LT1 Heater Core Replacement, Easy as it appears? Options

[KeithO]

It appears that the heater core on my LT1 Trans Am needs replaced. I *think* that I just need to remove the glove box and I can remove the heater core through the opening. Is it really this easy or will I find that I need to pull the dash off the cowl like I had to do with my old 88 IROC? That was an unpleasant surprise and I guess I am trying to figure this out so I know what I will be dealing with when I start.

I am just curious about what sort of project I am getting into.

Thanks.

[vanwyk4257]

I'll be pulling mine pretty soon if you want it cheap. The heat and A/C both worked fine on my car but in the interest of weight reduction it's all going bye bye. I'm sure others that have already done it will chime in, but I think if you take the panel off the bottom of the dash and remove the glovebox door you can get it out through those openings.

[KeithO]

Thanks. I guess they fixed this problem when they went to the 4th gen design. Thank goodness.

Hang onto yours - they are only $60 and the local autoparts store has them in-stock.

[Viper99ta]

If it's anything like my LS1, it took me 2.5 hours. Most of that was spent getting the stupid hoses on and off at the base of the cowl because of limited room.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.p...ght=heater+core

[KeithO]

Thanks, Viper. I'll keep my fingers crossed that this applies to all 4th gens.

[Ojustracing]

Keith Book time for lt1 is 2.5 hrs. I havent had the Pleasure of doing a 4th gen one but they don't look to hard except for the heater hose's. As for a 3rd gen heater. You do not have to remove the dash board to remove. Even though the labor guide list 6-8 hrs or something like that. I've never removed the dashboard and can have the heater on the ground in about 1/2hr. Keith if you want the Alldata repair info drop me a fax number in a Pm. But Viper's direction look better than what I have.

John

[CharlieFoxtrot]

I just did one on my kid's 96 3.8 V6, so it'd be the same as yours. Get a set of long needle-nose pliers; they make it super easy to get the clamps off.

I had to replace the heater hose assembly, as the one-way valve (or whatever it is) blew up. It was $110 from GM!! But that meant I didn't mind cutting the old hoses, which was nice.

To get the core out, you just have to take out the glove box. But the heater box cover has only a blonde hair of clearance between it and an actuator valve to the right. Do this job on a day when you have lots of patience, because it's not quite as easy as it looks.

Also, weaseling the core into place is no cakewalk. You stand a good chance of beating it up a bit; hopefully not enough to cause a leak.

The Autozone replacement core in our car lasted less than a week. I'm getting a Delco next time. For now, it's bypassed.

hth

kevin