Need help removing heater box w/out screwin it up.

[disco stu]

The engine side of the firewall I can handle, but what has to be done to remove the heaterbox on the inside? I hope I don't have to remove the dash, but I have a bad feeling that is the news I am gonna get.

I am trying to install a main engine harness, fix my leak at the heater box, and clean up the firewall while I have the engine out.

The box is going back in, so don't tell me to put a plate over the hole and forget about it.

 

[disco stu]

ttt

 

[turbofish38]

Bad news. The dash does have to come out to remove the box. There are some hidden screws up there and unless you know where they are at than the easiest thing to do is yank the dash out. Its really pretty simple but mostly time consuming. I believe there are directions over in the resources at www.gnttype.org . Basically there are about 15 to 20 bolts and screws holding the dash in and you have to disconnect the wiring harness from the steering column and remove the screws holding the fuse box to the firewall and disconnect the rear body harness from the fuse box. There are also a couple of little details missing from this but once you get into it you can see what else needs to be done. What you are really trying to do is remove the dash with the wiring harness still attached to it.

 

[Scott Atk]

I have one good tip that I learned when i did mine. The very bottom bolt holding the box to the firewall. The one that you can't possibly get to. What I did was flatten the end of the bolt with a cut-off wheel on the inside then took the cut-off wheel and put a slot in it. I was then able to screw it out from the inside with a screwdriver. With that said, I still ended up breaking the box trying to get it out.

 

[Dwayne]

Scott Atk is on the right track...........there are a couple of screws that are a mfr to get to, I took the glovebox out and located these little bastards and used a small pair of visegrips and locked them onto the threaded end of the screws and backed them out backwards. ...good luck.........and be patient

 

[disco stu]

Thanks guys. I got all the heater box bolts out, the last two weren't too bad getting them from under the fenderliner. The main thing I am worried about is getting the dash out, especially with the GD alarm I had a supposedly good stereo shop do. It is an abomination. Not to mention the rest of the non factory stuff. I think I am gonna redo ALL of that junk, except maybe the alarm.
And cleanup the firewall. It needs it BAD!