2014-2018 GMC Sierra, Silverado A/C Evaporator Core Replacement

Replacing the A/C evaporator core on a 2014-2018 GMC Sierra 1500 (the easier method-no intake or steering column removal)
tags:
removing dash 2014-2018 Sierra Silverado heater core
2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 Sierra Silverado dash removal evaporator core replacement

[@enriquesantos3307]

Straight to the point, no bs, no story, and no beginner tutorial. I love it! Wish all technical videos were like yous

[@user-es3vx5km5q]

For anyone attempting this, I found an even easier way to pull the bolt behind the intake. A stubby socket wrench and short 10mm socket can get it off if you have a buddy around. Climb up in the bay and reach down over the intake to get that socket on the bolt. Once it’s on, keep a finger on it. Have your buddy crawl underneath and turn on it. You can barely reach, so it takes plenty of turns, but we made it happen this evening. 2014 Silverado.

[@swivmaster4891]

Just wanted to say thank you. I watched this video and it gave me the confidence to tackle this job. You saved me 3500 dollars. I was able to do this job by myself because of this video and ac was fixed and cooling better than ever. You had every single part in order and I can’t thank you enough. You have a new subscriber. By the way the ac system in this truck is the worst I have ever seen. Problem after problem.

[@forrestclark6069]

This is a killer video dude, just turned a 15hr job into a 4hr one, thank you so much man.

[@DIYeverything513]

Bro amazing concise video! A lot of viewers will be able to hammer a job like this thanks to you. Job well done.

[@MikeReactsTv]

my guy you the truth , just did this job alone in 5 and a half hours ... got paid for 15 hours of labor. thanks

[@danstump3686]

Good video. Good tech video. Felt like I was in the training center for a second.

[@phillipboswell3216]

God. So glad I got the extended warranty on my 14. I’m pretty sure this is the issue I’m having now. It’s going to the dealer next week

[@BrandonBurns1985]

Was this your issue?

[@lordjawapi6766]

Great video! Thanks for showing the trick to get the bolt behind the intake. Knocking one out first thing in the morning tomorrow. I've gotten good at the Ford's but this'll be my first GM dash pull.

[@joellovenberg4787]

Video was spot on . I've done lots of dashboard work in my years in autobody (airbags) And your video saved me a lot of time , on my own truck . However, for guys with a duramax , that one bolt behind the engine... plan on removing top half of the engine / all the exhaust / turbo pipes . To get to that one bolt. There is about a half an inch to work in , if u can find it.

[@papacrunk5967]

Awesome video man definitely saved me hours this morning. The swivel trick for the bolt behind the intake wasn't working for me but I was able to get to it with a mini 1/4 flex ratchet incase anyone else is having trouble getting on that bolt

[@imperium1011]

Did you go from the bottom? How did you get the ratchet on there?

[@gregbishop8685]

Going to do one tomorrow. Thanks for making a video!

[@TheMrmmkkpro]

Great explanation, I'm doing lifters and think I broke the heater core pipe driver side. Thank you for the video. 👍👍🏁🏁

[@samcripes3046]

Awesome video! Thought this set up looked familiar like an 08 Chevy. Better than alldata's disaster R&R it has me running through!

[@Morrisnc]

I want to say thank you this video saves me 3800 hundred dollars and I did everything in 12 hours thanks again

[@DominicSkeets-tn9dr]

Thank you!!!! I needed a video for heater core and I couldn’t find any. You really helped a lot! Thanks!

[@philhutchinson2591]

Wow! Mad respect. I have no interest in tackling that job but I will give it to the dealer vs the generalist mechanic I usually use. Thank you.

[@paulgonzales5171]

Great video it helped me do a evaporator core in half the time! Thx for sharing and posting your experience and knowledge

[@edwin.tech8862]

Thank you so much, i have to pull one today at work.

[@adambeale6938]

Awesome video straight and to the point!!!!!!!!! Well done. This is going to help a lot of people, 🙌🙌🙌🙌👊

[@TechnicianRed]

Thanks! So many videos have you watch an intro and then after that they ramble on and on about irrelevant stuff then video every single bolt they remove to give you a 30 minute video with only 5 minutes worth of actual useful information. Damnit all I want is the meat and potatoes!

[@ronray6106]

Spot on thank you so much bro I hope you keep the videos coming one of the best if not the best I have used. Thank you again

[@edcooley8022]

This is so helpful and straight to the point, thank you so much it looks like the issue is the compressor seal on mine and hopefully that's it, but if not I know either how to get at the EVAP core or to hunt you down for this job

[@whales302]

15 hours! on what is essentially a new truck...May as well replace the Condenser while your at it.....Good job GM.

[@imperium1011]

The top housing is held by a couple torx bolts along with other black bolts that doesn’t seem like and Allen would fit in there. Is there a special tool for this? I just need to get those out and I’m finally at the evap core…

[@zaneervin3661]

Is this this same job on a 2016 Denali duramax? Wasn’t sure if there’s a difference between the 1500 and 2500

[@emmanuel4121]

How’d you get the steering column to go in?

[@johnnyallen843]

I can't use the proper adjectives to describe GM engineering on the replacement of heater and evaporator coils. They made this a nightmare starting back around the 2000 models.

[@woeshdad]

I used to do jeeps this way in an hour. Jeep Chrysler audited the dealer and watched me diassemble one I had the the heater box out in 20 mins. They were mind blown but it ended that audit quickly. LOL Grand Cherokee model

[@billrimmer5596]

And then they cut the time down. Ha ha

[@danm1026]

My dude you rock.

[@ricardoguiterrez915]

Best video ever show. Thank you

[@casarspalace]

Amazing video, thank you for the details Tech Red! Anyone ever have a sweet smell coming in from vents or foul smelly wet sock odor like satan's breath was blowing at you when you first start up on a humid day? I am not talking about a slight smell, I am talking about a smell like something died in the system. After about 2 to 3 minutes, the odor clears out when turning on ac. I am curious as to whether something happened to the Evaporator Core when I bought it back in 2014. This has been happening every summer since. Chevy always wants to throw fresh spray in the system.

[@TechnicianRed]

Leaking heater core will cause sweet smell. A dead rodent will cause the bad smell.

[@JoseGomez-rk4qj]

Thanks bro!! And thank you for getting straight to the point!!! Other dudes say there life story as there removing a bolt… thanks

[@TechnicianRed]

Yep I hate those videos. Give me just the meat and potatoes!

[@BrandonBurns1985]

Great video and to the point. OP can you tell me how you diagnosed it to the evaporator core? You said you got a scope in there? Thanks

[@TechnicianRed]

Usually you can remove the blower motor resistor and use a borescope to get a good look at the evaporator core. Most leaks will leave behind a wet oil spot or in this case an UV leak detector dye that is visible with a special UV light borescope

[@mercenarysaw]

Turned this into gravey train brotha 👊🏽

[@user-kh1sv7iq8w]

Great Video!

[@IanBillsFan]

How many hours did this take? Mitchell Labor Manual says 16 hours, this looks like less than that.

[@seanorr7]

quick question what kind of fasteners are they using for the top housing? its looks like there welded plastic do i just drill them out? and how do you reattach them?

[@TechnicianRed]

This one had screws but some newer GM units are held together by melting the plastic case halves together (like a plastic "spot weld"). Unfortunately, I haven't had to repair those yet so I can't offer any great advice but I'm pretty sure you would drill them out and install screws with washers.

[@bobirving6052]

That’s what I do. Drill and find new screws to fit.

[@ccssk8er123]

How’d you diagnose the evaporator core? Where’d you stick your scope?

[@TechnicianRed]

Used A/C leak detection dye and my Snap-On borescope with the UV probe with dual cameras (one is at 90 degrees). I believe I went through the blower motor resistor hole.

[@matiasalfredonavarroyamuni1418]

Hello, where is located the evaporator temperature sensor in this truck?… should I perform all this disassemble procedure? Thank you in advance.

[@txgrizzlyvideos]

I have the Same Question !

[@isaacpargas5158]

I have a leak in my 2018 sierra 1500. I’m wondering if what’s on your video will apply to my truck as well?? Dealer is charging me 4k to fix evaporator core. My jaw dropped when tech told me the price.

[@monctonstrong8423]

I just got the same quote today on my 2018, and was wondering the same thing

[@brandongoyco7132]

Hope some one can help me lol who had luck with getting the first driver side 10mm out cause I’ve tried everything from wrenches to swivel sockets

[@leotrevino5410]

Imagine if it was a Ford and you had to do all this to get to the cabin air filter 😂

[@Lightning-bx6uj]

Where do the transfer case pcm cables located

[@TechnicianRed]

I don't know. They have to be located in one of the main electrical disconnects that I disconnected in the video.

[@yoboye7518]

For anyone trying this I recommend taking the windshield off or calling a professional to take it off it’s way faster when your taking those 4-6 10 millimeter bolts & you don’t have to take the hvac box completely out meaning you don’t have to take the heater hose out & the other hose off just take off the 5 10 millimeter bolts and it should give you enough room and you can take the evaporator core out inside the vehicle. Also be careful when putting the evaporator cover back on don’t pull on the heater hose like I did bc it will snap and you’ll have to change that too. Hope this helps anyone.

[@mclovin_it8872]

How would you know if your evaporator is starting to go out and needs replacement? I told one of my buddies every-time i turn my ac on in my silverado it would blow the smell of wet cloths from the vents only for about a few seconds then itll go back to normal! He said it could be my evaporator thats giving out! Any idea or suggestions where to start looking for the issue

[@TechnicianRed]

If your evaporator is leaking enough to produce an odor, your a/c would allready be noticeably low on refrigerant. I can immediately tell by smell whether it is the evaporator or heater core leaking but I've had plenty of sniff tests to dial in my sniffer throughout my career. But to answer your question a borescope through the blower motor resistor cavity is the 1st step I take to verify a leak. Most leaks will leave an oil spot that is visible with the borescope. If you don't see anything put some UV leak detection dye in the system and recharge the A/C. When it gets low again, look for the leak with a UV flashlight and glasses. I have yet to have dye fail me!

[@mclovin_it8872]

@@TechnicianRed the leak test seems fairly easy And its not to expensive. I know my A/c isnt low since my air is still cold. However it blows hot with the wet smell only for couple seconds when i start up my AC after it starts blowing cold. I stoped at oriellys to get this spray to put in the outer vents to hopefully clear out the mildew or smell it worked for about a day hahah to no avail. Thanks you for the tip!! Hopefully i can get the issue resolved b4 it becomes a bigger problem

[@brettcanfield8163]

@@mclovin_it8872 heater core

[@Acosta-on7do]

Thank you

[@philhutchinson2591]

What things should I replace as long as the dash is out?

[@TechnicianRed]

Heater core, evaporator core, evaporator temperature sensor, any hard-to-access air door actuators.

[@lalosanchez4255]

Is this the same for 2017 chevy silverado?

[@TechnicianRed]

Yes

[@imperium1011]

Do I have to take the front seats out to have enough room to pull the dash out?

[@TechnicianRed]

The seats can stay in.

[@imperium1011]

@@TechnicianRed thanks do I need to drain the coolant or it doesn’t matter?

[@DigitalPunk405]

No wonder why the dealer quoted me over $3k to check the evaporator core.

[@nicolen9866]

What are the risks for scratching plastics??

[@TechnicianRed]

I have never had a problem and I have removed probably 150 dashes so far. Don't buy the plastic trim tools- they suck and usually cause more damage than a smooth metal trim tool.

[@T_bone]

It must be a nightmare to put those bolts back in. I can see little bolts falling into crevices. Putting some masking tape on the head of a the bolt and stuffing it in the socket can help a little.

[@TechnicianRed]

I use electrical tape to hold the bolt to the socket. It doesn't take much. Very easy to do with flange bolts/nuts. Just a 1/32" overlap under the flange holds good buy still allows easy socket removal.

[@boylstonrider5862]

What is a estimated cost to have this done by a Chevy dealership?

[@TechnicianRed]

15.1 hrs book time at approx $150/hr plus parts & R134a. About $3,000

[@darrinw3733]

Just got a quote for $3200 in Utah.

[@elliottsalazar4918]

Specialty tool needed for heater core hoses on my 2018

[@papacrunk5967]

I just did a 17 this morning and didn't have that tool either. I wound up pulling the hoses through the firewall with the box since there was room

[@jaydouglas7749]

​@@papacrunk5967 - fuel line disconnect doesnt work like in previous years?

[@bryanwinn15]

Why can't gm make it so the heater core has a access door to replace it instead of having to take the whole dash out to fix it

[@ivanrocha1995]

did everything you said now my blower wont turn on

[@TechnicianRed]

Check your blower motor resistor connector and go back over all the connectors that were unplugged behind the kick panels, etc.

[@coolkatz9012]

Possibilitys of rattles after job done what a nightmare.

[@TechnicianRed]

I've actually never had 1 rattle from doing a dash removal job and I have done many makes/models. So long as all the bolts go back in its really hard to mess it up.

[@michaelhernandez1446]

U can cut a hole on the side and remove it that way it will save thousands, only thing you have to do is epoxy the piece you cut out

[@richardpope9985]

Can you give some more details about this ?

[@jgggnzlz5998]

I love my Tahoe and my Silverado but gm make big mistake on this

[@06rstregency]

Gravy here I come

[@ILiveInAVanDownByTheRiver]

I though about cleaning the evaporator, but I’ve decided against it.

[@christopherarango5]

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