How long does it take to change the heater core? Do you have to take the entire dash out? Thanks

 

A long time and pretty much all moved out. Figure at least a day plus recharging AC. There are a couple good threads on R & R. Will help bunch if have helper. Hold the beer till done though.

 

Do yourself a favor and replace the evap core while you have it apart.

 

I did mine without discharging the AC seem to go just fine that was six or so months ago nothin went wrong got heat and no green stuff on the floor now

 

Find a TDR member. Issue 46 has instructions with pictures.

 

There is a heater core sold by NAPA that has swivel tubes on it,more expensive but it saves draining the AC system. I used this one and there are some instructions around as said above.The whole job took me about 4 hrs but I didn't change the evaporator looking back should have done it.The whole dash does not have to come out its about 4or 5 screws and a couple bolts under the dash and it will swivel back towards the steering wheel,use a bungee cord and hang the passenger side up and back as far as it will go so there is enough room to work hope this helps. Oh ya I forgot the core it self took me about .5 of an hour to install trying to find the angle of the tubes to get it to fall into place.this was the worst part of the whole job.

 

Where is the site R&R you spoke of? Thanks for your input.

 

This is one thread that I found. More are there. Do search on Dash replacement, heater core replace, replace dash, ect.

Dave
Done a bunch of them, heres how.
Remove coolant hoses. Evac Freon, remove insulation pad,blower motor and cover, disconect A/C lines from heater box (and pressure block), remove 6 (+/- 1) nuts that hold the heater box to the fire wall,
Inside truck,
remove glove box door, right kick pannel, heater controll, two screws that hold the air deflector (over the center hump) and deflector, two screws that hold air blend pannel(tucks up under the dash center) and blend pannel, dash brace( near the upper left corner of glove box opening), lower dash attaching bolt (just under the dash, right side kick pannel) and one attaching screw just above accelerator pedal.
Disconect elec conections from heater box, remove vacume lines & gromet from firewall, disconect blend cable (right side of mount under cable gently press tab in and pull cable straight up) remove heater box attaching bolt(under heater box on kick pannel)
Pull dash towords seat enough to let the lower dash mount catch on the door opening
pull heater box away from firewall. lower from under dash while turning firewall side of box towords floor. should slide out.

10 min easy

Hope this helps

Dont use pour in sealers...they dont differentiate a leak from a restriction and tend to seal steam holes in head gaskets and could plug you heater core Everything is there except the 10 min easy.