Heater core

[QWKSNKE]

Doing a heater core change in the SVO. Why can I not get the instrument cluster out far enough to get the speedometer cable loose?

Also there appears to be a screw sticking through the firewall holding the heater box (threaded side towards the interior) on the bottom left hand side. Where is the head to it. I jacked up the car and looked towards the bottom of the firewall but could not find the head where I could put a socket on it and back it out

[04 Mach1]

Lee with the older years (86 and older) you do not have to remove the hole heater box. Have helped jason with his about 3 time its it takes about 2 hours. They ain't like the 88 - 93 where the hole box and dash has to come out.

[QWKSNKE]

hmmm. you wanna come by the house?

I already have the dash almost out, most of the heater box loose, etc..

Freaking speedo cable behind the instrument cluster is killing me now

[04 Mach1]

Ya that speedo is a pain in the a**. I have found out that if you pull the driver seat out and lay on your back up side down you cah get it with the cluster installed throught the back side. If ya still need a hand give me a yell tommorow and i can come by.

[04 Mach1]

correction you still have to remove the entire heater box, but on the 86 and older you can remove the fan assembly from the heater box and then pull the rest of the heater box out.

[Craig K.]

On the Non-A/C (86 and oler) cars, all you have to do is pull the glove box inner liner out, then you have straight access to the heater core, takes about 30 minutes to do.

Lee as I recall from doing the heater core in my 86 SVO, drop the steering column ( you have to any way) then you can get to the speed-o cable easier.

If I had known you were doing this, this week I could had tried to get you my set of 1985 service manuals.

I will be leaving to go out of town early tomorrw, sorry.

[1Quik85GT]

I changed the heater core on my car about 6-7yrs ago...Lee, what I done was dropped the steering column down, and then loosened all the screws for the dash, and pulled it out, not completely out, but far enough where i could get to the Heater core, It wasnt a pretty job, but it was gravy after that gettin the heater core out, ubt puttin it back together was as fun as taking it apart...good luck, if ya need more advice call my cell 441-5288

[LeeH]

Originally Posted by Craig K.

On the Non-A/C (86 and oler) cars, all you have to do is pull the glove box inner liner out, then you have straight access to the heater core, takes about 30 minutes to do.

My first fox body was a 79RS Capri(around 1985) and then I grauduated up to an 84GT(in mid 1986). I had the dash out of both of those cars a few times due to heater core and evaperator problems, The first thing is to get the steering column down and as Craig said then you can reach the speedometer cable and release the little plastic retaining clip. My RS Capri was an A/C delete car which I later changed over to factory A/C , That was a PITA.

[QWKSNKE]

yeah I have the column down already.

The main problem I am at now is getting the speedo cable unhooked from the speedo. I cannot pull the instrument cluster out far enough to get my hand back there.

[streetstang88]

i started getting that smelling coolant when i turn the heater on and a little steam on the windshield , humm guess i'm due for a heater core also