Anybody had to deal with this yet? Replacing the heater core that is. In trucks past, you only had to pull out the glove box and change out the heater core. In this SOB, you have to discharge the AC system, drop the steering cloumn and remove the instrument panel. And the instrument panel is not just the gauge cluster. It's the entire dash. Basically everything between the seats and the firewall. If anyone has any insight as to how this can be done any easier I could use the help. Or if anyone has an idea what he dealer charges for this?

Just about every new car & truck on the road today is built that away. The dealer that I work for we charge 5 hrs to pull a dash, for heater core your probably looking at 8-10 hrs or $800 to $1000.

Yep, that's what my dealer told me yesterday. Well, I know what I'm doing this weekend. I'll let you all know how it goes.

This sucked. If you have the $700+ to blow, have someone else do this. $84 part. $15 gallon of antifreeze. Whole weekend shot. It wouldn't have been so bad if I had a garage to work in. Probably could have done it in one day. But the weather was not cooperative. Honestly, the worst part of the whole thing was flushing and refilling the system when I was finished.

Here are a couple of tips.
1)Go ahead and buy a thermostat. You are supposed to remove it to flush the system, so you might as well replace it while you have it out.

2)A local company told me about a coolant restrictor unit that FORD came up with to help deter heater core failure. It reduces the force of the flow through the core thus extending the life of the core. Supposedly this has no effect on heater performance. The unit costs $18 and is just installed in the line going into the heater core with a couple of hose clamps. I will be installng one when I have them recharge my AC system. Their web address is www.autocool.biz. I spoke to Brad on the phone.

3)Do not disconnect the shifter linkage when you drop the steering column. Its tricky to line it back up. (Chilton doesn't say to do this, but I did it while disassembling the column - just be aware that it does not need to be removed)

4)Read all sections referenced in the chapter describing the removal of the heater core thoroughly. I read "discharge the AC system, blah, blah, blah". Then when I came to certain steps that referenced other chapters for disassembly of other related components such as the AC system, I found that I was going to need a new or special tool, or that a step that is one line long but references another part of the book is going to be a three page instruction.

The best thing about doing my own work is that since I am saving this money from being spent, I get that much credit with the wife to spend as I wish when we have the extra dough. I will be replacing all of the speakers in the truck very shortly. And now that I know how to get to those three extra spots in the top of the dash, putting in some extra ones. All but the subs. They are just fine.

Good luck...

Bet you'll be the only one with heater core exchange merit badge.

Great info BFDAH - and sorry it took up your weekend... but you definitely saved some good $$.

Ah I think Freeze had to do his over the summer Jay.

My Alzheimers may be kicking in .....

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Ah I think Freeze had to do his over the summer Jay.

Believe yer right.

I may be getting that merit badge as well, this morning I went to go for the heat and nothing but icy cold air blew out! Drove it around all day getting parts and doing errands and after all day of trying it, the son of a b kicked on.. The lines going to the firewall aren't frozen and you can hear it change from a/c to heat. Superchips says i'm throwing code, P2181, but that doesn't mean much to me.

Richard - check out the DTC list under the Maintenance thread...

quote:

4)Read all sections referenced in the chapter describing the removal of the heater core thoroughly. I read "discharge the AC system, blah, blah, blah". Then when I came to certain steps that referenced other chapters for disassembly of other related components such as the AC system, I found that I was going to need a new or special tool, or that a step that is one line long but references another part of the book is going to be a three page instruction.

Good information, now how about a write up on this so we can put it on here for other members to reference?

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Originally posted by DickiesGotAHemi:
I may be getting that merit badge as well, this morning I went to go for the heat and nothing but icy cold air blew out! Drove it around all day getting parts and doing errands and after all day of trying it, the son of a b kicked on.. The lines going to the firewall aren't frozen and you can hear it change from a/c to heat. Superchips says i'm throwing code, P2181, but that doesn't mean much to me.

P2181 is a cooling system performance error code. It could be the thermostat or the engine coolant temperature sensor (ECT).