How hard is it to replace the heater core. i know the dash has to come out. is there a special way of doin it? im a full time student, collecting unemployment and im a single father. i can't afford $300 plus just in labor.

replacing a heater core is never easy on a car unless you can access it from under the hood. More than likely you will have to remove it from inside the vehicle under the dash on the passenger side. Removing it and installing it is the easy part. Getting to it is the hard part. It is just a matter of removing enough dash parts to gain access to the core. That is the hard part. This is why this is a very expensive repair as the majority of the cost is labor. The core itself it relatively inexpensive. Look under the hood and follow the heater hoses to the firewall, you will then know the location of the core and know if it can be removed from under the hood. If you have to remove it from inside the vehicle just slowly start taking parts of the dash off and go very slow. Take photos if necessary in order to remember how to put it all back together. Some dash panels will snap off and some will be held in place with a screw or clip. Be very careful and do not break and parts. You can do this if you take you time

May not be heater core, sounds like leaking water into car from some other source.Low coolant could be engine gasket related Check for coolant leaks in engine compartment & under car.
Also check for water leak at winshield before replacing heater core.

If it is necessary to remove the heater assembly, the cooling system must be drained before removing the heater core.
When a heater core leaks, a new heater core is installed or the old one repaired.
Heater Housing

• The heater housing is usually under the dash and must be removed to gain access to the heater core.
• Procedures for replacing the heater core vary with the year, make, and model of car. It threfore necessary to consult the manufacturer's repair manuals for the proper procedure for replacement.

The heater housing is disassembled to get to the heater core. Heater Core

• Remove the access panels(s) or the split heater/air conditioning case to gain acess to the heater core.
• Remove the heater coolant hoses.
• Remove the cable and/or vacuum control lines (if equipped).
• Remove the heater core securing brackets and/or clamps.
• Lift the core from the case. Do not use force. Take care not to damage the fins of the heater core when removing.
• To reinstall the heater core, reverse the removal steps.

When the heater core leaks and must be repaired or replaced, it is a very difficult and time-consuming job primarily because of the core's location deep within the firewall of the car. For this reason always leak test a replacement heater core before installation.

Dennis, replacing a heater core is never easy on a car unless you can access it from under the hood. More than likely you will have to remove it from inside the vehicle under the dash on the passenger side. Removing it and installing it is the easy part. Getting to it is the hard part. It is just a matter of removing enough dash parts to gain access to the core. That is the hard part. This is why this is a very expensive repair as the majority of the cost is labor. The core itself it relatively inexpensive. Look under the hood and follow the heater hoses to the firewall. You will then know the location of the core and know if it can be removed from under the hood. If you have to remove it from inside the vehicle just slowly start taking parts of the dash off and go very slow. Take photos is necessary in order to remember how to put it all back together. Some dash panels will snap off and some will be held in place with a screw or clip. Be very careful and do not break and parts. You can do this if you take you time.

How would u direct airflow over another heater core to the passenger compartment?
no u must remove the entire dash to replace the heater core, there is no other way to get heat into the car.

If leaking coolant under dash on passenger side floor broad it's your heater core. Call's for 2.8 labor flat time to remove heater core, in some case's you'll have to recover, evacuate and recharge your A/C system to remove your heater core.Sit under dash on passenger side.

the dash should be fine

There is no short cut or fast way to do this. The dash has to come out to access the heater box and replace the core. So the steps in replacing the heater core are to disconnect the heater hoses, remove the dash, to access the heater corecover on the front of the heater case and replace the core. Reassembly is in the reverse order as disassembly. Fill the cooling system with new coolant, and burp the air form the cooling system.


http://my.voyager.net/~sscully/F-15097H ... xp_002.doc


Go to the above link and download the detailed procedure with diagrams for the same replacement procedure.

You do not have to do anything with the air conditioning, its all inside car under right side of dash. 1. go under hood and unhook heater hoses and bracket( if equiped) from core tubes. 2. go under dash right side remove 13mm bolt far right under dash thats so you can pull dash out a little ways to get cover off heater where heater core is.3. 1/4 in. socket set and 1/4 in. socket take screws out holding cover on look close there is one hidden top far right can't remember how maney 5 or 6 i think, screws all out use a little finess and remove cover and there will be your heater core. Good luck.

first determine if the heater core is located high or low by raising the hood checking against the firewall {by following the heater hoses to the fire wall} if it is high need to remove the dash. if it is low get on your back and start removing clips and screws no special tool needed.