10) Now the secret: there are 2 screws holding it to fire wall on inside (one has a ground wire attached). The other is in the upper right hand corner facing up.
11) there are 4 nuts holding it from engine side of firewall(one is behind the electric panel on the passanger side). Remove all four of these.
12) Remove heater hose clamps with a hose clamp plier. This will take time, these clips are a >edit< to get off.
13) Drain the AC freon.
14)the AC lines require a special tool that costs $9-12 at parts store. the kit has 6 plastic widgets. use the one that fits. play with an AC fitting near the radiator for practice first.
15) you should be able to pull the heater box out now.
16) Remember the dashboard is just pulled up high enough on the right to get at the heater box.
17) It is a good idea to change the A/C evaporator core while doing this job. They are both in the same box.
Installation is the reverse of above..

or you could just cut open the box, change the core and rebuild the box with some thin sheet metal, silicon and spray paint....... ( not serious about that!)

HOPE THIS HELPS...

emoryemt-i

thanks that is great! One question though is how do i get around not draining the a/c and why do you have to do it

1-2-3

"5)Remove 2 bolts left and right under dash but against sides of car (under kick panels). "

Bad step. These two bolts are so the dash will actualy piviot forward. Once all the stuff is out of the way (kicks panels, bolts along top of dash, etc) the dash will simply rotate down and you reach over and get at it.

You may be able to use this methoid without discharging the ac.

Two steps were left out. Disconnect both batteries for at least 1/2 hour to disarm air bag. Remove the small wire for the gear selector indicator. One end has an plastic adjustment screw and you loosen it to put slack in the cable and then unclip the end. You may need to fine tune the adjuster to make it point to the right mark. Do this before you drop the steering column.

emoryemt-i

i appreciate all the info i am going to try to start on this project on wed. i will have 4 days to complete and will probably need every one of them as i get very agitated and will probably break a few parts along the way. if anyone else has any info please leave it for me .. will let you guys know how it goes.

wcjp

I've seen posted elsewhere the Napa heater cores have a swivel connection. This is supposed to aid install and not necessitate draining the AC.

Only read this elsewhere.

pro439

Well I shoulda look here 1st because I got my dash tore apart and am still trying to get to the heater core.Feel likea areal dummy

Busboy

This subject has been beat to death on here and there are some excellent threads complete with photos to help along the way. You will see there are a couple of options for doing this and many opinions on what is the best way.

infidel

https://www.dieseltruckresource.com/...d.php?t=229112

Tallguy67

I really wish that thread Infidel just posted link to was a sticky. It seems like every 6 weeks someone is looking for it!

Dane

You only have to do it if you want to pull the dash out of the truck. I changed my core by following the instructions in the link infidel posted without disconnecting the AC. I used regular hose clamps with no leaks after 1500 miles and that includes 2 hours on I5 at 70+ mph and extended off road driving in the desert near Palm Springs hauling a cabover camper.

oldblues

hey all
i just did a heater core and evaporator in my 98 and both autozone and advance auto had heater cores with the flexable / rotating heater core tubes !!!

totalloser

Re-swivel pipes on Napas heater core, no doubt they are good but remember that those swivel ends have some sort of a seal, probably an o-ring, so as far as leaks go, I have just as much faith in a clamped heater hose as a swivel with an o-ring, in fact even more so, the crimping that holds those swivel ends in leaves a lot to be desired,pretty mickey mouse looking, the core I installed had the swivel ends and I had every intention on installing it as per instructions someone posted on here ,but once I got the dash back,i could see no reason whatsoever to slide the whole unit back and fiddle around trying to manouver those pipes thru the firewall,furthermore the original core pipes had to be cut to get it out anyway, now, if I would have known that I was going to cut the new core pipes and conect them like I did,I would have bought a core like cLAYH did,no swivewls, not needed.
Another thing,(hindsight of course) and I stated this in my original writeup,I would have removed all the original pipes that come thru the firewall and put new long enough hoses thru the firewall and connect directly to the new core with the cut pipes,this would have eliminated one extra clamp on each hose and it would make it very easy to replace the core again in the event of a leaky core or whatever, simple procedure-once dash is lifted,loosen 2 clamps,slide hoses off,lift out core,cut pipes on new core,drop in core,slip hoses on,tighten 2 clamps,done deal, lose a 1/4 cup of antifreeze which you can soak up with a rag, no mess,no fuss,could do the whole deal in a hour or less even.

Quote from Dodgedemon this is EXACTLY what happened to me. The mickey mouse crimp BS didn't cinch the gaskets tight and it leaked right away. Pulling the dash again on mine. Inspect your part and make sure there is resistance when you turn them. I needed my truck the next day so I put it in and ran for a while with it leaking