Heater Core and Evaporator Removal

[emerystora]

>I'm trying to remove the evaporator and the heater core. I'm doing it because
>of low air flow at the outlets. I thought maybe the evaporator was plugged up
>and if I could get it out I could clean it. It looks like you could swing it
>out a little and clean it if the hoses are flexible enough. I'm having a
>little trouble getting the screws out that hold it in. I also thought I'd
>take the heater core out and have it checked while I'm in there. Seems I'm
>having trouble getting the screws out of it's brackets! The one on the
>driver's side just seems to keep turning without backing out and I am having
>trouble getting a socket on the ones on the passenger's side. Me and my
>bright ideas! They often get me in trouble. Can someone give me some
>pointers????????
>
>TIA
>
>David

David - can you get a small vise grip on the head and pull while you
are turning. This may start the thread. Also, if its a little loose
you might be able to wedge a flat blade screwdriver under the hear
while you try to turn it with another screwdriver. Last resort, get
a cold chisel and knock the head off and take out the screw from the
other side after you get the core out.

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Santa Fe, NM

 

[dick kennedy]

David,

I did a complete tear down on mine last year. I don't remember details of
the take down but do remember it was a pain. I don't know if it's possible
to get it apart without disconnecting hoses. I was installing a second
cooler under the couch behind the driver so I replaced all hoses and
cleaned everything.

Like yours mine had the symptoms of very little air flow. My first
discovery was that the blower motor turned backwards. That one had me
scratching my head for a while because I didn't believe what I thought I
was seeing. A new blower improved things a little but not much.

I think some of the later models had better air flow but mine is a '75 PB
and there is very little air flow even when working properly. The AC is
poorly designed like many other things on these old beasts. I don't know
the details of the later models and I think someone sells kits to upgrade
things also but if you've already got everything apart it's fairly easy to
improve the air flow. I'm making the assumption that yours is like mine
otherwise you wouldn't being trying to improve it.

The air intake slot on the floor goes into an odd shaped chamber which has
a port to the blower intake located on tha passenger side. The sheetmetal
behind the evporator forms one wall of that chamber. So If you cut a
sizable hole directly behind the evaporator that will allow the system to
blow air directly out the floor slot. Then make a wooden plug to separate
the intake and exhaust air in the odd shaped chamber and you have a system
that moves about 10 times the original air flow. I intended to make some
fins to redirect the air flow up off the floor but presently just use a 12v
fan th blow it where I want it.

Once you've got the evaporator out of the way you'll be able to see what
I'm talking about. The mod is simple to do and I would recomend it. I think
there's a web site with some drawings of the AC box and if that's not
enough I can talk you through it.

Dick Kennedy

>I'm trying to remove the evaporator and the heater core. I'm doing it
because
>of low air flow at the outlets. I thought maybe the evaporator was plugged
up
>and if I could get it out I could clean it. It looks like you could swing it
>out a little and clean it if the hoses are flexible enough. I'm having a
>little trouble getting the screws out that hold it in. I also thought I'd
>take the heater core out and have it checked while I'm in there. Seems I'm
>having trouble getting the screws out of it's brackets! The one on the
>driver's side just seems to keep turning without backing out and I am having
>trouble getting a socket on the ones on the passenger's side. Me and my
>bright ideas! They often get me in trouble. Can someone give me some
>pointers????????
>
>TIA
>
>David
>
>