Gambi80 Posted November 29, 2008 Share Posted November 29, 2008 I've got a 97 CH that needs the heater core/AC blown out. Anyone have some reasonably easy tricks to do so without having to tear the whole dash/dog house apart? The dust and beeswings have taken their toll. Thanks in advance! Quote Ever wonder how a blind person knows when to stop wiping? Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 I've got a 97 CH that needs the heater core/AC blown out. Anyone have some reasonably easy tricks to do so without having to tear the whole dash/dog house apart? The dust and beeswings have taken their toll. Thanks in advance!On my 2000(newer style dashboard), I was able to get in there pretty good just taking the front panel off the HVAC unit. I don't quite recall how the older dash comes apart, but mine takes 4 screws to expose the cores. I reached in between with a small wire brush while keeping suction with the shop-vac. Pulling the heater core out is not too bad, release the radiator cap and the coolant should stay in the engine. You'll only loose what's in the core itself. To clean the A/C core remove the fresh air inlet duct on the right side of the HVAC unit. Should be 4 screws you can see and one #*@$ bugger up on the cowl below the windshield you get from the outside under the hood. Removing this duct will allow you to inspect the operation of the fresh air door. I found out mine was stuck on fresh since new! One pin on the elec. plug was bent over, not making contact. I guess that's how my HVAC got all caked with dust in the first place!!! Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25537 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambi80 Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 On my 2000(newer style dashboard), I was able to get in there pretty good just taking the front panel off the HVAC unit. I don't quite recall how the older dash comes apart, but mine takes 4 screws to expose the cores. I reached in between with a small wire brush while keeping suction with the shop-vac. Pulling the heater core out is not too bad, release the radiator cap and the coolant should stay in the engine. You'll only loose what's in the core itself. To clean the A/C core remove the fresh air inlet duct on the right side of the HVAC unit. Should be 4 screws you can see and one #*@$ bugger up on the cowl below the windshield you get from the outside under the hood. Removing this duct will allow you to inspect the operation of the fresh air door. I found out mine was stuck on fresh since new! One pin on the elec. plug was bent over, not making contact. I guess that's how my HVAC got all caked with dust in the first place!!!I had a suggestion by someone to use some sort of brake/parts cleaner on the cores to dissolve the crap then blow it off/out. The part I'm fuzzy on is getting to it. I'm thinking on the lower right side of the doghouse (or whatever you call it) under the dash there's a curved big piece of plastic that comes out with a few screws. If removing that exposes things enough I'd be happy. Quote Ever wonder how a blind person knows when to stop wiping? Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25549 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Superdog Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 That curved piece on the lower right will expose the core enough to clean it .I've done mine a couple times.If you don't have the cowl filter,that helps some in keeping bees wings out,but not entirely.Just one of the "pains" of grain hauling. Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25568 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambi80 Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 That curved piece on the lower right will expose the core enough to clean it .I've done mine a couple times.If you don't have the cowl filter,that helps some in keeping bees wings out,but not entirely.Just one of the "pains" of grain hauling.It's the bees-wings among other things also. I work construction most of the year, so the ins and outs in different quarries does it too and the dust in general does it. I've had those filters on it since I've bought it, but the crap still finds its way in. Quote Ever wonder how a blind person knows when to stop wiping? Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25605 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Underdog Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 I had a suggestion by someone to use some sort of brake/parts cleaner on the cores to dissolve the crap then blow it off/out. The part I'm fuzzy on is getting to it. I'm thinking on the lower right side of the doghouse (or whatever you call it) under the dash there's a curved big piece of plastic that comes out with a few screws. If removing that exposes things enough I'd be happy.That curved piece is the fresh air duct I mentioned. 4 screws in the cab and one under the hood from the outside in, just below the windshield. This lets you access the A/C core pretty well, but you need to remove the front panel(around the controls) to get at the heater core. Make sure the HVAC drain is open(a rubber nipple in the firewall near the heater hoses), spread a tarp on the cab floor and take a garden hose to both cores. BTW, there are 2 drains for the fresh air cowl that get plugged up too. they are behind the electric horn in the center of the firewall. If these are plugged, You may get rainwater into the heater ducts.Copy on the dust there, Superdog. It's hard to keep anything clean pulling a bucket or a hopper. Oh, the places you'll go!I usually switch to "recirculate" on the HVAC control when I go on a dusty jobsite or feed mill. That helps but I take apart my HVAC once a year to clean it anyway.font="Garamond"]"bucket haulers like to do it in the dirt" Quote Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25606 Share on other sites More sharing options...
HK Trucking Posted November 30, 2008 Share Posted November 30, 2008 I had a suggestion by someone to use some sort of brake/parts cleaner on the cores to dissolve the crap then blow it off/out. The part I'm fuzzy on is getting to it. I'm thinking on the lower right side of the doghouse (or whatever you call it) under the dash there's a curved big piece of plastic that comes out with a few screws. If removing that exposes things enough I'd be happy.Don't use brake cleaner in there!The chlorofluorocarbon type can attack some plastics, and the non chlorinated type of brake cleaner is extremely flammable.You could end up with melted plastic, or a fire, or both.Once you get it opened up, blow it out with air. Quote "If You Can't Shift It Smoothly, You Shouldn't Be Driving It" Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25626 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambi80 Posted November 30, 2008 Author Share Posted November 30, 2008 Don't use brake cleaner in there!The chlorofluorocarbon type can attack some plastics, and the non chlorinated type of brake cleaner is extremely flammable.You could end up with melted plastic, or a fire, or both.Once you get it opened up, blow it out with air.It wasn't brake cleaner per se, but some kind of cleaner in an aerosol can... Anyway, I figured just some water and an air gun would do it. Every time I turn the fan on med. or hi the cab is invaded with the bees wings. lol Thanks for the tips...next rainy (or snowy, already) day I'm going to get it done. Quote Ever wonder how a blind person knows when to stop wiping? Link to comment https://www.bigmacktrucks.com/topic/6085-hvac-cleaning-on-a-ch/#findComment-25647 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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