Dash Board Removal Thread

I will be pulling mine out soon to replace the evaporator and remove the heater core. I live in the south. I'll just use the seat heaters when it gets cold. How hard is it to remove the steering column?
 
De-marko said:
Finally!

Ok, I actually had some free time tonight to finish this sucker up. I'm glad to report that everything works as it did except for one exception, the shifter indicator lights on the console are not working. Must be a plug I forgot.

After taking the car out for a test drive, which was so nice to be back in, on the way home I hear a metalic 'tap-tap-tap' from the back of the car. I pull into the drive to find a sizable bolt in the tread of the drivers side rear tire. :rolleyes: I guess I'll get that plugged.

Oh, I will do a quickie write up on this if you guys want and all I can say is that I way over did it on tearing the car apart. In not doing it before I had no idea, but lets just say I didn't have to disassemble as much as I did. Oh well.:p Now, time to get the A/C charged and this thing cleaned up!! :steering

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I'm about to tackle this to replace my expansion valve and will do both cores while I'm at it. I've actually done the dash once to replace the busted one from the air bags deploying.

I'm interested to know what the extra stuff you removed that you didn't have to? When I replaced my dash I was able to drop down the column low enough to get the dash off, but everything else you did looks like it had to be pulled.

I'm doing the work myself because I have the means and time to replace a $30 part that would cost $900 in labor, not to mention all the other costs. Why they put the expansion valve inside the firewall while most have it in the engine bay is beyond stupid imo
 
Broseph said:
...Why they put the expansion valve inside the firewall while most have it in the engine bay is beyond stupid imo
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Maybe that makes it a little more accurate? Maybe the room for it just wasn't there where it needed to be under the hood?
I'm sure that the truth of the matter is that replacement labor costs were not a design consideration for this rarely failing part.

I'd spend (in fact, I did) the extra two minutes that it takes to remove the steering column, rather then just dropping it.
 
Hey! Man, it's been a bit. In rereading the post I think what I meant by that, is that I didn't need to tear so much of the dash down IIRC. I removed the ignition switch and trim and various other items that could have been removed with the dash as a whole if that makes sense. The removal is the same either way overall.
 
Well... a few years later and I’m in the process of removing my dash to replace the expansion valve and core.

Quick question if someone can answer, can I remove the steering column from the shaft inside the car? There appears to be a 12mm bolt on a sleeve by the firewall. De-Markolooks to have pulled the shaft from the rack in the engine bay.
 
Broseph said:
Well... a few years later and I’m in the process of removing my dash to replace the expansion valve and core.

Quick question if someone can answer, can I remove the steering column from the shaft inside the car? There appears to be a 12mm bolt on a sleeve by the firewall. De-Markolooks to have pulled the shaft from the rack in the engine bay.
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Nevermind. Looking closer at the photos I can see the shaft still there inside the firewall.
Hoping to have this out today.
 
Got the dash out, but have a question.

It’s hard to tell at this point. Is the heater core coming out with everything (expansion valve and evaporator)requiring me to drain the antifreeze and go through the fill and purge process?

D56D4B3A-D2C9-4EB4-9C15-F6FFF3E726EB.jpeg
 
Broseph said:
Got the dash out, but have a question.

It’s hard to tell at this point. Is the heater core coming out with everything (expansion valve and evaporator)requiring me to drain the antifreeze and go through the fill and purge process?
Click to expand...
Broseph said:
Got the dash out, but have a question.

It’s hard to tell at this point. Is the heater core coming out with everything (expansion valve and evaporator)requiring me to drain the antifreeze and go through the fill and purge process?

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Unless that’s the core right in front. I’m in uncharted waters on this
 
The heater core should be the thing with the three large metal tubes running to the firewall. It should be closest to you, and the AC evaporator should be between it and the firewall.
 
I am wondering how long do you think the r&r take? I am looking
for a defrost mode door issue.
Thanks
 
joegr said:
The heater core should be the thing with the three large metal tubes running to the firewall. It should be closest to you, and the AC evaporator should be between it and the firewall.
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Thought so. Drain, fill and purge it is
 
Surfdude 49 said:
I am wondering how long do you think the r&r take? I am looking
for a defrost mode door issue.
Thanks
Click to expand...

For the dash? Not sure if the core needs to come out for the blender door. Dash only is probably 10-12 hrs. Add 4-5 for the core
 
Anyone know the exact location of the engine bay bolts for the core? This part is almost as difficult as the dash with the tight space in the engine compartment. I want to make sure I’m removing the right fasteners.
 
Broseph said:
Anyone know the exact location of the engine bay bolts for the core? This part is almost as difficult as the dash with the tight space in the engine compartment. I want to make sure I’m removing the right fasteners.
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I think I can tell based on the back side of the core picture De-marko posted (one up top by the coolant hoses, one below by the connectors and hoses and then one by the expansion valve)
But how are you supposed to reach the bolt below and right of the expansion valve? Under the car?
 
Thanks
I wonder if there are any pics of the blend door assy so as to get an idea of what to expect!!
 
Well...finally got everything back together and started the antifreeze bleed procedure only to have the car not start. Evertything comes on but the PATs light blinks rapidly and then the air bag light stays on and that’s it.

Pretty sure I reconnected everything. I don’t recall any specifics on startup after having all that stuff out of the car, is there?
 
No.
Try to start it again, and this time wait for the PATS light to slow down (takes a little while). When it does, it will flash out a two digit code a few times. What code does it flash out?
 
joegr said:
No.
Try to start it again, and this time wait for the PATS light to slow down (takes a little while). When it does, it will flash out a two digit code a few times. What code does it flash out?
Click to expand...

Eh. Not sure. It was 2 blinks a few seconds apart about 10 times
 
joegr said:
No.
Try to start it again, and this time wait for the PATS light to slow down (takes a little while). When it does, it will flash out a two digit code a few times. What code does it flash out?
Click to expand...

I’m going with 11, but I’m not sure as this is my first PATs code. Please see the YouTube video I posted and maybe you have a better idea on how to read this, it starts at the actually code (not the rapid blinks):

 
Yep, that was it. Transceiver connector was missed (small green connector on top towards radio). Got it started and system bled. Thanks Joe!

One last question. I have 3 of the large gold colored bolts left over and can’t figure out where I missed anything. Is there a blow up diagram of the dash and crush bar that would help identify these?

They’re the ones De-Marko showed by the passenger and driver door (1 each ), 2 under the defroster cover, and 1 behind the plugs where the doors close.
 
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