1996 Dodge Dakota Heater Core and Evaporator Core Replacement(1)

1996 Dodge Dakota Heater Core and Evaporator Core Replacement tips

[@charlesfields7908]

Just a tidbit for future readers. The dash doesn't have to be pulled. Remove the lower half that goes from the ash tray of the dash towards the passenger side glove box. Look under the hood on the fire wall there's 5 nuts on studs, remove the nuts, remove the heater hoses, unbolt the evap connection under the blower resistor, yes you'll lose your freon, theres 2 brackets behind the cup holder that needs to be unbolted, remove all the vacuum lines from the air box. Ounce done the air box will fall out from under the dash. Way easier than removing the entire dash. Replaced the heater core on my 93 dakota winter of 08. Have to pull the box again to replace the blower motor now.

[@toast9758]

So with the Dakotas, yours is actually still considered to be a 1st gen, despite the changes and differences between all the years of the 1st gen. The 1st gen Dakota ran from 87 to 96. There's still a couple of key similarities in most of those years though

[@jonvaughn752]

I’m six foot and 250. Had no problem doing this without taking the seat out. No need to take the seat out is you are the size of a grown man.

[@jimmytildon6234]

i just replaced heater core on my 1995 Dodge Dakota, I did not remove entire dash just the lower part of the dash and the cupholder. Then slide out the whole heater core evaporator box after disconnecting hoses bolts and cable, just set the box on the tailgate. replace heater core and set it back in.

[@kd5bwp]

Not possible on this truck.

[@jimmytildon6234]

@@kd5bwp Sorry to disagree with you but that's the way I did it. 87- 96 are the same dash. I did have to also move the wires that ran under the box and kind of twist the box out. I thank you for making the video because it made me remember when I did a heater core on my 99 f150. I spent 10+ hours on that. did not want to spend that long on my Dakota. what made mine easier to do this way was the freon leaked out of my truck years ago, so I did not have to worry about discharging air conditioner

[@kd5bwp]

@@jimmytildon6234 You don't have to empty the Ac system on a Dakota to change the heater core. What are you talking about.

[@kd5bwp]

@@jimmytildon6234 The dash has to come out on the 1996 model year on this truck to get the heater core out. Unless you take a saw zaw to the middle of it. Plus the cup holders aren't in the middle like you claim the cup holder are right in front of the evap core. The cup holders are wayyyy to the passanger side of the dash.

[@jimmytildon6234]

@@kd5bwp If you do it your way no you do not have to, but I did it outside in the cold weather. It took me about 3 hours vs 10

[@loves2cook74]

Not sure if you can help but at 6 minutes you had the black bulbous piece in view. Do you know what that is? We have a tube near that that is running straight to the engine with a vacuum suction in when the engine is running. Just curious what it is (the black ball)? And f you by chance know what the tube running into the side of the engine is.

[@kd5bwp]

That's the vacuum canister. It's there like a pressure tank is there if you have a water well. It makes the vacuum stay more evenly during high point quick demands. The reason for this on this truck is because it has cruze control operated by vacume and not electronically. You don't see these often more if at all anymore since everything is not operational by small electrical motors.

[@loves2cook74]

@@kd5bwpThank you. I have been researching it everywhere and could not find the answer.

[@kd5bwp]

@@loves2cook74 No worries not many folks know about older vehicles these days that have no computers or very basic computer making them run these days.

[@loves2cook74]

@@kd5bwp the thing of hoses on the left side coming out goes down toward the engine and Ts again the hose we can't figure out is the one not running to the engine but straight out. We just can't find where it goes.

[@kd5bwp]

@@loves2cook74 send me a picture and I can then take and send you a picture of the hoses and how they are routed under the hood. [e-mail]

[@chrisy2128]

Fellow 96 owner here, but mine is a manual, should I plan on just taking the whole dash out since the shift lever would be in the way?

[@kd5bwp]

Just pull the shifter out

[@stephenmaclagan842]

I have the dash off. How do I access the heater core? I can’t seem to figure out how to open the housing for it. I’ve taken out a million of the screws holding it in, and I’ve taken out the bolts in the fire wall.

[@kd5bwp]

Did you go to the engine side on the fire wall and take out that bolt?

[@stephenmaclagan842]

Yeah man I did all that and got to the heater core. Took me all day. I got fed up with it and put it mostly back together and took it to the shop 😂 should’ve done that in the beginning it really wasn’t that much money. Really big job and it was driving me crazy

[@stephenmaclagan842]

@@kd5bwp but it was a great video that helped me a lot this was the only video I could find so I appreciate it

[@garyrichmond7857]

That's what I have to do in my truck Mazda 96 model just like yours got a 3.9 in it and you're heater core the old one looks thicker then the new one is that the case

[@kd5bwp]

They had two options OEM or smaller. The smaller ones were used in the south a ton and on single cabs. It get below zero often where I'm at and even tho a single cab I chose the larger one. It had the larger one since the truck came orginally from up north but within a few months of buying it was shipped down south so zero salt rust.

[@garyrichmond7857]

@@kd5bwp : I just seen my text I sent you 4 days ago and it's not a Mazda it's a Dodge Dakota 96 SLT my phone acts stupid sometimes

[@garyrichmond7857]

@@kd5bwp okay didn't know that on a heater core but I know up here they have two different sizes like you're saying but my truck is a extended cab and reading your post I guess mine be bigger one I think they come in at 1 in and 2 in

[@gc5680]

Chek lais 0:42