A fellow I know has a 94 Ram and has been smelling anti-freeze in the cab lately. I told him it was probably the heater core and might need a new one. He just called me sobbing that the garage wants $700 too do it because they have to pull the entire dashboard out to do it. Is this right? Can't be....

 

run a search for heater core. haulin_in_dixie did one on a 99 and it sounds like a nightmare.

 

I am not sure about pulling the whole dash just to get to it, but a new heater core sells locally for 79.00.

 

The AC evap or heater core require the removal of the dash. I had it done for my AC on my 1998 1500 for $660.

 

Yep, just went through it a short while back. If you are not a good wrench, don't even attempt it. $700 does not sound real bad for the job. It will teach you to keep fresh antifreez in the thing. It's really a stupid setup, just like the Fords, done a couple of them before. Steering column comes out, mess of wiring, any extra gages etc, remove the dash, drop the AC unit pressure, remove the whole heater/ac unit, then replace the core. I was impressed that everything went back together as new. Did not have anything different after replacing it, except I had HEAT. Sorry but tell your friend that he has to bite the bullet. I still smell antifreeze sometimes, it gets all in the system. I have no leaks, it just has to evaporate out I guess.

 

If he's planning a do-it-yourselfer, there was a post sometime back over on TDR with step by step pictures on the process.

 

Well, ain't that just an engineering marvel??!! Pretty sad.

 

I had a Caravan that was basically the same way, book showed more than 5 hours labor, did it myself in about 8 but had to have air vacuumed and charged.
I like the old Fords, about a 30 minute job.

 

I can't find it but I saw a post with picts on another Ram truck site on how to roll the dash forward, cut the heater core lines, lift the top of the heater box, remove the old core, cut the lines on the new core to match the old cut lines, and join the two with a small section of heater hose and clamps. This allowed you to not have to remove the box, the A/C could be left alone. A number of folks did the same procedure and were happy with the outcome. Not my idea, but just some interesting "ingenuity" I saw. (if you can call it that )

 

I considered that but was afraid to have the hidden rubber hoses in the cab. I fugured bite the bullet and put it in right.

 

So whats the change interval on anitfreeze? isnt it just drain/flush/refill ? can you flush the system with just tapwater, or is distilled better?

 

My feelings exactly, but I thought I'd throw it out there