heater core disaster!!

[Trevor]

Hi guys. I was wondering if you can bail me out here. I decided to change the heater core (its leaking) on my 92 MGM and it didn't go smooth. Started at ten and gave up around 4. with some breaks. Anyways. I cant get the GD dash out. I am very close but I am caught on something. And frankly I got a little mad and cracked the dash a bit... in a few places trying to muscle the friggin' thing out. Any tips or advice. I would paid someone to do it if I could afford it. Thank you,

-Trevor

[warrior_oh58d]

You did the right thing by stepping away for a bit. I had a 99 F150 give me fits with the heater core. To the point of running without heat for a winter before I tackled the repair again.

Are you using a Haynes manual or something similar that's got some reasonably detailed disassembly instructions?


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[VicCrownVic]

I believe the 92 dash is very similar to the 91 dash.
Can you tell where it feels like it's hanging up? Driver side, passenger side, just the middle, or nowhere in particular?
When I tore into my dash in my 91 I was caught up on the screws on the top of dash up along the windshield. At first I didn't realize the plastic piece closest to the windshield just pops right out from the top of the dash revealing those screws.

Have you already dropped the steering column? And, assuming the same setup as 91, there should be 2 lager bolts holding the driver side of the dash to the body of the car. One bolt just below the dash in plain view and the other you have to look through the headlight switch cavity to see. My memory is a little more fuzzy on the passenger side, I don't remember anything that wasn't straight forward on that side.

[Trevor]

I am using autozone.com and an hanyes manual. It feels like its suck over by drivers side to the left of the radio. It just wont give. the steering column bolts have been removed. I think my car resents me because I drive her too rough...

[mcninetyone]

Without being able to actually see it, it's hard to give any advice. But I've done this a few times and it's not as hard as it looks.
You remove the radio and climate controls.
drop the steering column, remove the steering wheel if that makes it easier.
There might be two small screws behind the instrument cluster that may make thing easier if you remove them
two bolts on the drivers side and one, maybe two on the pass. side (kick panel area)
one bracket behind and to the left of the glove box, by the way, remove the glove box.
and of course all those screws across the top.
Then unplug, unscrew and unbolt all the wiring on the pass side around the kick panel area.
One bundle of wires goes under the hood around the heater box, you can't unbolt or unplug that one.
The dash will now move out of the way enough to remove heater core.
No need to completely remove dash from the car.
There will be other small stuff to remove or unplug on and around the heater box
But this should get you there.
I'm sure there are other ways to do this, this is my way.
By the way there is at least one nut to remove under the hood, close to the heater hoses at the firewall.
Yes, it's a pita!
Good Luck

[BigT]

Without being able to actually see it, it's hard to give any advice. But I've done this a few times and it's not as hard as it looks.
You remove the radio and climate controls.
drop the steering column, remove the steering wheel if that makes it easier.
There might be two small screws behind the instrument cluster that may make thing easier if you remove them
two bolts on the drivers side and one, maybe two on the pass. side (kick panel area)
one bracket behind and to the left of the glove box, by the way, remove the glove box.
and of course all those screws across the top.
Then unplug, unscrew and unbolt all the wiring on the pass side around the kick panel area.
One bundle of wires goes under the hood around the heater box, you can't unbolt or unplug that one.
The dash will now move out of the way enough to remove heater core.
No need to completely remove dash from the car.
There will be other small stuff to remove or unplug on and around the heater box
But this should get you there.
I'm sure there are other ways to do this, this is my way.
By the way there is at least one nut to remove under the hood, close to the heater hoses at the firewall.
Yes, it's a pita!
Good Luck

This!

I had to remove what seemed like a thousand screws/bolts to get to the heater core. Even then the dash only tilted forward toward the seat. It was not removed. Dropping the steering column help greatly in moving the dash out of the way.

Also, even if everything goes smooth, this is a very time consuming job. Take your time. Basically 1 day to tear down to the core. About an hour to change the core and test it for leaks, then about another day to put everything back into place.

[VicCrownVic]

...It feels like its suck over by drivers side to the left of the radio. It just wont give...

That sounds like the last step before I got my dash to move. For me it was just one little screw on top of the dash along the windshield that I had missed.
What mcninetyone described sounds exactly the same as how I did mine.

[Trevor]

So this has been a complete failure. So far. I ended up totally jacking the dash up. I am too broke and too stubborn to give up. I guess getting angry doesn't help. So I want to try it again. I found a (what seems) to be a great guide to remove the dash. And I think I found where I messed up but I am a bit confused on the exact location of specific steps. Here is the link to the page.

http://www.justanswer.com/ford/1hpgl-question-answered-yesterday-1992-crown-vic.html

I did not do step 8 and 9. Is that basically the cover that goes around the steering column by the ignition? And I am not sure where the four nuts are for step 13. and where the bolts are for step 22. Thank you for those who have helped me so far and those to come.
Thanks guys

[mcninetyone]

You have to remove numbers 6 & 8, so you can remove the bolts holding the panel under steering column.

Forget number 9

Number 13, the four nuts are under the dash, two on the left and two on the right of the steering column.
you have to get down in there and look straight up, the two closest to the firewall are sometimes harder to see.

Number 22, those are the two bolts holding the dash in place, they are close to the kick panel.(drivers side)
you have to remove the kick panel and the panel under the steering column to see or get them.
There is also a smaller bolt on the pass side.

Remove both kick panels, instrument cluster and surrounding trim.

Hope this helps