Heater core

smilexelectric · 05-24-2009, 11:14 PM

Sooooo how hard is it to replace a heater core, i believe the water swishing noise on the passenger side is from a bad heater core.

My neighbor said it's a b*itch because you have to tear the dash apart.

bradrhale · 05-25-2009, 07:17 AM

depends on the year model. early 90 wasnt too bad unless you had big hands and could work on the floor.

smilexelectric · 05-25-2009, 08:38 AM

1998 c/k 1500

og25 · 05-25-2009, 08:53 AM

hey smilex, i've been to greensburg many time , i had a cousin that lived there. i am in the process of changing the heater core on my 96 3500hd. i believe you have a 98 1500 so they should be the same. i also had the swishing sound you mentioned with a leak. this is pretty simple. drain the coolant, remove the heater hoses, on the inside remove 6-7 screws on the bottom of the heater case a couple are hard to get to so make sure to get them all out. slide the case bottom out towards you and there is the heater core. one bolt and clip hold it in place. check it out and if you would like some photos let me know. the new core was $55-60 good luck.

smilexelectric · 05-25-2009, 11:25 AM

Why does my haynes manual tell me i need to drop the steering column lol

og25 · 05-25-2009, 11:29 AM

the gm shop manual says the same thing and i don't know why. all i know is if your heater box is the same as mine you can do what i mentioned in the earlier post and save yourself a lot of trouble. good luck!

og25 · 05-25-2009, 01:43 PM

here are some photos! my carpet is out because the coolant was leaking behind the the carpet and getting soaked up by the under pad. also my dash is apart because my a/c evaporator is clogged, you won't have to do all that. the 1st photo is of the case with the bottom unbolted so you can get an idea where the core is.the 2nd and 4th are from a little ways back the 3rd is looking up into the box, you can see the 2 holes for the core inlet and outlet and the last is of the core after it is pulled. hope it helps!

hotrodpc · 05-25-2009, 01:55 PM

Yikes, hate the part, "heater core". In most cases, it is a royal PITA, no matter what year model it is. I have seen some cars you even have to remove the right fender. The only one I ever changed that was not so tough was a 64 GMC. It was almost as easy as changing a spark plug.

Are you sure yours is bad? Just because you can hear the water in it, that does not mean its bad. If its leaking then yes its bad. I have had good luck before getting one to seal back up with aluma seal. How it got the pin hole I don't know. I figured the thing was rotted and would not seal, but it did. I have also had one that the core was not bad at all, but it was leaking inside on the passenger side. It was a rotted hose and clamp that allowed the leak to travel and come inside. Cut the end off the hose and a new clamp, problem was solved. Just saying, be sure you need it before you go thru all the headache.

og25 · 05-25-2009, 02:06 PM

for me the hoses are brand new, the heater didn't work because it was clogged. i flushed it out and put on new hoses and clamps. i must have made the hole worse because it started making the purcolating sound and i could still smell the coolant. it was leaking behind the floor mat and into the padding. this one isn't that hard to change. the gm manual makes it sound much worse.

smilexelectric · 05-25-2009, 08:10 PM

So how about today, i popped the hood checked engine coolant and radiator, bone dry O.o . No wonder the leaks stopped, it had nothing else to leak. I wonder if advanced autoparts will have a heater core for my truck. I dont know what heater core to buy.

05-24-2009, 11:14 PM	#1
smilexelectric Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Greensburg, PA Posts: 439	Heater core Sooooo how hard is it to replace a heater core, i believe the water swishing noise on the passenger side is from a bad heater core. My neighbor said it's a b*itch because you have to tear the dash apart.

05-25-2009, 01:43 PM	#7
og25 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 170	here are some photos! my carpet is out because the coolant was leaking behind the the carpet and getting soaked up by the under pad. also my dash is apart because my a/c evaporator is clogged, you won't have to do all that. the 1st photo is of the case with the bottom unbolted so you can get an idea where the core is.the 2nd and 4th are from a little ways back the 3rd is looking up into the box, you can see the 2 holes for the core inlet and outlet and the last is of the core after it is pulled. hope it helps! Attached Thumbnails

05-25-2009, 01:55 PM	#8
hotrodpc Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: OKC, OK Posts: 3,149	Yikes, hate the part, "heater core". In most cases, it is a royal PITA, no matter what year model it is. I have seen some cars you even have to remove the right fender. The only one I ever changed that was not so tough was a 64 GMC. It was almost as easy as changing a spark plug. Are you sure yours is bad? Just because you can hear the water in it, that does not mean its bad. If its leaking then yes its bad. I have had good luck before getting one to seal back up with aluma seal. How it got the pin hole I don't know. I figured the thing was rotted and would not seal, but it did. I have also had one that the core was not bad at all, but it was leaking inside on the passenger side. It was a rotted hose and clamp that allowed the leak to travel and come inside. Cut the end off the hose and a new clamp, problem was solved. Just saying, be sure you need it before you go thru all the headache. __________________ *Winners NEVER Quit , Quitters NEVER Win !!!*

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05-25-2009, 07:17 AM	#2
bradrhale Senior Moderator Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 8,024	depends on the year model. early 90 wasnt too bad unless you had big hands and could work on the floor.

05-25-2009, 08:38 AM	#3
smilexelectric Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Greensburg, PA Posts: 439	1998 c/k 1500

05-25-2009, 08:53 AM	#4
og25 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 170	hey smilex, i've been to greensburg many time , i had a cousin that lived there. i am in the process of changing the heater core on my 96 3500hd. i believe you have a 98 1500 so they should be the same. i also had the swishing sound you mentioned with a leak. this is pretty simple. drain the coolant, remove the heater hoses, on the inside remove 6-7 screws on the bottom of the heater case a couple are hard to get to so make sure to get them all out. slide the case bottom out towards you and there is the heater core. one bolt and clip hold it in place. check it out and if you would like some photos let me know. the new core was $55-60 good luck.

05-25-2009, 11:25 AM	#5
smilexelectric Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Greensburg, PA Posts: 439	Why does my haynes manual tell me i need to drop the steering column lol

05-25-2009, 11:29 AM	#6
og25 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 170	the gm shop manual says the same thing and i don't know why. all i know is if your heater box is the same as mine you can do what i mentioned in the earlier post and save yourself a lot of trouble. good luck!

05-25-2009, 02:06 PM	#9
og25 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 170	for me the hoses are brand new, the heater didn't work because it was clogged. i flushed it out and put on new hoses and clamps. i must have made the hole worse because it started making the purcolating sound and i could still smell the coolant. it was leaking behind the floor mat and into the padding. this one isn't that hard to change. the gm manual makes it sound much worse.

05-25-2009, 08:10 PM	#10
smilexelectric Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Greensburg, PA Posts: 439	So how about today, i popped the hood checked engine coolant and radiator, bone dry O.o . No wonder the leaks stopped, it had nothing else to leak. I wonder if advanced autoparts will have a heater core for my truck. I dont know what heater core to buy.