Hi

I have had pine needles fall into the cowl near the windshield. My heater door doesn't close all the way so I don't get good heat now. What is the best way to clean them out? Take the cowl off or take the heater out?

Thanks
Dean

 

I'm not sure on our dodges but I had a chevy pickup and I would never encourage someone to pull a heater core. Well atleast not in 90* heat.

 

Somebody posted a while back that they cut a hole in the heater box, cleaned it out, then screwed a sheet metal patch over it. Seems like the easiest solution if you aren't overly concerned with appearances.

 

Had to replace the heater core in my 92 S-10. I had to unbolt the entire dashboard to get the cover off the heater. Not a fun job in any weather. Have you tried compressed air backwards?

Edwin

 

cut down the pine tree

 

Or maybe take off the cowl and hope a robin will get them out to build her nest.

 

Is this what your talking about?
http://ramchargercentral.com/boards/...owtoshow;id=45
I did this on my 86 and it made a huge difference, found all sorts of nasty stuff in there. When the time permits i`ll be doing the CTD also.

 

I did the cut out thing, and maybe was the guy who posted on it, I can't remember. A mouse nest was in there. It fixed up the problem. Just be careful where you're cutting.

I've done it on my 77 gasser as well (leaves), or more accurately the resulting fire did it. I just duct taped the hole shut after I put out the fire and cleaned it out.

This shows that it's a great idea to get that stuff out of there. There is a resistor in there that gets hot enough to start a fire.

 

Fourwheeler magazine recently ran a tech article on dodges and cutting the heater box open was something they suggested to prevent having a fire.

 

could dirt in there cause my AC not to be as cold. Also, why would you want a bypass valve for the heater as described in that link?

brad

 

The stock heater valve only shuts off hot coolant to one of the heater hoses, this allows the heat from the engine to "creep" into the heater core, thus reducing the efficiency of the a/c. The bypass coolant valve show in that article loops the coolant flow and completely closes the heater core off from the coolant. I havent tried it myself but I hear tell that it makes a noticable improvement in the coolness of the a/c.

 

A little update. I took the cowl off and I took out a some pine needles but couldn't get to the air flapper to clean it out.

Dean