I am in a quandrey. The heater core leaks and I am trying to decide weather to replace it or put the stop leak chemicals which is supose to plug up leaks. I would rather change out the heater core (do it right), but from the way it is installed I think the dash has to be removed. It's in a 82 280zx with a functioning A/C system and I don't want to mess that up. If somebody has any suggestions on an easy way to remove the core please let me know. Thanks

 

Hey I need to know the same thing...and if your heater core is still hooked up can you take some pics under the hood on how the water hoses are conected to it.

 

If you want to spend many hours on the project (most of it upside down under the dash w/ your feet on the headrest) & take many advil to slow the pounding headache, then don't take off the dash.

It's much easier to just pull the dash, swap cores & put the dash back on. It should only take 30 minutes to get the dash off. If you pull the steering wheel off, it's even easier to get the dash out.

My Motto: DO IT RIGHT, OR DON'T DO IT.

 

I Second That Motion Its Real Easy To Take Off The Dash I've Done It Almost 20-30 Times As Nismo Said Just Take Off The Steering Wheel And The Window Wiper Control You Dont Want That To Break On You Its Just 3 Small Screws.

 

i pulled almost my entire under dash A/C system without removing the dash, just sit on the side of the car and leen inside it (or maybe im just tall enough to do it) but that should put you at a reasonable place to pull all that crap out, just get all those little clips that hold the bottom piece off, then drain/unbolt the core and your set, but it still only takes 15 minutes to unblot the dash.. (we need a write up on removing zx dashes)

 

i did a writeup in some dash hearter core thread somewhere here. whatever you do dont use the chemicals, they just plug everything up, including your thermostat, rad, rad cap and overflow bottle, ever take a head off just to find all the cooling passages in the head gasket pluged by that crap, its not advisable, and just do a search up in the right corner, im sure youll find that post of mine, sorry im just too stupid to find it