1991 Chevy G30 Heater Core Removal 

For anyone looking for an estimate on labor time for a beginner to do this…My wife was able to remove the entire doghouse/dash on our 1990 G30 Coachmen Motorhome watching this video for reference in about 1 hour and 45 min. It took a while to remove that tiny 7mm screw behind the driver’s side vent mentioned in the video at 7:30 which we found out you don’t actually have to remove. We also didn’t need to remove the driver’s side vent or disconnect the orange vacuum hose on the passenger side against the wall. Once the dash was out (which was a big pain to squeeze between the windshield, steering column, and a-pillar trim), it took about another hour to pull the heater core housing, open the housing up, replace the heater core, and reinstall the heater core housing. Then it took about an hour and a half to reinstall the entire dash/doghouse. So if we had worked non stop with a break here or there it would have been a solid 5 hour job. It ended up taking the entire day because we would work for an hour or two and then take a long break before starting again. The reason being, it’s a very mentally and physically exhausting project. Keeping track of screws/bolts, being bent over and twisted funky to reach certain areas under the dash, getting confused in certain areas and having to rack your brain, dealing with broken plastics, stripped/stubborn screws, wiring that was hacked together by previous owners…ect. It can really wear you out.

By far the best G series heater core replacement video on RU-vid. Thanks for making this! I've never done a heater core before and this video made it a LOT simpler.

Thank you for the great video. Lots of these videos are missing huge amounts of info.

Great job and great video, started on mine today, Whoever designed this ,was never a mechanic, and this should be required before any vehicle is made. So that the designer manufacturer would know how not to build a difficult removal procedure.

We have a friend in this very situation with a 1984 P30 rv. They found your video and sent it to me. These two ladies are attempting to bypass their heater core for now. Your video is the absolute best of any disassembly process I have ever seen. Good job! Cudos to you!! Mike McLester

Thank You. I am 72 now retired and on SS and do have plenty of spare time to invest. During the colder months, I turned on the heater, and ALL the windows in my van fogged up, but the air outside was cold and dry it did not make any sense. I found that it was the heater core that dumped all the antifreeze and thoroughly soaked the carpeting on the passenger side of my 1993 2500 Vandura with Starcraft upgrade I thought how hard can this be to fix? So I cut out the damaged carpeting and the sound insulation underneath and started the quest to seal the leak. I love the older cars, trucks, motorcycles and have restored many British and American classics over the years, so again how hard could this be?? Obviously, I had no clue how much was involved just to get to the heater box and coil. So I watched several how-to videos and learned a little of what NOT to do from each when I finally came across yours. Your video was easy to follow and VERY DETAILED about each step you took and where all the screws, nuts, and bolts were hidden. I took the great suggestion from Charles Parr to remove the front seats as it really freed up working space. I finally got the entire dash out, labeling every cable and connecting piece as I went along. Now I am at the heater box removal stage. I have a tablet in the van with your video loaded, so I can go through each step along with you as many times as needed. This is my biggest repair project in a very long time, and I several times questioned my sanity about even attempting it. But the words of the shop mechanic echoed in my head ... "I won't touch that job for less than 2k, (others were within a couple of hundred dollars) and even at that price I really don't want the job" Now I know first-hand why. My incentive to do it myself was the '2K" he quoted and the challenge. I really appreciate the effort and real-life clarity you put into your video. BTW Did I hear you say you wrote a book? If so, I would like to have a copy. :-)

Great video. Light years better than anything I have seen online.

You have a very informative video but something I've always practiced is putting the screws back in the same spot they came out of so you don't lose them... So long as they don't hold anything in place from pulling the part out.

Have to agree with Casey Houk on this being the best G series heater core video on RU-vid. Your explanation on screw, bolt, wire and vacuum hose placement and identity is top notch. Most folks don't even try to explain half the shit you do. I hope you have other videos (going to check right now), if not please make more and keep them coming. Thank you for sharing.

Thank you so much for making this video!

Your communication style is perfect. Great teacher! I have a class A diesel to repair or replace the heater core on, and even though my process will have to be different, I will use what I learned from you here!

flushing the coolant system will also help, i did this last year on my g20. geat job JM

I want to thank you for this video. It was perfect and easy to follow.

Just did this with a 1990 G30 motorhome. Really appreciate the video. Worked out great!

You deserve a thumbs up for that one.

Thank you. I will be doing this this weekend. Along with the rest of the coolant system.

One of the best videos I have seen on car repair. Nice work and I hope all went back together smoothly. I need to do the same to my van and your video will help. I even know the right cuss words to use which I may add a few. Thx

Great Video thank you very much for sharing, I have a 95 g30 with the same problem, I'm sure it's the same.

Thanks nice job

Awesome, Thank you so much for the walk through

Love it! Great video! Getting my Falcon 190 conversion up and running. Thanks!

yikes! i have wrenched on a lot of chevy vans but never did this job+prob never will. i would by pass if somehow possible.[like the horizontal cut ] if you have rear ac heat you may be in luck.just use that unit instead.you might find a rear unit at a boneyard then could cut some hoses+connect em. my front heater core is ok but the hoses+vents, actuator,+ who knows what, are are old so I'm leaving it alone. most shops would not even do this job. a+ for the patience to attack this+a on the video too.

Thank you!

The defroster duct is only two screws it doesn't say remove that whole top piece there's two screws that hold the plastic duct into place then you pull down...

Great 👍 really great explanations....I'm a lazy old guy....89 v low miles " bathtub top "Chev C30. I've seen a short comment that suggests core replacement is POSSIBLE by slicing off..vertical cut..pass side of inst. panel and saves lots of work ??I'll watch a few more times...hmmm??? Appearance is secondary. I tried green headgasket repair fibre gunk ( w nanotechnology 😁😷)and in a pinch it works Buttt still wee seepage and NO heat output at idle ( some at driving speed). Do you think this chop off passenger dash approch might be a layzman's fix?

Dang I think I'm gonna pay someone hahaha. Unless u live close to me and I pay u. Haha

Kinda off subject, but where did you find that drink holder. Oh yeah, thanks for the vid.

What about cutting through firewall to access heater core?

Changing the heater core in one of these vans (mine is an 88 g20) is one of the most awful jobs I have ever had to do. Between rotting vacuum lines, brittle plastic, absolutely awful design and the cramped working conditions it took me a week and a half to get up the guts to finish this job. I have never seen such brutally terrible design work in my life. Two suggestions to make it easier: remove both seats and set them aside, and keep detailed records of the screws and where they go. I didn’t. Oh god.

What a awful design... I’ve started this endeavor, and keep thinking “BMW wouldn’t do this crap”.