Hey everyone,

My heater hose started leaking severely where it connects to the heater core (behind the tansmission fluid dip stick). I have been told to make sure it was not the actual connection that is cracked and will do so, but I also have replacement hose, clamps, etc... It looks like incredibly tight quarters in that area and I really don't think I can get my hands back there. Am I supposed to remove things in order to open up that area or do I just dive in and hope not to bend or break anything?

Just want to get as much of an educated opinion as possible before getting to involved in this one - haven't found a lot of info about this specific repair. Looks incredibly easy on older Jeeps - wide open for your hands. Anyhow, if anyone has done this or knows something that I should know I would greatly appreciate the info/advice. Thanks!

 

Ok, I have done some research and have reached a point that is unclear. So here is my dilemma:


Definitely not going to be able to get my hand back there so that means one of two things... I have to start taking the top of the engine apart (the part that is the engine air intake) or I have to completely disassemble the interior dash or both for all I know. I do know that to replace the heater core they call it 'the big one' - 7 hours of labor and the mechanic on a different forum says they use every bit of it and that's at a shop with all the right tools. That's the one you have to completely disassemble the dash inside because the heater core is on the cab side of the firewall which brings me to my questions:


If I pulled the dash and got to the heater core will I still have to connect the hoses from the engine side of the firewall?


- OR -


Will I be able to pull the heater core and old hoses in to the cab, connect the new hoses to the heater core, and then slide the heater core (with the new hoses now connected) back into position?


The former means that regardless I need to figure out how to replace the hoses from the engine side of the firewall and that means taking apart engine components to get my hand back to the hose connections. The latter means that the right way to do it is from the cab side by taking the dash apart.


Currently I do not know which way to approach it and don't want to start down one route only to find, hours later, that it was the wrong route. Any ideas on this one?

 

I've not personally changed these hoses but a tool like this should help since you can't get your hand in there.

 

Just did my core on Sunday. IT SUCKS!

Now that that is out the way, let me offer some advice. If you can avoid pulling the dash, do it. In order to pull the dash and get at the connection you will have to do several painstaking things. Pull the entire TIPM harness, remove the battery box, discharge the A/C system, remove all the front trim, etc. The list is enormous, the task is a bear. If I knew that I just had a cracked hose at the firewall, I would pull the intake. It shouldn't take more than an hour or so, and then you'll have many inches of clearance to the firewall. At that point, just replace what you need to with the core lines, reassemble, and call it a day. I took about 10 hours to completely pull the dash, replace the core, and re-assemble. If I were to do it again I could probably get it down to 6 hours, but if it leaks again i'll put stop leak in until I can get my hemi installed.

 

Ok.... It has been a while and there have been many battles. Bloody, hot, painful battles. My sisters jk went through a ton of nonsense and since that is her only vehicle it took priority over mine. Now that it is driving again (still needs a rear wheel bearing/axle bearing whatever its called).

So.. Back to my Jeep which I have name "Sensei", because it has forced me to learn so much. As I said in the original post the damned hose was cracked at the firewall and I could not get my hands to it. That combined with the other frustrations I have had trying to get things working forced me to ask myself a question. Am I a vanity guy or a practicality guy? I already knew the answer and as such have decided to rip out the AC/blower/heater-core assembly and install a simple heater core with a fan instead. If I get hot I will take off the top or the doors like I did last summer and if I ever need to get to anything in in the tub I can just get right to it. It is obscene how much space is lost due to ducting and fans. So I will give you a quick run down of the situation as it stands today and then I have a question.

The AC is now empty and the blower assembly removed. My plan is to put the underlying dash frame back on the tub, screw/tape the gauges back in place on said frame, and bolt the steering column back up. Then I'll run the heater hoses through the hole in the firewall and straight to this small heater-core/fan assembly thing I bought. It will be hideous, but it will get me through winter and I will do my re-design and fabrication of the dash next spring/summer. I want to do some sort of homage to the flat dash design of old...

I am left now with some questions. I am a novice to all of this stuff BTW so if you are assuming I know something, please don't lol!

( Questions )

The refrigerant is gone from the AC unit now. I have the metal tubes and rubber hoses disconnected from the AC unit, but still in the engine compartment. Can I drive the Jeep like that? Of course I would make sure to keep the hoses from rattling around, but will it burn out or do anything catastrophic? Perhaps I should cut the hoses and plug them and that would so the trick? If not how can I make it safe to drive without the AC unit?