84-88/89 heater core change (1 Viewer)

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Well.... I took the plunge, and since we've had so many people asking about this.... I took pics. This is my Dads 84, he had almost no heat from the vents, and a gurgling sound from under the dash from a small leak on top of the old heater core.....

Note: As you take items out, place them in order of removal on the ground/bench/truck bed and place the screws/nuts/bolts that hold them in with them. I had no extra parts, and no missing parts, so it works!!!!

First pull the speedo cable out of it's clip under the hood and remove the gauge shroud and cluster, and the lower drivers side dash part... Then pull the stereo and center section with ashtray.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

To take the dash pad off you need to remove the glove box, and pull this piece of vent, and the far right vent director (It has 4 clips, 2 top and 2 bottom)

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

There are 2 nuts and 1 bolt, and 5 screws holding the dash pad on. The screws are easy to find...

The center nut is up under the dash, you'll have to feel for it, or get on your back and look silly.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Pull the large duct between the blower and heater core section. And then the various other ducts that are in the way, including the duct that goes under the steering column, defrost duct, center split duct...

And remove the right speaker and the bolt that is to the upper right of the speaker, so you can pry the dash out to get all the room you can.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

With everything out there is still not much room under the dash..... I don't know how they figured out how it would all fit!

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

To get the large center section out you have to remove this white part while it's in the truck, careful as it's connected to all the moving parts on the drivers side and you can break something if you're not careful. Below is what the heater core looks like when you pull it out of the center section.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

An overall of how I took everything out.... Start at the black dot.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Note: Once you have the center section back in, hook up the heater lines and check for leaks before installing the next 40 pieces....

So time to put it back together... First, the center section with the heater core, remember to lube all the moving parts before they go back in. Then the white vent part that is pointed out above. Then the large defrost vent. I removed the blower motor to clean it out, you don't have to, but why not? It goes in next. Now you can reattach all the control cables to the center section and the blower, there are 3 that you will have undone. One to the blower, one to the drivers side of the center section, and one to the lower pass. side of the center section.

Next, the "S" duct, and the pass side metal upright. Then the split dict that goes right on top of the center section. Next the Large duct that goes behind the glove box.

The speaker will have been removed and the bold holding the right end of the large plastic dash support piece (The piece that goes all the way across the truck) The bolt and speaker can go back in. Then the far right duct, and the speaker cover, then the dash pad.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Next the far right vent director can go back in, and the piece of duct you had to remove to get to the center nut holding the dash pad on. Then the glove box can go back in. Then the ash tray and stereo/center console.

Next the drivers side lower dash piece can go back in, then the gauge cluster and shroud. And you're finished! Yeah!!!!

That just took 4-6 hours....

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

It's a big job, but the only hard part was getting the 20+ year old heater hoses off of the heater core at the fire wall..... they were stuck! I used a 16 penny nail bent in a sharp hook at the end, and grabbed the nail with a pair of vice grips as a tool to get the hoses off.

This is a pretty easy job, but the banana rating goes up if you have back problems....

I hope this helps someone.

 

[EVILSPOTTER]

Great pictures, this thread is tailor-made for FAQ.

 

[toyminator]

Good thread. But you forgot to take pics of yourself cussing the whole time. Its not hard just a lot of stuff to take apart for a lousy heater core.

I would also add that only use a factory Toyota core. I made the mistake of installing an aftermarket one on a truck only to find that it leaked. I had to do it all over again.

 

[H2o]

Man.... I hope that i don't have to do that anytime soon....

 

[DanS HJ-45]

Nicely documented sir!

To note: do put all of the ducts back in there for reassembly. It sucks to forget the dash vent duct (which causes the dash vents to not work, the air just blows around under the dash) only to realize your mistake once it's all back together....or so I hear.

Dan

 

[Foreigner]

An overall of how I took everything out.... Start at the black dot.

Now that is a classy tutorial.

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Thanks guys. And there was very little cussing..... and no blood! (which had me a little worried...)

Anyone know how the pipe sections connect to the heater core? I installed a good used Toyota core from my dad's parts truck.... But I was afraid to remove the pipe sections from the core, even though they are removable... Is it an O ring? Just for future reference....

 

[Texx]

Yep, oring.

 

[ontherock]

w/a/c?

Wow, great post,way way better than the Haynes manual can(t) wait to get started on my 86 4runner. By the way did you have air conditioning?

 

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

That truck did not have AC, so you may have some slight differences. Good luck!

 

[4runnerFiona]

To get the large center section out you have to remove this white part while it's in the truck, careful as it's connected to all the moving parts on the drivers side and you can break something if you're not careful. Below is what the heater core looks like when you pull it out of the center section.
View attachment 203889View attachment 203890

What brand and part number is the new core you put in?