help! heater core!

[cb84capri]

i used my "very handy" chiltons manual to help me pull out my evap box and blower motor to discover that it doesn't come out of the car like they say it does! tried everything to get it in but i can't get it to line up with the heater core in, so now i think i need to drop the dash :x

ok i pulled the blower motor out of the car. i have the evap. box lowered and i took the top off the top plastic piece that covers the heater core and removed the heater core because it started leaking a lot the other day and i wanted to pull it before it dumped on me. i need to get everything back in and im pretty convinced the dash has to be pulled to be done properly.

can somebody please help me? is this the best way to do this? i need to get this back together as fast as i can cuz i'm supposed to finally go drag racing tomorrow night and i don't wanna lose out again cuz of stupid car problems.

thanks
cale

[Zap's 85 GT]

If its an A/C car the dash needs to be removed to replace the heater core. The Chiltons/Hanes manuals only talk about the non A/C cars.

[83capril]

Zap is correct. I had to do mine by dropping the dash 83 capri with a/c. It wasn't that bad just that some of the stuff is a tight fit. So you have to be kinda prepared to lay on your floor board on yoour back. Have fun..

[negusm]

OK, you should be able to get a shunt from a parts store to bypass the heater core for now so you can at least buy some time.

Second, to replace the evaporator/heater core, you will probably need to drop the dash (or remove it entirely).

I removed the dash on mine since I was swapping it out when I did my heater core.

Check this article out:
http://www.50stangs.com/techarticles/heatercore.html

Remove your seats and drop your steering column down. It takes 10 minutes and that will give you 10 times the room to work.

-Mike

[cb84capri]

thanks guys im gonna get to it right now, just got off work. wish me luck i got 4 hours anyways.

cale

[amanns]

just by pass the heater core. simple propcess then at your convience drop the dash. aw amanns 83 glx conv.

[Marz]

The dash does not need to be removed to replave a heater core in a AC equiped car. I have never once in my 6 times of replacing FOX heater core had to remove a dash. You unbolt/unscrew the cash and move it forward (Toward you as if you were in the car with it facing you) and then unbolt the AC/heater box from the firewall and move that forward (again... Toward you) as well... though it wont move that much... but it'll move. And don't forget to drop the steering wheel.

Every one of the FOXes I've ownd needed the heater core replaced. I've done the 5 FOXes that I've owned and helped a friend with his.

Be prepared to to get your arms scratched up.... :)

The R/R of the heater core should take a beginer, that follows the Chiltons directions, about 6-8 hours. After that... it's half the time. Before to tackel your own car... why not go to the salvage yard and see how difficult it is by dis-mounting a FOX dash there...

Jasen

[cb84capri]

all done. i would've had it all back together in time for going to milan but the poor weather conditions cancelled the otuing until next week. anyways went pretty smoothly, i dropped the steering column, unbolted the dash, and had enough room to get the core in and everything done, and it went back together perfectly.

oh and i took mike's advice and removed the seats too. good idea made for less back pain.

next capri i get will be non air. my car has all the air equipment taken out anyways. i have a 83 parts rs in my backyard and it's frustrating looking up under the dash, everything is easily accesible and it looks like a 10 minute job to change cores, lol. well it's done and thanks all for the pointers. this is the first time i've actually used the chiltons and it was good for some schematics just to make sure i didn't damage anything, but it's impossible to pull the evap box out as a unit from under the dash without removing the dash like i understood it.

cale

[cb84capri]

by the way i made it out pretty good with few scratches. my left elbow rubbing on the carpet constantly got to me tho. :lol:

cale