heatercore

[sdooley]

I'm a newbie and would like to kow how to go about taking the dash out of 98 Kia Sportage to replace the heatercore.

[LMP]

best reference for this is Nukeiridium
Check
THIS out

Theoretically, the A/C has to be evacuated and the evaporator removed to be able to perform core replacement. That is what KIA says . www.kiatechinfo.com/index.asp
Some said that with dash completely removed, it might be possible to change the core with keeping A/C intact....

EDIT: THings change: Read below for a much simpler method, and poor Nuke had his Sportage totalled when he was hit by another car. http://jerry.cleedo.com/crash/ He got out unscathed but not the Sporty...

[zoom zoom zoom]

I took the whole dash out and all the stuff the other people told me to, it took me a long time be sure and get a copper or fully metal heater core Im getting ready to have to redo mine because of the cheapmade plastic ones but this time im only removeing the dash pocket there is a small square indentation on the houseing the heater core sits in im gonna cut it out and pull the heater core out and insert the new one and jb weld the housing back and turn a three day job into an hour job but thats just me.

[kiakid]

I am in the postion of replacing the heater core and I understand that zoomzoom stated that this can be done fairly easily by taking out the dash area only and cutting the indentation out then removing the core. Has anyone out there done this and what are the steps?

[LMP]

Indeed the way to do it has "evolved" a lot in a short time. thanks to DIYers
Check THIS outtoo bad, one that had a lot of photos removed them from the link)
THis is far from the KIA shop manual that required emptying the A/C ....

[zoom zoom zoom]

Well all in all after mine blowed the new elcheapo heater core out it was just made cheap it was expensive like 120.00 we got rid of the total piece of crap and hope to never own another one the guy at the shop told me KIA stands for killed in action thats mechanics made up stuff but i wish every one on here that owns one the best of luck mabye i just got hold of a bad one it happens,it ran hot all the time the check engine light stayed on even after changing multiple things .