Heater Core Write Up

[1990LTD]

it's under the light switch. you have to reach your hand up from underneath the dash with the knee pad off but since you've got it apart the knee pad should be off anyway.

you won't be able to see it unless you're a much smaller person than i, just gotta fish your hand up there and feel for it. there's barely enough room. i posted a thread a while ago called dashboard surgery but the search function blows and i can't find it now. i snapped a picture of it from underneath. it's not the best since i was just aiming the camera randomly (like i said, can't get down there to look up and see it)

[1990LTD]

ah there we go, i found it

[1990LTD]

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...hboard+surgery

[sly]

check your headlight knob for a set screw or spring clip. If there's a set screw, a T-6 torx or similar size hex (no clue what size hex) will get it out. If there's a small notch at the base of the knob, then there should be a spring clip and a small flat screwdriver will work wonders to remove the knob. no need to find the release button.

[BerniniCaCO3]

Thanks! I got it out with the button. Your photo was perfect, and with the underside of the dash pulled, and a flashlight, I actually could see it just fine. None of the access gaps were easy on the wrist, but got the button pushed and the light switch knob out.
Turned out it was of a spring clip variety (and it did have the little access notch, about 1/16"x3/32"), but I'll be damned if I could get it off even after it was out of the car and I was staring at the back of the clip. It's cemented in place


Several more questions.
Dash is free, but won't come out very far. It might be stuck on the steering wheel. I did drop the steering wheel (the 4 1/2" nuts), BUT, I left in the lower crossmember-- should I remove that? Steering wheel probably can't drop much lower anyway though; it's on the seat.

The instrument cluster, would you go ahead and preemptively replace all the bulbs? How often do they burn out? AND, do you like LED replacement bulbs or not?

I've never had any floor heat for as long as I've had the car (well, OK, 1 year). Regular heat has been weak: hence the heater core replacement. It's got to be as clogged as the radiator was, also, before I replaced that.
So I'm not surprised that I didn't feel any floor heat, not through jeans. Should I have felt/heard a fan though? I'm wondering if something else is broken afterall.
I do have the manual climate controls.
So if when I select floor heat, and fan speed high, I should hear and FEEL air blowing at my feet, nevermind whether it's particularly warm air-- then something's wrong. If it's always a slower, quiet, waft of "heat" rather than a blast of air like you get from the dash vents, then nothing else may be wrong but the heater core.

In the same vein, that climate control dash... there's something else I want to fix on it anyway, the top button for the blend door no longer stays straight out, but gouges into the face. A keyring was the perfect kludge (thanks goes to a member here about a year ago, can't remember who), but I'd like to fix it right. Now, moving the mode selection dial (floor heat, vents, a/c, defrost) around I hear a hissing sound: hydraulic/pneumatic?
Where I'm going with this is, is it easy and safe and nondestructive to try to remove this entire faceplate to fix that top button, or are there things that it is very hard to disconnect, even pneumatic/hydraulic lines that shouldn't be opened?
How do I pull it off?

[86VickyLX]

pull the light switch knob out to the 'on' position, reach up underneath it (your hand might not fit...mine barely does) - there's a tiny round metal button on the underside of the switch that will release the knob. gotta pull the switch/knob at the same time as you push the button, though...


yes, it is a rotten bastard to reach.

Hell no! Here's what I've done for the 90 plus dashes. Pull on the knob straight until it lets go. This normally will separate the plastic knob from the metal retainer. Then with a pair of pliers, squeeze the tab that's holding the retainer on the shaft. Then remove the auto lamp delay knob behind it. Push the shaft back into the off position. Problem solved.

You can also do the same thing but instead of pulling on the thing, use a curved hook or pick and release the retainer on the shaft. That's what most people do on those style of dashes.

[BerniniCaCO3]

Alright, where do I go from here?
The dash is free, but it won't come out any further. It's stuck on something on the driver's side, probably multiple wiring harnesses that I don't know if I really want to take the time to remove-- if it even can come out further?

There is of course the large plastic box under which I'm sure the heater core lies.
I removed 2 nuts and one bolt from under the hood, and then just 2 nuts from inside the car.
I can't see any others, but they must be there?

Hoping to wrap this up today; let me know how to get that box out of there.

[87gtVIC]

I think you have it plenty cleared. You need an extra set of hands. I recommend pulling the p.side seat and getting a buddy in there holding the dash away and up as high as he can while you remove the box from the bottom. Try and blow out the pipes or seal them up so when you rotate the box you do not dump colant on the carpet.

[BerniniCaCO3]

One of the reasons I did this now is, having just swapped the engine, there IS no coolant in it Well, just a little. The bypass hose could still deliver some, I think I found a 1/4 cup of coolant in the bottom of it.

I found out I had missed two bolts to the lefthand side of that box (what's its proper name?). I only found them after I had a buddy help lift the dash back up partially into place, but removing the passenger seat would have helped too.

--an aside, but the passenger seat has 2 obvious nuts in front, are there just 2 in back also and then it slides out?



Anyway! Got it out. God damn. I've sliced off all that gummy gooey black insulation and will silicone it back onto the new core.
I'm sure this gets easier. But speaking as a guy who learned to do his first oil change 10 months ago, this isn't the most user-friendly project.


Before I start reassembling, the reason I assumed I needed a heater core is that I had weak, really very weak (I was reminded every now and then when I was in a friend's car), heat that came out of it. No leaks though.
A clogged radiator was definitely the cause of my overheating woes last summer, fixed like a charm with a new one, so I'm presuming a clogged heater core would mean weak heat.
But, any other possibilities to investigate while I've got my dash looking like a warzone?

[86VickyLX]

Other than the core itself, it could be broken blend doors in the HVAC plenum box.

[Piece-it pete]

I'm uncertain if I should post here...

I'm planning on doing the heater core soon. I don't want to lose heat in the winter, and I'm darn tired of trying to keep my interior clean and old smell gone.

The write up is excellent, thanks. 2 questions: Anyone have a specific part rec on the core itself? I'd like to get a good one. Secondly, my speedo needle sometimes jumps 'high' after about 70 mph or so. Is this something I should address while the dash is mostly out?

Pete

[86VickyLX]

I'm uncertain if I should post here...

I'm planning on doing the heater core soon. I don't want to lose heat in the winter, and I'm darn tired of trying to keep my interior clean and old smell gone.

The write up is excellent, thanks. 2 questions: Anyone have a specific part rec on the core itself? I'd like to get a good one. Secondly, my speedo needle sometimes jumps 'high' after about 70 mph or so. Is this something I should address while the dash is mostly out?

Pete

Sadly you can't get factory heater cores for the box panther anymore. They are the best to get if you could find one.

The speedometer is jumping? My guess would be a cable that's being stupid. You can replace it. If anything, you can run the new cable and cable shield through the dash easier with it not against the firewall (I guess, I've never replaced a cable with the dash in place or not...).

[87gtVIC]

Check green sales for the heater core. I was lucky enough to get a core through my Ford dealer though..I'd give it a shot Pete.

[87gtVIC]

Just checked....Green Sales has 3 in stock. PN e3az18476e

[1990LTD]

you can't get them for box panthers anymore? ouch. looks like i bought mine at the right time.



398255 is the part number on it