Heater core and blower clean out

[boot85]

I have poor air flow out of the vents and I would like to clean the crap out of the heater. I have a non A/C truck. I have looked through the threads and have not found exactly what I was looking for. I need to know what all needs to come off for this job. The heater core does not leak so therefore I do not need to remove it. I just want to clean up the fan and air passages. I am wondering if I took the blower motor out is there enough clearance to vacum the heater box out with a shop vac? Also if I just take the blower motor out what all comes with it? For example, will I need to take the hood hinge off because the fan will have to come with it?

[kyull67]

If I remember correctly the hood hinge does have to come off to get the fan out. I think it would be easier to take apart the heater box under the passenger side dash. It comes apart in a couple sections and the heater core is right there. Hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

[rage'nrat638]

unfortunately your going to find that all the crap is going to be piled in the heater core..more than likely a mouse nest in there ...to pull the fan and not the heater box and not change the heater core..well lets just say bad idea...they only cost 40.00 or less..
living in wisc. you like me in Chicago we need all the heat we can get...on a non a/c truck it's not very hard to do..

[Aarons72s]

Yah I agree with ragenrat. You need to pull the outter box. I always wandered why mine in the orange and white didnt work to well. Well when I tore it apart the whole box was full of ground up leaves. Yes the hood hinge has to come off. Support the hood with a 2x4. You also need to pull your cowl panel and kick panel vents and pull all the crap out of them. I would say since you are doing all this get the cowl trash guards, you wont regret it. Hope this helps.

Edit, most aftermarket heater cores wont fit, the tanks on the heater core need to be indented for the atachment brackets and the only ones I have found with them are the ac delco ones, oe. Sorry but you ought to know.

[da-burb]

I would also suggest changing the blower motor while you have it all apart too. They are(were) about $20 at NAPA. You wouldn't believe how much faster a new motor spins compared to something 30 years old give or take.

In addition to the above mentioned mouse nest, you might just find the darn critters chewed half the fins from the squirrel cage fan.

[MisterMan]

maybe 2 hrs of work, just remove everything except the vents and clean like a mad man!!!

[68C15]

Originally Posted by MisterMan

maybe 2 hrs of work, just remove everything except the vents and clean like a mad man!!!

but in the rust belt it can suck up a whole weekend. the J nuts on the fender wells break. you will also need a box of band-aids.

[Aarons72s]

Originally Posted by 68C15

but in the rust belt it can suck up a whole weekend. the J nuts on the fender wells break. you will also need a box of band-aids.

Here is my secret to getting those rusted j nuts that hold the inner fenders on. When the weld nuts on them break, they usually do, get a bunch of cheap new hack saw blades. Slide the blsde between the inner fender and the fender and saw the bolts in half. I do it all the time on the ones I scrap and at the junk yard. Quick and easy. Oh, find the newer style clips, the ones that are threaded sheet metal instead of weld nuts. Work alot better and when they strip out the bolt usually falls out. I either get the new type at auto parts stores, hardware stores or I take them off of 73-87 trucks, they use the better one to hold there inner fenders in.

[Bob D]

You will probably find something that looks like this:

I get a lot more airflow now.

Bob

[rage'nrat638]

Originally Posted by Bob D

You will probably find something that looks like this:

I get a lot more airflow now.

Bob

YEA... thats what i am talking about...the fresh smell of pee pee and all the little fins in the heater core get packed as well...every time you turn the heater on you look like the girls on HEE HAW...

THATS A GREAT PICTURE THERE BOB..worth a thousand words..

[el curioso]

I hate to be the guy to say it but SEARCH button!! LOL
just messing with ya heres the link to a very good post by JEWELS.
Link

[Aarons72s]

Bob d that is what mine looked like when I pulled it to. Just mine was ground up leaves.

[Americanrider]

I did the same thing to mine and found twigs and leaves packed in there. Also found that the mounting tabs or ears where craking away. I glued them up with epoxy them pulled them together with wire until it cured.

Afterwards I scrubbed it with a scotch-brite pad in a bucket of soapy water and gave it a coat of paint (Dupi-color plastic paint) so if it flexes a little it will not crack away. Gloss black looks 100% better than that sick brown-grey stock color. (That paint also makes a fan shroud look new)

Don't forget to drop a few drops of oil into the fan motor bearings if you don't replace it with a new one.