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#1
08-20-2003, 01:03 AM
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1996 Chevy Blazer heater core
I have a 1996 Chevy Blazer that needs the heater core replaced. We have bypassed it temporarily. Our dexcool system was a nightmare. Gummed up and clogged the entire system. We have since done a complete pressure flush and cleaning through the dealership and replaced with regular antifreeze. (That was a $600 pain in the pocketbook) However, now our heater core has taken a dive. They want another $700 to replace that. We have decided to attempt this on our own. We have not worked on this vehicle yet, but did many repairs on our old 1992 GMC Jimmy. Does anyone have any hints, help, gripes or good cusswords to use for this job?
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#2
08-20-2003, 07:29 AM
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S truck heater cores are a pain in the ass!
You will have to remove the dash to gain access to the heater box to remove the core.
__________________
Why do you never have enough time or money to do the job right the first time, but enough time and money to do it again? Got all the certifications 25 years ASE Certified Master Technician GM WCT Yea..I work at a DEALERSHIP....got a problem with that? Want to diagnose cars like the Pros? FOR SALE: OTC Perception 2 channel Labscope (badged as a Matco Reality) This is my personal labscope that I use to diagnose waveforms, like new, comes with leads and training video PM Me for details
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#3
08-20-2003, 09:26 AM
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Thank you for your reply. Once we start tearing into it, I may be back on here with questions. I do see where you helped tingham with their 1994 S-10 Blazer...is that going to be about the same? I printed off the thread to see if I run into any of the same walls.
 I also have a Chilton's as a guide. It looks like a huge nasty mess trying to get to it like you said. I am very nervous trying to do this myself. Thank you again for your reply. Hopefully you will be around on here when I get involved in this.
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#4
08-20-2003, 01:23 PM
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1996 S10 heater core replacement
We have the Chilton's for our 1994 S10 but thanks to GMMERLIN's advice, we did NOT take off the passenger fender etc like the book says to do! It took us about 10 hours to remove dash, wiring harness, etc to get to heater core, replace it and put the wiring and dash back in. I suggest you follow GMMERLIN's advice. It worked out great for us. Make sure you have plenty of time unless you have another vehicle to drive during tear down. Good LUCK!
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#5
08-20-2003, 07:14 PM
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Thank you! You are right, GMMERLIN seems to know his stuff.
 I will definitely be back here if I have problems with this job or my next one. This truck is absolutely wonderful, but when it is time to fix something, it is a major pain in the ass. It makes me wonder why I am so loyal to Chevrolet, but then when it is running right (which is most of the time), all I have to do is drive and remember.Have a great day! Thanks to you both for your help. I hope to see you again in here. (expecially if I need help  )
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#6
08-21-2003, 04:00 AM
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unless theres some other reason for needing that heater core other than heat, you can do without it.
i use my air conditioning for heat. just turn the dial over to to the warm side, and turn on the air conditioning. gives heat faster than the heater ever will. ive done this in my 95 S-10 ever since new, and never had any problems. in fact letting the compressor go all winter without running isnt a good idea anyway.
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#7
08-21-2003, 10:52 AM
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i use my air conditioning for heat. just turn the dial over to to the warm side, and turn on the air conditioning(posted by cobra 1)
When you turn the temperature dial to heat it moves the temperature mode door towards the heater core. That is where you get the heat from. If you remove the hoses from the heater core and turn the dial to heat, you will get ambient air. The reason it feels like your truck gets hotter faster is because the a/c removes the excess moisture from the air.
__________________
Why do you never have enough time or money to do the job right the first time, but enough time and money to do it again? Got all the certifications 25 years ASE Certified Master Technician GM WCT Yea..I work at a DEALERSHIP....got a problem with that? Want to diagnose cars like the Pros? FOR SALE: OTC Perception 2 channel Labscope (badged as a Matco Reality) This is my personal labscope that I use to diagnose waveforms, like new, comes with leads and training video PM Me for details
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#8
09-14-2003, 07:19 PM
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 WE ARE DONE!!!! I just wanted to let everyone know that we did it! It took us a total of 8 1/2 hours. We were very lucky and did not have to completely remove the dash. We were able to reach over the top and remove/replace the heater core. It saved us from having to disconnect a numerous amount of wires. There was no way we could have done this without a couple extra people though. I am afraid that the dash would have been broken just hanging there trying to reach over the top, so two people held it in place for a short time while we did the exchange.Thank you to everyone that gave advice. That saved us a whole lot of time. Thanks again to everyone (especially GMMerlin)!!
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#9
12-13-2003, 05:20 PM
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Amandah -- What did it take to get the dash to tilt forward so you could reach over and work on the heater core?
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#10
12-14-2003, 06:13 PM
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Re: 1996 Chevy Blazer heater core
Hi there! We had to basically remove all of the bolts holding it on. We, however, did not disconnect wiring. It has been a while since we finished this project, so I am not sure if there was any short wiring pieces that we had to disconnect. I do remember though, that most of the clusters were long enough. We rested the majority of the dash on the seats and console and had two people support it from the back seat and driver side while the third person exchanged the core. If you do not have the extra hands, I strongly suggest not trying this. The plastic was very brittle and some of the inside pieces had broken while removing bolts. (These would have broken whether we completely removed the dash or not) Due to that, we were very careful with the dash. It is amazing how brittle this stuff gets over the years even with great care. Good luck!
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#11
12-14-2003, 06:37 PM
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I was since able to figure out where the dash screws were located to get the job done, but thanks for the reply.
The steering column is still in the way making it difficult to swivel the dash very far. How did you get that out of the way? I can't get it pulled away far enough to break away from the bolts that extend through the column bracket. No problem if you don't recall. Thanks again for the tips.
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#12
12-14-2003, 07:02 PM
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Re: 1996 Chevy Blazer heater core
We had dropped the column down as far as it would go and had the person in the back seat "gently" pull down so the other person could reach over and exchange the core. It was very awkward for a few moments, but considering the amounts of wires it well worth it. The exchange itself is very easy so as long as the opening is large enough to fit your hands and the core through it will work. I hope that helps. I don't remember there being any extra steps for the column. Not saying that there wasn't of course.
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#13
12-24-2003, 10:16 PM
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Re: 1996 Chevy Blazer heater core
Quote:
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#14
12-24-2003, 10:21 PM
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Re: 1996 Chevy Blazer heater core
Quote:
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#15
12-25-2003, 02:50 PM
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Re: Re: 1996 Chevy Blazer heater core
Good luck! It wasn't real difficult, just time consuming. A couple of things to remember though....
when you put the dash back in, make sure not to pinch any speaker wiring. We had this problem and had to have it all rewired. Also, watch your gaps. When you put it all back together, if you watch the gaps between the dash and the door jams, it will make the skirting much easier to put back on. It was a good half case job! GMerlin is a great source of information. Make sure you have plenty of time. Quote:
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