Can anyone point me to a good how-to on replacing the heater core in a 1996 E350?

I'm getting that sweet smell and humidity coming out of the vents, so it looks like it's time. Trying to decide if I'm going to bite the bullet and have the shop do it, or tackle it myself.


I think I'm going to do the radiator, all the hoses, and the water pump at the same time, so I'm leaning towards doing it myself.

Tips? Suggestions?

BTW, I searched Youtube and came up empty.

 

I found an illustrated "how-to" from a 2002. Anyone know if it's the same?

It doesn't look bad at all.

 

Motors are completely different so that part will NOT be the same.

I've swapped out my own heat cores on post-1997's but never looked at the '96 and older---sorry can't help ya there.

 

Well, time has run out, my wife is freezing in the morning and having trouble seeing out of frosted windows, so it's going in the shop today. Four bills. Ouch.

Once it's done, I'll probably find my shop manual that I've been searching for around here, and find out it's easy peasey.

If I do, I'll scan a few pages and post them here.

 

Its "easy" is relative to your tool compliment and experience doing this task---sadly the factory manual shows the theoretical steps but it doesn't and can't allow for the "challenges" you'll discover along the way. Things like frozen or stuck Quick Connect fittings etc etc.......this is were experience comes in.

PLUS the factory recommended procedure for replacing the heater core begins with REMOVING the dash board completely. In reality (for '97's and later) there are but 7 screws holding the outer heater core case to the inner, a bit of tugging to release it and you have clear access to the core.

Oh---on the '97's and later there is one screw far up on the outer heater core case that's nearly impossible to access, impossible to remove the case without it being removed. I have a few photos of that fricking thing in place and what I did to remove it---will post a bit later.

Anyone having already done this job probably leaves that screw out---its just not really that necessary for proper heater operation.