Paul Compton

I have to change my heater core this week and have a bit of what might seem a daft question to jeep people who have done this a dozen times. I've seen all the right ups for instrument panel removal and steering column removal but it looks like to get to the heater core I only need to get to the passenger side of the job. This being so, simply can I just free up the passenger side only to get to the core. This is on a grand cherokee model.
Sorry to bore every one with lame questions that seem easy I'm sure to hardened jeep people but it's a bit daunting looking at removing the whole panel.
Thanks for listening
Paul.

dave1123

What are you driving, Paul?

Paul Compton

It's a2001 jeep grand cherokee Ltd 4litre engine it UK so right hand drive but every thing looks mirrored.

wingless

FWIW, it might make sense to also swap out the A/C evaporator at the time. When I replaced my failed evaporator I also swapped my intact heater core, to limit the opportunity to revisit this fun.

When I did this job on my '94 I hinged the dash away from the passenger side, with the "hinge" point being the driver's side. I did not remove the dash.

IMO, that makes the job easier.

Paul Compton

Ah I didn't know about this hinge on the dash not mentioned on my manual. Have you seen this written down? That does sound good thanks very much.

wingless

There is not a hinge on the driver's side. When I did my service I pulled away the passenger side with the "hinge" point being the driver's side.

dave1123

Just remember you're flexing the plastic and if you go too far, things can snap! Just saying.

wingless

When I did mine there was not plastic flexing. the entire dash was detached, the wiring was detached on the passenger side. The wiring was not detached on the driver's side. The wiring flexed as the passenger side was pulled away to expose the heater box.

Paul Compton

Hi again. Managed to get my instrument panel out OK. Slight problem my hv unit doesn't match what's in my manual or in the photos above. Mine seems to have the heater core at the bulk head side of the hv unit. I'll pop a photo on. Basically any ideas were I can get a drawing of what's inside mine and we're to find the heater core




My hv unit.

wingless

The heat box needs to be removed from the vehicle.

Evacuate / recycle the R134a, drain the coolant, unbolt / disconnect the box, remove the box, split the halves and remove the heater core.

Paul Compton

That's what I feared ��thanks for that. I assume R134a you mean the fluid.

wingless

In the US the air conditioning refrigerant is R134a. Back in the dinosaur days we could bleed the old R12 into the atmosphere. Al Gore had a cow and now we have to recycle the refrigerant instead of dumping it into the air.

The other system that needs draining is the heater core antifreeze.