i don't know how much demand there is for this, but i decided to do it anyway. i took some pics along the way when i replaced my heater core. maybe they'll help some people. i had done the heater core on my supra, so this was actually easier.

keep in mind that my truck has no A/C.

EDIT 2/2020- Since Photobucket hijacked all our pictures, here's a direct link to the album the pics are now hosted in. No descriptions, but you can kinda figure your way through it:
https://s29.photobucket.com/user/sha...?sort=3&page=1


the full dash before i started. (a bit dirty, heh)


full dash view from passenger's side:


pull the glove box out:


pull out the small piece under the stereo:


pull out the section under the steering column. detach the hood popping cable, and pull out the vent that goes to the upper left vent.


pull the surround for the stereo/climate control. remember to pull the knobs off the climate control, otherwise when you pull it off, they'll fly everywhere!


pull out the stereo:


pull out the instrument cluster:


pull the four (14mm?) bolts holding the steering column up to the main dash support. (the huge metal bar) let the steering wheel drop down onto the driver's seat.


pop the dash out. (make sure you drop the steering column first!)


here's what the steering column looks like dropped out:


remove the bolts/nuts for the two supports for the stereo area, then remove the two fasteners from the passenger's side of the large support bar, and the two bolts/two nuts, and pull it out through the passenger side door.


another of the bar removed:


duct between the blower motor and heater core removed:


i didn't get pictures of having the actual core out, as my hands were quite greasy from helping my friend put rotors, calipers and pads on his '91. so here's the new core installed with new weather stripping from the local hardware store. i also got a new gasket for the extension pipe for the core, and a new clip just for good measure.


and here's the finished product, with everything back in and functioning properly. install is the reverse of removal.



hope that helps someone!

-shaeff

 

That's looks pretty damn involved. I hate diving into the dash. I was going to buy another heater core and drill/tap for a sender for an afermarket temp gauge.

How long did it take you?

 

it took me pretty much all day, but i was doing several other projects at the same time. if i were only doing this, it would only have taken about 3 hours or so, tops.

i had a coffee break in the morning, lunch break shortly after (i was up early that day), helped my friend with his brakes, rotors, calipers, helped another friend work on his jeep figuring out electrical gremlins, etc...

but it's really pretty straight forward. just take your time, and feel for each screw you have to remove.

-shaeff

 

Yeah. I gotta dig into the dash to hook up some CB stuff anyway...

 

you shouldn't have to go as deep as the heater core for CB stuff!

-shaeff

 

heh yeah, but I'm already half way there... I like to do everything at once.

 

true, better to pull it and get it over with than to do it half way, twice!

-shaeff

 

Thanks that post really helped me out today. The Haynes manual is worthless sometimes.

 

I inherited this beast and somebody put a new heater core in it. I think they may have crossed a couple of cables. When I move the lever from cold to hot, the water valve opens alright but the recirculation door also opens . Hard to get any real hot air moving when cold air is coming in all the time when in heat mode. I would hope that the recirculation lever would do that but I've not been able to find a diagram of the cables in the fsm or clymers manual. could you verify which lever moves which door or valve.
thanks
paul

 

Nice writeup. Just thought that I would mention that if you tilt the wheel all the way down, it is possible to pop the dash w/o removing the column.

 

Why don't you put this in the tech writeup section. Its much appreciated when people take a couple pics of their repairs and write a little bit.

I think it would take a little liquid courage for me to rip apart the dash like that. I have something in my dash that blows around (pine needles?) while driving. Its obnoxious and its not in in the area below the slats in front of the windshield.

 

sounds like its in the heater core alright, matt16.

 

i got it i had remove the white thing with the lever on it then it came out

 

While this may be true, the steel support behind the dash needs to out anyway, so you might as well just do as I posted.

kittyhawk- you're welcome.

 

Dashboards! Schmashboards! Who needs 'em? I think I'd prefer to just drive around like this all the time and dispense with the stupid dashboard.

 

wow I'm glad this got revived, lol, I have to do mine soon; I have the new heater core and new hoses and everything already, just need the time to do it

props on the great write-up!

 

Give your self plenty of time and be patients.It goes back together easy.If you air you have to discharge it first. Then its a bunch of screws and 10 millimeters bolts and four 12 millimeters bolts.

 

what? why would you have to release the pressure from the AC system?

 

I'm new at all things auto/mechanical so I have a question; in the 2nd to the last pic, you show two devices, with the duct removed from between the two. Am I right in assuming the heater core is inside the left device, and not the right? the one on the right looks like a motor, with a filter of some type in front of it...

 

i do not look forward to replacing my heater core soon.