Can't Remove 97 Lumina Heater Core Cover

[dave_in_az]

Please Help! I've got all the screws out of the heater core cover but I can't seem to get it off. The passenger compartment side is hanging down below the dash frame and the wire harness that runs along that frame, but the cover is stuck along the firewall. Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

[Tech II]

Have you removed the rubber drain in the engine compartment?

Have you pulled back the carpetting below the cover for more room?

Make sure you have not missed a screw....

There are grooves in the cover that "mate" with the HVAC module......have to pull down as well as outward....careful, can easily break it....

[SleepyHead98]

Sometimes it helps to have someone gentlyish push on the outlet/inlet under the hood while someone pulls on the inside, just make sure the screws are undone. You should be able to move the cover just a bit. Also, if Im not mistaken, there are 2 screws that are a mother to get off, they are offset from the center at the bottom. In mine, I just yanked till they broke, but hey, its my car and frankly I didnt care cuz I was so mad. hahaha. Just sealed it up real good. You might not want to do that.

[dave_in_az]

Thanks for your quick responses, guys (I'm assumin'). I finally figured it out. In my model , at least, there's a pivot point at the left side of the cover near the firewall, and this allows the cover to open like a door, swinging the right side of the cover towards the rear left of the interior. My cover was never designed to come completely off. I even bought the Helms books, and in the heater core R&R section, it only states "Remove the cover". That's it. It would have been nice of them to give a little bit more detail, but that's another story. Again, thanks for your help.