Changed the heater core in my Durango over the past 2 days.

-
RustyDusty

RustyDusty

Rabid Cross-eyed Opossum!
Joined
Jul 26, 2010
Messages
685
Reaction score
5
Location
Columbus, OH
Man! Can they design the heater core in any less a convenient spot!? It took me 15 hours to do, it's a 5.5 hour flat rate job. It's a pain doing it your first time. The heater box bolts behind the engine block are near impossible to get out! I just have to vent, I spent 2 days in hell. But man oh man is she HOT now. The old core was so clogged you couldn't even blow through it. I've got busted knuckles and spent many a nerve ending but the joy of heat in 8 degree weather is unbeatable!

I've got one question:

After putting it all back together I've noticed that my "Security" and "ABS" light will flicker on and off at random. Does anyone know what harness these are on so I can take a look at it? It also does it's "start-up ding (sometimes) when the "Security" flashes on, like the car was just turned to ON. There are no codes being set, so this is some sort of loose connection issue. I'm just waiting for the security to turn on long enough to kill my car while I'm cruising on the freeway :mrgreen:

I know where the ABS module is and the harness is plugged in and locked, so I don't think it's that harness.


Cheers,
Drake
 

Attachments

  • 0215111030.jpg
    112 KB · Views: 217
  • 0215111640.jpg
    116.1 KB · Views: 210
Rusty, I can't help you with the light issue but just wanted to chime in to say, I know what a hump job that is. I helped a buddy do one and it really was a pain in the butt.
 
I'm sorry that I can not help the issue ethier, but,

OM MY LORD what a pain that looks like it is to do! The whole freaking dash is out! HOLY MOLY!!!!!!
 
wow that looks like it suck, im sorry you had to endure on this project.
 
I'm definitely going to file this one under the HOLY $#@! THAT WAS A PAIN category!


The pain of it all is being cured quickly with the aid of:
Budweiser.jpg
 
yea that job just sucks...did many evaporator cores for a/c on durangos when was tech. for crysler.check both lower 13mil bolts thatare behind l/s & r/s kick panels,r/s has a shim,this is the ground for dash cause strange things like this to happen....been there
 
I know how you feel. I did one a couple of years ago in my ram. I have never cussed so much in my life.
 
The OBD harness fell apart on me when disassembling, and I didn't get around to putting it back together. Could those wires shorting be causing the oddities?
 
demonmike70 said:
yea that job just sucks...did many evaporator cores for a/c on durangos when was tech. for crysler.check both lower 13mil bolts thatare behind l/s & r/s kick panels,r/s has a shim,this is the ground for dash cause strange things like this to happen....been there
Click to expand...

Just curious, after you'd done that for a couple times, how long did it take you to do a evap or core? Also mitchell said I had to, but is it necessary to take the steering column out. After I got done it seemed like I could have lifted the dash over the column. And are there any special tricks to getting the heater box nuts off from behind the block?
 
RustyDusty said:
Just curious, after you'd done that for a couple times, how long did it take you to do a evap or core? Also mitchell said I had to, but is it necessary to take the steering column out. After I got done it seemed like I could have lifted the dash over the column. And are there any special tricks to getting the heater box nuts off from behind the block?
Click to expand...
did it in under 4 hours,mitchell/alldata changed labor times to same time as warrenty,used to just droped columb & cover it,never pulled dash all that way out,would roll & pull dash sideways from r/s.to get nuts on fire wall i had 3/8 drive ratchet about size of 1/4 ratchet.after closeing three dealer ships in five years in chicagoland area done.....after 16 years......been fork lift tech on the road for 3 years make more $$$$$ that ever:happy7:
 
Classic case of stupid engineering...
Build the friken truck around the heater core (and other componets).
They are doing it more and more every year.

Could be worse though.

Take the head off a new F150 ???

Step 1. Remove cab.
 
Yes my heater core needs to be changed in my 93 Toyota 4x4 and the whole dash assembly needs to come out and discharge the ac. My mechanic said he'll do it for 500 including the parts. :mumum:
 
I remember doing my first heater core ever in my 68 Barracuda almost 30 years ago, and cursing how difficult it was to access.. lol.

Grant
 
Did the heater core in my 98 Dakota a few years ago, set aside a 3 day weekend to do it, and it took all of the three days. I just dropped the steering column, didn't remove it, I did pull out the seats. A pain in the butt, but it does feel good to have saved the $300 that the dealership wanted.
 
Im a flat rate tech and I have def been there done that. Sounds like a loose ground wire for the light thing imo. Good luck
 
I did mine in a 99 dakota in 12 hours.Just layed the column on the drivers seat and layed the dash on top of it.It sucked and i used the cheaper aftermarket heater core and im not super happy about how hot the heat is.But theres no way im ripping it apart again.
 
I just did my first Durango heater core a few weeks ago. It took about 4 hours and I did not pull the dash completely out; I dropped the column and pulled dash back and worked form the top.
It was way easier than I was told it would be.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top