Your videos have been INVALUABLE to me. I am doing the same work on my van. Even with the manual, your videos are the best, man. Really appreciate you posting these. Cheers
I just want to thank you for making these videos! It is really helpful. I purchased a 1993 Eurovan and the previous owner had removed the dash and put it halfway back in. This video is helping me put it back together
Hey Thanks for posting this, really glad to see this! - These VW heater cores are shit and I have had 2 VW cars and both had heater core failures ! The VW Jetta had the heater core fail for no apparent reason multiple times! - I had that fixed by a shop multiple times. Now the VW T4 Van had its front heater core fail and I plan on fixing it myself after the mess with the VW Jetta. This video really helps! Thanks & Regards from Alaska!
Eurovan heater cores are definitely easier than mk3 or mk4 Jetta cores! Take your time and I'm sure you won't have any major issues. If you run into any problems, just let me know and I'll reply as quick as I can.
Great video, after seeing this I think I can do this job myself. My foam is gone on the blender flaps and I am thinking of replacing the heater core (not leaking yet) also. I will only take me at least 4x as long to do it. Thanks doing this video, the job seems doable now.
+tony nelson You should have no problems doing it... the plastic trim in the dash / around the radio is the only area to be careful with. Old plastic components like to crank / break. :(
Hi Thomas, this video is a great piece of work and helping me assess all the work that needs doing! People like yourself keep this van community going! I have a leaking heater matrix and from the about of foam blown into my face I suspect very little is still in place :/ My van is a RHD 2.5TDi with a/c and this video has helped me understand I can do this job without messing with that system which is good news. My main concern before stating this job is that I have airbags. One on the steering wheel and one on the passenger side on top of the dash. The control unit seems to sit on the floor just behind the lower center console. Is there a way of disarming the system to safely work on the wheel and dash or should it be left to the professionals! Cheers
Thanks for this video, I'll need to do this sometime due to the sponge coming out of the air vents; I wondered where it was coming from. Also can I access & replace the front blower fan just removing the glove box; it's a lhd Caravelle 2001?
If the van has AC... no. You have to remove the dash, or at minimum lift the right side high enough for the blower motor to clear the dash. Since you are getting foam from the vents, you will have to remove the heater box assembly, so you might as well remove the dash to make both jobs easier. You do not have to discharge / evacuate the AC refrigerant. There is enough wiggle room to separate the heater box housing from the AC housing, once the HVAC (heater ventilation and AC) box is freed from the firewall. At 32:15 you can see where the foam is coming from... all of the blend doors should be covered in foam.
Great video! I owned Audi 5000 before, heater core with the housing can be removed from the engine compartment easy, no need to take apart the hole dashboard ! Crazy! Most cars built that way!
***** Took me 3 hrs to do the job back than and I'm not a mechanic, but a machinist, just followed the steps in the service manual. LOL! Year ago, I had this VW mobil mechanic (he was originally from Finland) came to my house to replace the timing belt, water pump etc... on my 93' EV, I couldn't believe how fast he was working, he had all these power tools too. He did it in my parking space, all for $650 incl. parts! LOL!
i'm facing this for my Sharan, but of course I haven't found any video like this for it. Looks like a real PITA with a lot of little things that can gowrong and complicate the repair.
Mac tools 1/4 cordless hands down best. Although I had the Milwaukee 12v 1/4 for a while which is a great alternative and is just as powerful and smaller. Just a suggestion. You wont regret spending the extra coin on the Mac ratchet though. It is a little more powerful than the M12 and has the electric brake feature which you wouldn't think you need but you will want.
***** The Mac is slimmer but sorta kinda long. Looking at it youd think its too long but Iv had it a year and no real clearance issues. Snap on also makes one that's small but its $100 more here in the states compared to the Mac. They run around $280 but its well worth it.
Love the videos...just like everyone else! In my 93 EV i have been noticing that my temp gage and gas gage work only intermittently and have read that the inst cluster is poorly soldered from the factory. is this true? from what i can tell it is not too hard to remove the cluster. do you think there is a good chance that if i remove the cluster i could repair this intermitent problem with my gages? where should i look for the soldering repair? do you have any resources/pics to show where the solder repair is to take place?
At 30 years old... I wouldn't blame the factory. I think they start acting up at 20 years, still, not that bad. Here's a DIY article on re-soldering the voltage stabilizer. bambergvr6.freeservers.com/EV_instrument.htm
I have an 03 eurovan. Was driving and all of sudden my windows fogged up then white sweet smelling smoke started coming out my vents assuming my heater core cracked or burst. Thanks hope all is well in this scary time in our world...
Yes, time for a heater core. =( Dash removal on your vehicle is similar to this video... aside from you having to remove the knee pads and driver & passenger airbags.
I don't have any idea on USD pricing... best to phone some local shops in your area to get an idea of cost. Phone shops that are familiar with VW's!!!!! In the short term, you can disconnect the heater core hoses in the engine bay and bridge the hoses together with a "coolant flush T-piece". Make sure that whoever replaces the heater core... also makes sure that the foam on the heater / blend doors is OK or replaced!
May I ask, how much a -take apart dashboard- job cost, like that? I had my AC repaired on my 93' VW EV, new compressor etc... but it's not blowing cold. Mechanic said, it's either a the vacuum leak or the flaps not moving inside the dashboard is the problem, because it's blowing mix cold and hot. So maybe the foam is gone on the flaps as it seen in your video! Summer is coming, so have to fix it soon. Thx!
szaki Yes, probably a blend door / foam issue (if the A/C high & low pressure values are within spec). You can get a look at some of the blend doors by looking through the lower vent openings and operating the blend door(s).
***** H/L pressure switch is new, so should be OK! Old was bad, A/C clutch was off all the time. I'll check the foam on the vent doors soon as I get time. THx!
Hi Thomas, Thank you so much for posting these videos. I am very thankful! I am about to do this job this long weekend. I am hoping to replace the heater core and resistor pack. Probably refresh some of the foam as much as I can too. I am hoping to do all that without disrupting the A/C. After watching your videos it seems that it is possible to pull the main part only of the matrix. Is it the case? Thanks Martin 1995 EUrovan Westy with 5cyl gas inline
Correct, evaporator housing can stay in place... no AC evacuation is required. I do unbolt the evaporator housing from the firewall to allow some movement. Two of the clips that join the heater core box to the evaporator box are a bit hard to get at / have to work blind / by feel. If you run into any issues, let me know.
@@EXOVCDS Thank you for your words! I really do appreciate this. It is really good news since there are quite a few reasons why not to touch the A/C system!
This is a very informative video. Thank You. I have to change the fresh air blower and this really helped visually. The question I have is, in my Volkswagen Manuel it says to disconnect the battery and proceed no problem.. at the top of the start process it says, “caution ! Obtain radio security code and disconnect battery ground.” Do I need the security code for this? If I do, how and where do I get this? I have a 1995 Volkswagen Eurovan. Thank You again for the information
A stock / factory radio sometimes needs a security code that needs to be entered... for the radio to work again (4 digit number). If you do not have the number, then you can not reactivate the radio after the battery is reconnected. The radio pin code / number can be obtained through a VW dealer, by giving them the vehicle VIN number and the radio serial number. They will cross reference the 2 numbers in their database to get you the PIN. Worst case, time for a new & better aftermarket radio. Thank you for watching! Let me know if you run into any issues! Also change the resistor pack for the motor while you are in there!!!
Fun Fun Fun :).. Just did a 09 lincoln mks and that was no fun lol...Damn heater box is attached to complete dash and they have to come out as an assembly out of the car.No Bueno
As cam be seen in the video, once the heater core assembly is tilted away from the firewall, there is enough room to remove the core from the housing (slide it up & out). In most cases, heater box doors / flaps will need to be refined (missing foam)... so you might as well remove the assembly to fix the doors.
@@EXOVCDS Cool cool. I have just removed that box holy crap! I am wondered how am I going to put back that clip on back side. Even that screw behind the engine was nightmare as an ACV owner. 😅😅
Many thanks for this video. It has helped me get to my blender box in order to replace the foam. Have you ever done this? Do all the flaps need to be completely covered both sides? Mine look like they've only been partially covered. The front flap looks like it has never had any foam on it. Do you know if there is any technical info on what foam to use and where it needs to go? Why did VW felt flaps with holes in then cover them with foam? is this common on other vehicles? Apologies for all the questions!
All blend doors should have foam on them... holes in the metal = less metal = less money to make, the holes also aid in having the two foam sides stick together. I have seen pictures of people using duct tape (the metal looking type) to reseal these doors.
Thanks for your response Thomas. I've done mine today with silicon foam sheet. I hope it works. Just waiting for a new heater core and blower motor to arrive. A bit tricky getting the foam onto the plates without taking the blender box apart but I reckoned if I'd done that I would have damaged the connectors quite badly. Thanks again.
Hi, great video. Video mentions "there are 6 clips that hold the heater box to the blower housing" and "the two in the back are the fun ones to get at"...when reassembling how do I put the two clips that are in the back, back on??? Any tips please as when I get to this point I imagine it will be a tight squeeze as I need to refoam the doors. Thanks
Hi! You will be able to practice on the front clips as many times as you need to... to get a feeling of how they snap into place. It is actually quite simple / easy, once you get the feel for it. Yes, there is little room, but even if you only hold the clip with two fingers, you should be able to find & position the clip in the corresponding "position / slot" and then lever / pry / push ito into place (until it clicks / pops into place) with just your index finger or which ever finger you happen to have on the clip at that time. If you do NOT have AC, you can remove the whole box. Even with AC, you can pull the assembly far enough away from the firewall, that you can get quite a bit of room for your hand and the clips. Just don't move / bend the whole AC box too far, or you will put stress on the AC lines that are coming through the firewall.
Thanks for sharing your tip. Since I posted this video 5 years ago, I have changed how I get at the speedo connector. I reach up from under the dash... it is easier than going between the cluster & dash like I'm doing in this video.
Thomas EXOVCDS Great stuff man. This video was a huge help. Unfortunately my speedometer cable had a broken clip making it tough to get out from the back of the instrument panel. Unscrewing it from the front was a good substitution. 👍
I have struggled myself many times... the harder you try, the harder it gets. As long as you feel the spring action of the locking spring, you'll get it. Sometimes, it helps to push down on the airbag a little and then pull up on it.
Hi Thomas. Awesome channel! Helped me a lot. I have a 95 RHD T4 Caravelle, ACU, 2.5L petrol manual with dual air con - back and front. Heater core is leaking and as I'm in Australia, not too fussed about heater but wondering if my aircon will still operate properly if I bypass the core? Anyone?
Depending on if other issues are found (relining of blend doors, broken vacuum hoses or heater cables, AC components / recover & charge etc). Can be done in less than 4hrs... but 4 to 6 (or more) is a comfortable pace.
does the coolant have to be drained for removal of the two heater hoses? when you say the A/C has to be evacuated, what does that mean exactly? - does that mean it will need to be refilled with refrigerant after? also, about the blend doors, I assume VW made those holes in them to save metal? because I guess if those holes wouldnt exist then foam would only be needed around the edges for a perfect seal.
+Žanas Tumasonis No.. just make sure that the cooling system is not under pressure... remove the coolant hoses and join them together with a T / pipe. Ideally the A/C should be evacuated (remove the refrigerant), but there is enough slack in the a/c piping (once loosened at the firewall) that the heater box assembly can be moved away from the firewall to remove the heater core. The heater box can be separated from the evaporator housing and removed, so that the doors can be relined outside of the vehicle. Yes, the holes are there to save metal and to possibly help the foam stick together.
How many bolts in the engine compartment needs to be removed to loosen the dash panel and where are they locate aside the two you mentioned on part 3? Can it be removed without taking the steering wheel? I have all wires removed . If I put the wire from the battery will I have a problem in case I remove the steering air bag?
I think there are 5 bolts that need to be removed in the engine bay... 2 by the heater core and 3 by the fresh air intake. I always remove the steering wheel... for more room. The service manual is a great source of information: www.bentleypublishers.com/volkswagen/repair-information/vw-eurovan-92-99-repair-manual.html
Can you buy the foam from VW? I bought some similar foam for a pad from Michael's (craft supply store). But it would be a pain to try to trace the design and cut it out.
Hi Thomas, thanks so much for these videos, they're excellent. I'm about to replace the heater core in my 2001 Eurovan, but I'm not sure how to disassemble the dash with the driver/passenger airbags. Can you share whatever instructions you sent Jonathan (~6 months ago) with me? Thanks in advance!
@@EXOVCDS Could I bother you for that air-bag how to? Also, trying to find a .pdf shop manual for my 1997 Eurovan camper. Every site I find ends up being a scam. The hard copy is $175!! Come on now... Anyway, I would be willing to purchase a .pdf copy if you could offer one. Your videos are great btw. Cheers
@@djantix1200 Passenger airbag: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-H56b7SVdzp4.html Driver airbag has two torx screws that need to be loosened, then the bag can be lifted out of the steering wheel and disconnected. I get all my service info / PDF's from VW erWin site. $35 USD for 24hr access. All documents / pdf files that are downloaded do not expire. $35 is the best deal on the internet. Every year I download 8GB+ during one 24hr period (pretty much all models). You should have no issues finding what you need during that time. You can create a free erWin account here: erwin.vw.com/erwin/showCustomerRegistration.do Then purchase a 24hr subscription here: erwin.vw.com/erwin/showOrderFlatrate.do and search for information here: erwin.vw.com/erwin/showSearch.do If $35 is too much... click the FKH161 link in the description, then click on "Tech Help Request" to send me a message.
A service manual should be helpful when working on a car. You can buy paper manuals here: bentleypublishers.com/volkswagen/repair-information/vw-eurovan-92-99-repair-manual.html Or you can get PDF files from here: (create a free user profile, pay $35 usd for 24 hours access, download as much as you want) erwin.vw.com/erwin/showHome.do If I remember correctly, a screwdriver is inserted behind the steering wheel to "release" the airbag, then the retaining nut for the wheel can be removed.
Hi Thomas I have a 1995 T4 multivan, Do you have to remove the passenger air bag to remove the dash to gain access to the heater core. If so how because I can not find any info to remove it. Also the vacum pump is not working that opens the doors, what could be the cause for this,
I've only seen 1999> EV's with passenger side airbags... I believe that the airbag can stay in place while the dash is removed. With the glove box removed (1999>) mounting bolts should be visible. Click on fkh161 web link in the description and send me pictures of what you see / your setup. Click on tool request to send me those pictures.
Hi Thomas, very informative! You would't happen to be on Vancouver Island, would you? I have foam blowing through the vents on my 96 Eurovan, so I think I'll wait for the warmer weather before attempting to repair. It makes sense to me to replace the heater core at the same time - is there anything else that is a common failure item that makes sense to replace while the dash is out? I lost light on the climate control panel and fan speed 4 some time ago - I was thinking that was probably in the from panel, but could it be something behind?
Ed Comerford Depending on the heating panel, there might not be a bulb that can be changed ie: replace the panel. Heater core, blower motor (just a matter of time before it goes). AC evaporator (if it has AC) are about the only things I can think of. It really doesn't take long to take the dash off, once you have done it a few times. We don't suggest anything else aside the heater core when someone comes in for lack of heat due to missing foam... because odds are, no money or they think it's not worth it. If you are doing it yourself, assess the situation / components once the dash is off.
Thomas- I have an 03 Eurovan that has had on-going coolant leak issues. We just recently removed the carpet in the front driver side for a vacuuming and the carpet is soaked. Is this a common place for the heater core to leak?
hi Thomas.ive been trying to find the cable under bonnet on my t4 2.5tdi as my matrix not giving hot air.its not leaking at moment and cable inside is moving ok from the rotary dial.seems like i can move lever at end of cable to adjust. heat from cold to hot and back but cannot see my cable unless its moved by electric the heater setting on my model.1999 .2.5 acv aircon/i have flushed as much as can i’m getting airlock vacuum machine a try tomorrow from local mechanic .
As far as I know, the heater on / off cable is inside the vehicle. The heater cable has a blue plastic liner. If you look under the dash, you can follow the blue liner to the heater door lever (hot / cold). If the lever is moving correctly, then the reason for no heat is missing foam on the heater control door. If you see pieces of foam inside the heater vents, it's a good sign that the doors are bad. ru-vid.comUgkx7sLw40TJ1dz_Jc5t63N_vBBNNTbptynA There is no heater valve in the engine bay. The only heater valve that is in the engine bay is for the rear / passenger heating.
thanks for quick reply.heater back on now.i had mixed up 2 coolant pipes when i had to push a gearlink bush back in.i was away for weekend .i had taken out the rear heater pump to see gear linkage.swapping the pipes mistakenly meant main heater was bypassed😂
@@eurovan03 Sorry, no. There are many DIY articles / videos on the web that you can find via a google search. The doors / flaps can be relined without taking the whole heater box assembly apart (removing heater core is required for room) or you can disassemble the whole box... as long as the box does not break during disassembly, it should fit back together with no issues and the doors / flaps will be easier to reline while out of the box.
Is there a good place in metro Vancouver where you can get the foam to reline the box? And are there different kinds of front heater cores on the models with a/c? Just asking because I wouldn't be surprised to find out that there is a different heater core in my 94 than in the newer models.
Humble Mechanic will be uploading a video about fixing heater doors (which foam to use / what works best). Watch his video when it comes out and ask what works best. Heater core should be the same for ac & non-ac.
Sorry no... there are quite a few DIY articles out there that can be found via a search, which show / explain things better than I could do in a video. Thank you for watching!
If the heater core leaks coolant, where would the coolant leak out. I have a 2001 Eurovan that is leaking about 2 ounces of coolant per day. The coolant seems to collect and leak out of the insulation above the gear shift box on the underside of the van. I smell coolant when running the heater while driving but there are no coolant leaks on the interior of the van. When I pull the insulation back that is above the gear shift box on the underside of the van, the coolant pours out about 3 ounces. Is this where the heater core coolant would pool and leak out? Any recommendations?
I have a 91 t4 with ac. The qc works fine but heating doesnt really work it just blows air that is warmer then inside but not much. The heater core was replaced 2 years ago. I think it has something to do with those flaps because when you select a different air mode you sometimes hear them opening or closing really loudly and then it works and sometimes they dont do that but selecting which vents the air should go out works fine. Do you know what could be wrong? Help would be apreciated.
The system / door flaps are vacuum operated... you can check for correct movement from under the dash as you move the directional lever. If all the doors are moving correctly (you will only see the actuator levers move from under the dash) then the problem is most likely with the foam missing on the doors. As seen at 32:14 , relining / sealing the doors will correct control of heat & cold as well as improve directional function.
Probably a bit late for you but may help others. But it sounds to me like your hot/cold diverter valve is sticking. It's a common problem. The valve sits just below your coolant expansion tank and is operated by the temperature dial on the dashboard. Pull the rod in and out whilst lubricating it. This should improve your problem.
I'm in BC Canada... I want to keep RU-vid & my place of work separate... I'm sure that your repair shop can handle it. If you want to look for a different shop, enter your area / postal cde here and look for one: iatn.net/repair
hi. im losing cooling liquid on my vw transporter,closed cargo version,1997. im suspecting on heater core. do i need to remove whole dashboard to inspect its health,if not,how can i do it on easiest way??
If the heater inside is leaking, you will usually smell coolant when the heater is on warm (sweet smell) and maybe even see steam forming on the windshield. Remove some of the covers under the dash and look for signs of leakage: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-EKPWZck5RXo.html
stevenr21 Yes, unfortunately dash removal is necessary. A/C evacuation will help remove the complete assembly for easier disassembly outside of the vehicle. I have done a couple A4 cores, but that was before I started recording & posting on my channel.
I can't really see why it's worth all that work just to replace the foam. As I indicated on another message, mine is blowing chunks, and making clunks, but otherwise the system seems to be working fine.
Garth Goldberg The foam started to come out of my vents about 2 years ago. At first I didn't really notice a difference in the air temp. Fast forward to last summer and you can tell the blend door is letting in a lot of heat so the air isn't near as cold as it used to be. During the winter, the air doesn't get all that warm either. I live in Texas so I need my AC to work so that is why I need to get it fixed.. or finally buy a new car.
stevenr21: I haven't yet noticed any difference, other than the clunk from the blend door when the engine starts. I guess we'll see this summer. Heat is fine, and we've been driving in 8 degree weather.
Sorry about the late reply... I was at work. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-5Kx97-xHVVc.html Paypal link can be found on my website. Link is in the description.
Hate this job, Done about a dozen Audi A6 and vw passats. Takes me all day and kills my back sitting on slippery leather seats for 8 hours. Wont do anymore, much rather do a rear coolant flange
Thank you, thank you. But I hope I don't need this video. Of course his heater core is leaking. His coolant is not pink. I think the lifetime of the foam in these HVAC systems is about 12 years. I've got big chunks coming out of my defrost, and now there's a clunk when the flapper closes.
Garth Goldberg Pink or green, it won't matter on these old ones... green also does not affect the core. It's the age that's the big issue with heater cores. IMHO
Garth Goldberg No problem... There are a lot of smart non mechanics that know more about cars than myself. I've seen enough green coolant in vehicles (for long periods of time) with none of the so called issues that the "preachers" preach about. I'm not gonna take a chance with it on the newer cars though! As always, thanks for watching & taking the time to comment!
Lasted for 30 years. Not too many 30 year old vehicles (non VW) being driven by people these days... most people replace cars after 4 to 6 years. Some maintenance after 30 years is to be expected. =)
Sorry no... there are quite a few DIY articles out there that can be found via a search, which show / explain things better than I could do in a video. Thank you for watching!
@@EXOVCDS Thank you for sharing your video. I ended up removing the the whole box. Lots of hour labor put into it. Now I am keeping the van for another 20 years after putting it back together.
