I can smell the sweet odor of anti-freeze each time I turn on the air/heater/defroster. She's not blowing smoke/mist yet but I know that's next. I need to change the heater core on a 2000 Dodge Ram 2500 V-10. I have several questions and looking for any advice. I looked at the Hanyes manual and looks pretty involved. Disconnect almost everything, remove almost everything and A/C needs to be depressurized. When I went to the dealer to price a core they quoted $281.00 and joking asked if I wanted to order a new dash. Napa wanted $81.00. Why is there such a differance in price.

1. Does the A/C evp core need to be replaced also or just the heater core.

2. Upon reading a little in my cheapo haynes manual the dash needs to be really opened up. Can I still drive my truck with the dash torn up until I actually replace the core.

3. Any warnings about letting the refridgerant flying to the air then have it recharged after the heater core is installed.

I would really like to do this myself and save the gajillons of dollars it may cost to have the dealer or shop do the repairs. Any advice will help.

Dealer parts are almost always higher/Yes replace the condensor while you are there.They were known for leaking and its just the price of the part.If the A/C has freon take it in to have it evacuated.The whole dash has to come out.Just be real careful with the airbags.Id disconnect the batter at least an hour befor you start.The Durangos we replaced the blower motor when we did them also as they are buried in there on the early ones.NAPA makes a quality core and condensor.Have the A/C charged as soon as you finish the job so you dont get moisture in the system.No you cany drive it with the dash out as you will have it almost all the way apart.That or find a tech at the dealer that does side jobs.One guy I knew was able to do them in like 2 to 3 hours and charged 150 bucks at home.Rocky

Thanks Rocky, my dept. manager has a friend at a dealer that does side jobs. And he was like yeah do I have the time to kill a whole saturday to do this. My dept manager and her friend are Mopar people also. So replace the evap core also or your you talking about the condensor in the engine bay?

Any others with advice...

Kevin

i just did one, you will need to get the a/c pumped out.

remove the lines (special tools)

remove the ecm/pcm, remove heater hoses, remove the 4 bolts holding the box on from the out side and the vac line.

now the [Edited by Moparts - Family Friendly Site - Keep it clean], remove the 5 screws holding the dash near the windsheild, follow the manual.. I was able to loosen my dash and pull it back far enough to get the box out, dont forget the two screws holding the box on the inside.

after you remove the heater box, you can now bolt the dash back up, baypass the heater box by connecting the hoses together, and then you should be able to drive it.

it only takes a few hours to do the complete job..

i didnt change my evap..

good luck

Dakota Don - is my cheapo Hanyes manual detailed enough to get the job done? or should I spring for a manual from the dealer? I would prefer to not drive the truck as I can use the Indy on the weekend, but I work 6-7 days a week (1 full time job and 1 part time job) and this is my main vehicle during the week to get me on the navy base for full time job.
The five bolts holding the dash, how accessible are they. I'm a shade tree mechanic with a good tool set but none of the specilty tools a real mechanic has.
-any other wish to pipe in ?

the only special tools required are going to be the ones to dis-connect the A/C lines.
without them your not going to get it apart.

I did mine last summer., I pulled it in the shop at 12 noon, at 12.45pm we were going to lunch in it. then re-charged the A/C when we got back

Thanks to all those that replied. I know that I can do this, just with my hard luck (what could go wrong, will) I'll set a whole day aside to do this before the cold sets in. All I need is to have a shop recapture the freon and recharge when I finished the job. A I should be able to get the special A/C disconnect at NAPA.

Kevin

Just an FYI,
my A/C evap went before the heater core, I would strong advise you to replace the A/C evap while you are in there..
I had a local shop repair mine, nearly a thousand dollars parts and labor,.
New heater core and A/C evap labor and recharge the A/C.

if you need to drive it, just loop the hoses together uner the h ood...stop the coolant going in to the core. id run genuine parts, morte money but better than the aftermarket junk. id also do the evap core while your in there.

bill you did a core in 45 min, isnt book time 6 or 7 hrs?

I meant the evap.Old age setting in.I know on the Durangos the early ones it takes almost as long to do the blower as the core.That was a bright idea.Rocky

Quote:

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And it was my own truck, and every nut,bolt, screw and bracket was put back where it's supposed to be in case anyone thinks it was a hackjob.

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Good on ya mate! I hate fixing hack jobs cause it's not that much harder/longer to do it right. Often difficult to find screws, bolts or brackets are missing.

A few notes, not to bad just plan on spending some time. Use a mopar unit check on a Mopar VALUE LINE parts.----------------HEATER-A/C HOUSING
The heater-A/C housing assembly must be removed from the vehicle and disassembled for service access of the heater core, evaporator coil, and each of the various mode control doors.

WARNING: ON VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AIRBAGS, REFER TO GROUP 8M - PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEMS BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY STEERING WHEEL, STEERING COLUMN, OR INSTRUMENT PANEL COMPONENT DIAGNOSIS OR SERVICE. FAILURE TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS COULD RESULT IN ACCIDENTAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT AND POSSIBLE PERSONAL INJURY.

REMOVAL
Disconnect and isolate the battery negative cable.
Remove the instrument panel from the vehicle. Refer to Instrument Panel Assembly in the Removal and Installation section of Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems for the procedures.
If the vehicle is not equipped with air conditioning, go to Step 6. If the vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, recover the refrigerant from the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant Recovery in the Service Procedures section of this group.
Disconnect the liquid line refrigerant line fitting from the evaporator inlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures. Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened refrigerant line fittings.
Remove the accumulator. Refer to the accumulator Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedure. Install plugs in, or tape over all of the opened refrigerant line fittings.
Drain the engine cooling system. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures.
Disconnect the heater hoses from the heater core tubes. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures. Install plugs in, or tape over the opened heater core tubes.
Remove the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) from the dash panel and set it aside, but do not unplug the PCM wire harness connectors. Refer to Group 14 - Fuel Systems for the procedures.
Remove the nuts from the heater-A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel.
Remove the nuts that secure the heater-A/C housing to the mounting studs on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel Heater-A/C Housing Remove/Install
Pull the heater-A/C housing rearward far enough for the mounting studs and the evaporator condensate drain tube to clear the dash panel holes.
Remove the heater-A/C housing from the vehicle.
DISASSEMBLY
Place the heater-A/C housing upside down on a work bench.
Remove the screw that secures the floor duct to the bottom of the heater-A/C housing and slide the floor duct off of the center heat duct adaptor.
Unsnap the center heat duct adaptor from the bottom of the heater-A/C housing and remove the screw that was hidden by the adaptor.
Remove the remaining screws on the bottom of the heater-A/C housing that secure the two housing halves together.
Place the heater-A/C housing right side up on the work bench.
Separate the top half of the heater-A/C housing from the bottom half and set it aside.
ASSEMBLY
Position the top half of the heater-A/C housing over the bottom half. Be certain that the mode door pivot pins are properly inserted in their pivot holes.
Place the heater-A/C housing upside down on the work bench.
Install and tighten the screws on the bottom of the heater-A/C housing that secure the two housing halves together. Tighten the screws to 2.2 N·m (20 in. lbs.)
Snap the center heat duct adaptor onto the bottom of the heater-A/C housing.
Slide the floor duct onto the center heat duct adaptor and secure it with a screw to the bottom of the heater-A/C housing. Tighten the mounting screw to 2.2 N·m (20 in. lbs.)
Reinstall the heater-A/C housing in the vehicle.
INSTALLATION
Position the heater-A/C housing to the dash panel. Be certain that the evaporator condensate drain tube and the housing mounting studs are inserted into their correct mounting holes.
Install the nuts that secure the heater-A/C housing to the mounting studs on the passenger compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nuts to 4.5 N·m (40 in. lbs.)
Install and tighten the nuts onto the heater-A/C housing mounting studs on the engine compartment side of the dash panel. Tighten the nuts to 7 N·m (60 in. lbs.)
Unplug or remove the tape from the heater core tubes. Connect the heater hoses to the heater core tubes and fill the engine cooling system. Refer to Group 7 - Cooling System for the procedures.
If the vehicle is not equipped with air conditioning, go to Step 10. If the vehicle is equipped with air conditioning, install the accumulator. Refer to the accumulator Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedure. Connect the accumulator inlet tube coupler to the evaporator outlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures.
Unplug or remove the tape from the liquid line and the evaporator inlet tube fittings. Connect the liquid line coupler to the evaporator inlet tube. See Refrigerant Line Coupler in the Removal and Installation section of this group for the procedures.
Evacuate the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant System Evacuate in the Service Procedures section of this group.
Charge the refrigerant system. See Refrigerant System Charge in the Service Procedures section of this group.
Reinstall the PCM to the dash panel. Refer to Group 14 - Fuel Systems for the procedures.
Reinstall the instrument panel in the vehicle. Refer to Instrument Panel Assembly in the Removal and Installation section of Group 8E - Instrument Panel Systems for the procedures.
Connect the battery negative cable.
Start the engine and check for proper operation of the heating and air conditioning systems.