So I remember in the video Don makes a comment along the lines of you never know what you will find during this job. That could not be a more true statement!
My heater box was already removed when I bought the car and now during reassembly I wanted to take advantage of that and stick a heater core(non ac car)in it since it’s easy enough right?!I mean the box is already on the shelf and just needs to be taken apart. It all looks to be in good shape. All the clips are on it and they come off nicely with only 2 on opposing sides being somwhat rounded off previously but still hold tight. What could go wrong right?! After gently trying to pop the box apart it’s not budging, ok it’s a 50year old part and who knows when the last person was in there. Gradually I up the tools and pressure trying to get this thing apart with no luck which is now starting to become a frustration that’s building an anger inside wanting desperately to shove a wedge in there and hit it with a hammer!
Knowing damn well old car parts typically do not like brute force and ignorance I walked away and came back later with a fresh set of eyes. Upon further inspection and not looking for what’s out of I find what appears to be black silicone glueing the whole thing together! I mean really WTF?! The clips are on it, the box isn’t warped and looks original. Even had a brass core in it. Of course it’s stuck together quite well and seeing how there is a channel in there there is no way to cut through it without getting to the inside as well. I fear trying to use anymore force will break the fiberglass and cost me a box which is a whole other can of worms(like do I convert to ac now!?? But I sooo many more important items to spend the money on!)
Ok long enough, question is does anyone have any ideas to break that silicone up? I’m thinking of trying to use a heat gun to warm it up some and see if I can cut under one corner and work it free!
I got mine apart by applying a
Small Amoint of pressure on one corner with a screwdriver and holding that pressure for 30 seconds or so and then inserting another screwdriver about 4 inches from the first and again small amount of preaaure. Slowly it began to release.
Yes mine was siliconed together. It came apart with small amt of constant pressure. I am wondering why someone would have siliconed a non ac assembly though. With an evaporator you will have water inside and it needs to be sealed up well at bottom so water won’t leak.
That was my thought at the time of posting but I do not give up easy and took another crack at it today. I set the box out in the sun for a bit and went back at it. Low 70s out today… Once I could get under a corner I was able to slide a razor blade in there to cut enough silicone away to break it free. Took the better part of an hour slowing prying and cutting.
I’m glad I got in there since it appears the rubber end caps for the heater core never got put back in…
I have rebuilt the right side box containing the heater core, A/C evaporator, and all the flaps. Its bolted nice and straight to the firewall and the top bolt under the dash. I have the front diffuser off of the bottom of the blower box, and the blower box is loose. But I cannot seem to get it back up into place so that the large ring with the flat on the bottom matches the same but larger ring on the heat exchange box. The blower seems to be jammed tight against a stout bracket on the left that is buried in wires and perhaps a sensor or two. The metal ring on the right of the blower box touches the right side box, but it won’t move far enough to re-engage that box correctly. Is there a special technique for getting that blower box assembled back into place correctly?