Easy Heater Core Removal?

[LTDMan83]

Well, it’s getting cold here, and it’s about time to R&R the leaky heater core in my ‘89 Sig. I already have the motorcraft core on the way...It’s just that the dash is so tight and creak/rattle free on this car, I really don’t wanna have to remove it completely and risk ruining that factory build goodness. Plus I know it’ll turn into a project at that point with me wanting to sound deaden everything, lol. Anyone have any tips or tricks to getting this done without removing the dash? Like some way to just ninja it outta there...like maybe removing the glove box, and sneaking the core out of the bottom of its plenum, and through that opening?

[sly]

There is no way to do it without removing the dash at least partially.

[gadget73]

only way to fix it without you having to drop the dash is to pay someone else to drop the dash. I have seen pics of people hacking the firewall out to change the heater core and it looks as bad as you can probably imagine. I also suspect its not much faster and the HVAC probably doesn't work for shit once you hack it to bits anyway.

[85crownHPP]

I seem to recall tales of sneaking it out after only getting that side of the dash loose, but in hindsight they felt it would have been less of a struggle/contortionist act to have just pulled the whole dash out...

[sly]

Getting the dash out about 10 inches on the passenger side and the plenum will drop clean out of a box. Aeros should be about the same. Some wiring wrangling is needed and mind the blend door actuators. Once the rear floor vents were a thing ... it's just a complete bastard of a job. Gotta pull out the front seats and pull up the carpet to get that floor vent out and then pull the dash and drop the plenum, but there's no engine bay nuts to deal with like on the boxes. No matter which era car you're dealing with, it's still a bitch of a job.

[DerekTheGreat]

Cheese & rice, that was such a good car for Ashley!

Of all the things I thought that car would never need, the heater core was one of them. Guess they call take a dump eventually which has me worried about mine. Oh well, hopefully it gets us to Florida this year without it making the whole car smell like breakfast on Sunday morning...

Oh, we still want pics of the car! Would be nice to see it with it's new owner.

[LTDMan83]

I wanna avoid bending things so I guess the dash is coming out then, ugh! Might as well order the sound deadening now...This is not gonna be a fun job, but at least it gives me the chance to Dynamat the firewall and interior metal pieces of the dash properly. That should help everything feel even more solid. This will be my first heater core R&R in a box, fun fun.

Cheese & rice, that was such a good car for Ashley!

Of all the things I thought that car would never need, the heater core was one of them. Guess they call take a dump eventually which has me worried about mine. Oh well, hopefully it gets us to Florida this year without it making the whole car smell like breakfast on Sunday morning...

Oh, we still want pics of the car! Would be nice to see it with it's new owner.

Well when I got it, I could tell by the smell when the heat was on, that it was leaking into the plenum. Also when the car would sit for awhile, the windshield and all the windows would get a smoky looking haze on the inside of them, which would have to be wiped off with a microfiber cloth. A week later it would be back again. That got annoying, lol.

Car will be getting painted back it’s stock color next year. Even with the peeling clear coat patina it has now, strangely enough it still gets respect and compliments out on the road. I’ll be sure to get some before and after pics of the paint job.

[turbo2256b]

Just did my 87 wagon. Someone had been in there before. If you dont loosen both ends and try to bend it out you can crack the dash in about the middle. Of course it isnt noticed with all the trim on. But if there is already a crack in the dash someone has replaced it before and be ready for some other issues as happened with my wagon. Also be ready to check the operation of the blend doors in the wagon some were F---ed up lucky I had a spare box.
Had to drop the steering a bit to loosen a nut to pull the dash out far enough because of a bracket. Same with a brace near the under side of the dash just to the drivers side of the heat controls and ash tray. Probably need to unhook or loosen up the shift indicator cable too.

[DerekTheGreat]

...Well when I got it, I could tell by the smell when the heat was on, that it was leaking into the plenum. Also when the car would sit for awhile, the windshield and all the windows would get a smoky looking haze on the inside of them, which would have to be wiped off with a microfiber cloth. A week later it would be back again. That got annoying, lol.

Car will be getting painted back it’s stock color next year. Even with the peeling clear coat patina it has now, strangely enough it still gets respect and compliments out on the road. I’ll be sure to get some before and after pics of the paint job.

Hrm, Ashley never mentioned that. Then again, even with her new Mark VII (which is now dead) I'm the one who finds things to fix or points things out. She likes the old stuff but is kinda oblivious sometimes short of big noises, rattles or vibrations.

Stock color & top is a good combination, especially with the wire wheels, very gangsta! She always got compliments on the fly, my '88 only seems to get them at functions where it's almost obligatory haha. Can only imagine what it's like with an HO now.

[christopherhale8]

Well, it’s getting cold here, and it’s about time to R&R the leaky heater core in my ‘89 Sig. I already have the motorcraft core on the way...It’s just that the dash is so tight and creak/rattle free on this car, I really don’t wanna have to remove it completely and risk ruining that factory build goodness. Plus I know it’ll turn into a project at that point with me wanting to sound deaden everything, lol. Anyone have any tips or tricks to getting this done without removing the dash? Like some way to just ninja it outta there...like maybe removing the glove box, and sneaking the core out of the bottom of its plenum, and through that opening?

without doing some hacking ..your going to have to remove the dash....or pay to get it done...just don't let the dealer do it.....its 400 to 500 dollars more

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[87gtVIC]

This day in age I would not let the dealer touch a 30 year old car. The people working on the car won’t have a clue how to do the job, no less be careful enough to not break things.

[gadget73]

Yeah, you need someone who is patient, not someone who is getting paid flat rate for the job. All of this stuff is brittle now and much easier to destroy than it is to repair or replace.

[sly]

This day in age I would not let the dealer touch a 30 year old car. The people working on the car won’t have a clue how to do the job, no less be careful enough to not break things.

Yeah, you need someone who is patient, not someone who is getting paid flat rate for the job. All of this stuff is brittle now and much easier to destroy than it is to repair or replace.

Both quoted for truth.

Main reason I did the crappy job myself. I'm still recovering from it 3 days later. Bruised myself in several places due to weird angles for accessing things.

[LTDMan83]

Yeah, I don’t let anyone touch my vehicles. I can only imagine the half ass job of putting the dash back together a regular mechanic would do. I actually take the time to bag and tag every single fastener, and mark it’s location, so I can get it back how it was factory, and don’t end up with extra parts in the end, lol! I could see things bending and cracking if I try and just and pull out the passenger side of the dash enough to clear the plenum, so I’m gonna take the time to do it right...Drop the steering column, pull the dash fully off, and take it outta the car so I can have the room to dynamat the firewall and everything metal inside the dash. I’ve removed LTD CV dashes before, so I know what I’m in for here.

Hrm, Ashley never mentioned that. Then again, even with her new Mark VII (which is now dead) I'm the one who finds things to fix or points things out. She likes the old stuff but is kinda oblivious sometimes short of big noises, rattles or vibrations.

Stock color & top is a good combination, especially with the wire wheels, very gangsta! She always got compliments on the fly, my '88 only seems to get them at functions where it's almost obligatory haha. Can only imagine what it's like with an HO now.

It's honestly about the same as the Lopo below 4K, nothing special for regular driving unless you like winding it fully out to 5k at WOT throttle every single time you take off from a stop.

[gadget73]

Depending on the gearing, an HO is actually usually worse than a lopo at low speeds. They have shit for torque under about 2500 rpm in stock form. The lower intake helps with that, but much of it is just how the cam works. I've said it multiple times, but the Holley Systemax 1 intake on my Mark VII made a considerable improvement though. Thats the old one that mates to the stock upper intake. Functionally its very much on par with a properly ported stock lower though. No need to try and seek out rare nonsense. I had it and I came into it for a good price so it went on the car when the intake gaskets needed to be replaced, otherwise it would probably still be rocking the stock intake. I was expecting nothing, but I got something out of it.