Well to all who have posted on this topic, I thank you. I’m midway through my heater core and evaporator replacement. I am not racing through it, just moving slow and precise as I don’t want to have vacuum & electrical problems when I’m done.
This is a BIG job! I’ve taken dashes out of other cars, but this one is especially tricky, and if you don’t have a KILLER set of tools you shouldn’t try it.
I can’t see how to get the heater core out with removing the box (but this is a 2000 blazer). I opted not to cut/dremel the tabs on the floor; it was tricky to get the 10mm nuts off of the studs in the firewall around the passenger’s exhaust manifold, but possible. Again, you need the right tools to do this. (I cut a ¼ inch 10MM deep, to just barely just usable 6 point depth ~1 1/16” then used a “drill bit to ¼ inch drive” adapter, and a straight ratcheting wrench for ease. It took more time to make the tool than it did to get it out. – I just didn’t want to risk rattles in the dash.)
I have only the last bolt in the evaporator box and will be removing the Evap box and replacing the evaporator while I’m this deep into the project.
When I get all of it out, I’ll post some pictures of the boxes, to hopefully assist someone else in knowing where all the mounting bolts are.
For the record… I wish I would have just taken it into the dealer and paid the money to have them fight with it, and warrantee the work…
P.S. If my new heater core goes bad in the future, I’ll be figuring out a cool method to total it.
--Bryce
2000 Chev Blazer 4WD 4.3L (money/time pit!)