Doing heater core

[86VickyLX]

How do I drop the darn steering column? This is keeping me from continuing on. From what I've seen there is only two nuts that hold the column up. THe steering column comes down a little bit, so are there more bolts I can't see? Or what?

[grandpaslincoln]

There are two more in the back near the firewall, unless those are the ones you already took out. They are there, gotta look closer. And for god sakes, set the parking brake and block the wheels before you pull the column down. Don't need another mang getting run over lol

[86VickyLX]

There are two more in the back near the firewall, unless those are the ones you already took out. They are there, gotta look closer. And for god sakes, set the parking brake and block the wheels before you pull the column down. Don't need another mang getting run over lol

yeah, I got them, the column is down. And I did set the emergency brake.

[boXman]

yea no more broken bones from heater core jobs..

[86VickyLX]

yeah i got all taht taken care of. Now, I am at the box where the heater core is. I can't seem to get the box away from the firewall. I removed the nut from the engine compartment side. and the two nuts at the bottom of the box by the hump.

[gadget73]

wiggle it. It'll come out of there.

[86VickyLX]

I've been doing that, it hasn't moved I'll try to get it tomorrow after school.

[mrltd]

Nut? Singular? There are more than that....Should be 3 or 4 on the engine compartment side

[gadget73]

if memory serves, mine had 1 on the engine compartment side and 2 at the bottom of the box behind the carpet. Its only got 1 on there now, the engine compartment side. I somehow lost the other two. The engine compartment side one was loose and the box was actually moving around because of it.

[85crownHPP]

my long term memory banks recall pics of two hidden nuts on the outside, you have to trim away some plastic to get to them or something....

[86VickyLX]

Ok thanks. I'll look around for these hidden nuts.

[Lincolnmania]

shouldnt you be in school young mang

[86VickyLX]

shouldnt you be in school young mang

I had a half day today. :P Anyway, I found another nut on the engine compartment side. really low down. Should they really go down that low? I think it's the only one. But the damn stud just spins. That stud shouldn't be turning should it? I know that's one of the bolts because it moves with the box when I wiggle the box.

[OilBurner]

Im having the same problem with my 86 GM doing the heater core...cant get the box away from the firewall... removed the 2 nuts inside and the single apparent one by the hoses...then discovered the other one way down low that just spins...anymore? what ever happened with this...i see it was about 8 years ago...?

[nfldfordltd]

It sucks when the stud just spins, but unfortunately you'll just have to deal with it. I think I jammed something in between the firewall and heater box, creating a strain on the stud as it was unscrewing, thereby unscrewing itself from the box. Then on re-assembly, I just screwed the stud into the plastic.
I also released the bolt that holds the lower passenger end of the dash to the A-pillar and pried the dash backward for more clearance to wiggle the heater box out from behind the dash. It has to tilt downward as you're removing it, and be prepared for a mess of coolant. Plug the heater core lines as best you can but you'll still get coolant from the box itself.
Hope this helps, from someone who's done it no less than five times lol...