Heater Box/Inner Fenders

[quazzy81]

I was wondering how to get the heater box out of my car. It looks like I have to take the fender off of the car along with the inner fender. I wasnt sure if there was some way to get it out w/o removing the fenders. Any help will do, thanks guys!

Brendan

 

[chrisgarrett]

I've never removed the heater box, but I have removed the inner fender without removing the outer fender. It's tedious and a couple of the bolts down below the esc module are VERY difficult to access, but it is doable.

 

[Nasty]

After many wasted hours, I learned that removing the fender/liner as a whole
is the way to go. It also allows a good amount of remove to move around. remember to mark all the bolts so reinstallation and alignment are easier.

 

[Scott Atk]

What I did was take all the bolts out that you have access to. Then get up under the dash and grind the tip off the remaining screws flat. Use your die drinder to put a slot in the end that you just ground flat. Use a screw driver to turn them out from the inside. Worked great.

 

[Project TNX]

Removing fenders and fender liners is often portrayed as something harder than it really is. About 20 bolts, 3 shims, and it's off. They tend to want to go on exactly as they came off as well. Adjusting it is usually a 30 minute process. One of the few times I would tell someone not to clean anything before or during removal, that way you have a nice outline of where the stuff lines back up.

 

[mybuick]

yah my heater box is leaking water onto the carpet. got to do that soon

 

[Nasty]

yah my heater box is leaking water onto the carpet. got to do that soon

I pulled my box for the same reason. Someone was trying to fix it for a while before I bought. Around and in the box was gobbs of a black tar like ooze that was still wet all these years-and sticks to everything and a b_tch to get off .

After removing the box, I took everything out of it and spent a whole day with solvent, lots of rags and patience and cleaned everything good. I reassembled the inner area using strip caulk (dum dum) on the inside. I flushed out my evap and replaced the old heater core.

The body seams are easy to get to at this point. I scraped the layers of sealant and installed some new stuff to clean surfaces, then sprayed the area with stop-rust and black paint. I also replaced the antenna-cable corroded inside connector ends.

The hvac box to firewall seal was partially missing (the source of the leak). I used windshield sealer (boxed like big thick strip caulk, PepBoys $17). I did a inner and outer strip, filled the bolt holes with some and installed. I then used rubberized spray to seal the edges and bolts further, plus sprayed around where the harnesses going into the body. I can't see another leak from that area now. (windshield and T-tops next )

 

[Terry_H]

One reason water leaks in is the box drain is plugged with years worth of dirt and leaves. Pull down the rear of the plastic inner fender and unclog the drain with a small screw driver or similar. The box was designed to allow water to enter the box below the passenger side wiper and drain out below. When the water can't get out throught the drain, it comes in the car. Often it gets the ecm wet.

One telltail sign is if water continues to drain slowly an hour or more after you wash the car.

Unless the original box was disturbed, it would be rare if one leaked at the firewall.

 

[quazzy81]

Thanks for all of your knowledge guys! I will take on this project first thing tomorrow after I get home from work. I knew I asked the right people! Takns again