Replacing the heater core in an 82 Vette

[wishuwerehere82]

One of my last projects on my '82 is to replace the heater core. That is, unless something else breaks again.
Mine has been bypassed for so long I forgot what heat is.
I started to do it last fall, and found that the ducting was going to be a bigger job to remove than I thought. So I put it back together again, and forgot about it till now.
It seems to me that the whole dashboard and console will have to be removed in order to get the large duct out of the way that routes behind the console. The core has been drained for 5 years so I'm safe from messing up the new carpets.
Anybody have experience with this job?

 

[cdr63corv]

Just replaced the heator core on my 63 so I cant really help there but do suggest having the new core pressure tested before installation the first one they gave me actually leaked didnt find out till everything was back together, course if somthing bad will happen its gonna happen to me, had to take it all apart again and put it back together. Wonder if you would have room if you take the glove box out, check to see if any part of the box comes apart there was a part of it that came apart on mine just before it split for the defroster heat ducts.

 

[Mr.Cool]

I had to replace my blower housing box this winter. While I did this I also removed and cleaned the evap core as well as check the heater core and bypass door for a good seal. I was not looking at it with the intent of removing the core but I believe if I had to remove it, it could be done from underneath the car. I have my dash out right now I'll look at it and see if it can be serviced from inside the car. It may take me a day or two before I get over to my shop to look at it.

Tom

 

[Ala75Vette]

Replaced my heater core about a year ago... don't know how different an 82 is from a 75, though, although I'd imagine they're fairly similar. The heater core is in the "heater box" in the cabin of the car, behind the passengar dash. I had to remove the dash and center console to get the box out, and the single "hardest" part was one of those "duh" factors -- there's a stud at the top-left of the box that goes through the firewall to under the hood. Once I removed the nut from the stud under the hood, the box came right out. Not a real easy job, but not tooo hard.... it's just a pain having to take half the interior apart to get to it. Be careful with vacuum hoses, etc, to make sure you get everything back together again (right) so you don't create new probs to fix!

 

[wishuwerehere82]

That's what I thought. It looks like I will pull the dash and the console on a good day, when I feel ambitious.
Corvettes are like fine wines, they take a long time to do them right.
The heater core was the first part I bought and the last one to fix. So much work for a tiny leak.

 

[82ColEd]

Maybe i am off base on this one, but when i looked into doing this, it seemed that if you have AC in the car, it's from the inside, as everyone said 'removal of loads o' parts', but if you have no AC i saw pics that looked fairly straight forward to get to from the engine compartment.. I'll try and find the thread with all the pics for ya, has like a How-To to it that even i understood..

Edit: I searched for "heater core" here on the CAC C3 section but the only link i found is apparently not valid anymore (external photo website).. Sorry..

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Yes, it does have air conditioning. Doesn't work, but it's there. Haven't switched over to R 134A yet, so I cut the belt to the compressor. The box does come out from the inside, so it's an inside job, but the problem was getting all of the ducts out first.
I just didn't want to remove the console unnecessarily. It will require some time and lots of patience, but I had the passenger side apart already and it's just lots of screws to remove. No big deal.

 

[Bob Chadwick]

I had to replace my blower housing box this winter. While I did this I also removed and cleaned the evap core as well as check the heater core and bypass door for a good seal. I was not looking at it with the intent of removing the core but I believe if I had to remove it, it could be done from underneath the car. I have my dash out right now I'll look at it and see if it can be serviced from inside the car. It may take me a day or two before I get over to my shop to look at it.

Tom

Tom,

Can you describe the procedure to the extent that you can recall it? I've been contempalting mine for a while but can't really figure out what's involved.

Bob

 

[82X-FireVette]

You will have to remove the center console, center dash gage cluster, and the glove box. I also removed the passenger's seat to make more room. It is a big job. You might want to get a heater box seal kit to replace the seals while you're at it. Good luck.

 

[wishuwerehere82]

Thanks to everybody for the help on this one!
I will probably start on it next week. that will give me enough time to get the parts. New seals are probably a good idea, as the foam pieces are the consistency of modelling clay. Taking the seat out is a piece of cake, done several times before.
I did the whole interior two years ago, so I know how everything comes apart. Console, gauges, dashboard...
Thanks for pointing me the right direction.

 

[KANE]

Heater core hi-jinx

Oh...


I have some really funny pics. They show the side carpet panel out, the center gauge cluster, the heating ducts, the hydralic jack....

I felt like I was a doctor delivering a child via C-section for the first time.
It took all morning long that Saturday in 2000. I did it right at the end of the summer. That's the best time to work on the coolan system- when its warm outside!!

 

[wishuwerehere82]

The HYDRAULIC JACK?????

I didn't see that on the parts list.