Hell no... I knew better. But this video is really a pos. Took way too much stuff out and then only possibly useful part, he skipped. Some of the other comments were funny.
wow...lots of unneccessary work...just unbolt the dash, drop the column (4 bolts) the dash only needs to be moved a few inches and you can access the core. Don't have to remove all the AC ductwork either. Job still sucks though.
Tempted to see if can split dash, they should have came this way just for this reason, hotglue or glue a strip down remaining section to screw back onto instead of yanking entire dash out to swap core out... I swapped in a new aluminum radiator, a new front/rear heater control valve, and had used a few jugs of stop leak on the road when radiator blew out so core is likely plugged, even though both hoses have some heat to them, both front n rear are luke warm and thermostat housing is 180, same temp as thermostat... I may swap back old heater valve first in case this new one isn't opening correctly as even with the stop leak, hoses should be cold if plugged and return is warm... not much to grab onto and thermal gun isn't much help on hoses, reading 80F or so.. they made this too difficult.. think did older van with just loosening driver side, taking out middle and passenger bolts from dash and hoisting up to visor mount to get enough room to work behind.. will try either first before pulling entire dash out,, even though I do have new speakers to mount... might cut that too..lol van is rusty and just for hauling n rummage sales so doesn't have to be pretty and zero resale value anyhow...
there are 2 flow control valves on these vans equipped with rear heat, would think you could get away with only the one that comes off intake.. may bypass the dual flow valve in favor of Ys or or another connector... rear heat not having air from windshield ramming into system wouldn't shed much heat if it had full flow year round, since the AC is inoperable, if it were working I could see this being an issue...
Pull the doghouse. The dash has a seam just left of the engine. Cut this seam with a dremel. After removing a few screws pull the dash out a bit. Much easier than messing with the entire dash, steering column, radio and the other stuff. When finished, a little colored caulk to match the color of the dash and looks like new.
dude i ve got an astro and i replaced the water pump 2 weeks later the therm and on the way home the fucking heater core went got damn it man fix one fucking thing and something else breaks fuck fuck fuck
