hey, I am thinking about changing my heater core myself in a few days, and I had a couple questions about it. I was wondering how long it would take, I have probably a week straight that I can do it, I am just hoping it wouldn't take the whole week. I know I have to take the entire dash out, would it help to remove the seats too or can I do it with them still in. Do I need any special tools? I have your average set of tools, sockets and screw drivers, things like that. I have a chiltons book to help me. Does anyone have any pointers of things to look out for? I have a/c but it doesn't work. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated, thanks.
Heater Core
- Thread starter Destructor5
- Start date
I would say label all of the bolts and screws and their location in the dash when you remove them. I would leave the seats in, they come in handy when your working. Yes, a simple socket set and some screwdrivers are all ya need to take it out. It took me about a week to take mine out but I was working all week and only had a few hours at night to work on it. I am sure you can cut your time down better than that.
Good luck
Dan
Good luck
Dan
if you dont have ac it will take about 20 min. If you have AC you will be there a while. Do yourself a favor, take out the console and the seats(unless you work in the circus and your name is rubber boy) The whole job is not hard just take your time and try not to drop too many screws into the airvents. Also keep an eye for a blue metric bolt above the steering colum (that gets everyone the first time) . Also dont cheap out on the heater core. I have gone though this a few times only to tear it all apart a week later due to a defective core. The only special tools ()if you can call them that) a right angle phillips head, and a magnetic pick up tool (fot thoes screws in the airvent)
good luck
good luck
Took me 10 hours, with a 1 hour break and having to pull the center console back out because I forgot about the two bolt on the transmission hump.
I don't know how many hours I spent. I spent a few hours at night and then continued the next day. I had it drivable by the end of that day. (drivable does not include the center console and steering wheel trim 
)
Make sure you tighten the bolt under the HVAC assembly all the way back in. I was laying upside down with the seat reclined and the dash resting on my chest so I skimped on this part since it was pretty secure without the bolt tightened.
I later found that the metal strap the bolt holds is used as the ground for the blower.
I'm pretty sure you can take that bolt off before you remove the dash and put it back on after you have the dash back in place so I would recommend that.
Its a little hard to find at first. Just get under there with a flashlight and look.
Another recommendation would be to take the dash retaining screw above the steering wheel column off before you take the torx screw in the top center of the dash off.
I did the opposite and my hands payed for it. (trying to hold the dash up while unscrewing it - sharp plastic)
I mainly used the guide at http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/5652/
Make sure you take the 2 nuts off in the engine bay. I didn't realize there were two. Also make sure you remove the black sealant and replace it with black rtv silicone that dries soft.
Like Dan said make sure you label and organize all your screws and bolts.
You will probably want to have another hand in a few spots. Mainly while putting the dash back and aligning the pipes through the hole in the firewall.
)Make sure you tighten the bolt under the HVAC assembly all the way back in. I was laying upside down with the seat reclined and the dash resting on my chest so I skimped on this part since it was pretty secure without the bolt tightened.
I later found that the metal strap the bolt holds is used as the ground for the blower.
I'm pretty sure you can take that bolt off before you remove the dash and put it back on after you have the dash back in place so I would recommend that.
Its a little hard to find at first. Just get under there with a flashlight and look.
Another recommendation would be to take the dash retaining screw above the steering wheel column off before you take the torx screw in the top center of the dash off.
I did the opposite and my hands payed for it. (trying to hold the dash up while unscrewing it - sharp plastic)
I mainly used the guide at http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/5652/
Make sure you take the 2 nuts off in the engine bay. I didn't realize there were two. Also make sure you remove the black sealant and replace it with black rtv silicone that dries soft.
Like Dan said make sure you label and organize all your screws and bolts.
You will probably want to have another hand in a few spots. Mainly while putting the dash back and aligning the pipes through the hole in the firewall.
-most people just sell their fox body when the heater core starts leaking.
I'd pull the seats, console completely out, drop the steering column to the floor, go slow, if it's an a/c car it's a job.
Get the original Ford heater core, so you don't have to do it for another 10-12 years. I did my LX in '95, it's ready to be replaced again.
I'd pull the seats, console completely out, drop the steering column to the floor, go slow, if it's an a/c car it's a job.
Get the original Ford heater core, so you don't have to do it for another 10-12 years. I did my LX in '95, it's ready to be replaced again.
thanks for all the tips, I know its going to probably be a pain in the ass but I have nothing better to do at the moment. Is it mostly torx head bolts? if so I'll probably have to buy a set before I start because I don't think I have any of those. I heard about only getting ford heater cores too because the other ones are crap. Thanks again.
rd
Founding Member
I have done this to my 79 and 89 with ac. Somewhere on here or Corral there is a great writeup from a magazine, with photos on how to do it. It also shows how to just pry up the back edge of the heater box to remove and replace the core, without having to remove the screws next to the firewall.
My personal best time is 5 hrs 33 minutes. Not that I am counting or anything.
My personal best time is 5 hrs 33 minutes. Not that I am counting or anything.
16vstang
New Member
Oh and if your carpet is wet from the anti-frease might wont to go ahead and pull that, clean it and set it out to dry wile your working on the heater core. I got it all done and had to pull the carpet latter to clean it out from all the nasty anit-frease.
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