Fast heater core fix on chevy S10 4.3

THIS IS THE FASTEST WAY TO DO THIS!! 1994 to 2004 Chevy S10 and Blazer, as well as Sonoma and Jimmy heater core replacement repair.
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[@maxwelljrdn]

Just used this as a reference, worked great. Done heater cores in many vehicles and each one presents its own challenge but what he’s saying about those two bottom bolts is accurate. Just snap them off it ain’t worth it to go for them. The amount of bite those have on the box is minimal anyway. The hardest one to do is the first one he showed which is inside the box under the resistor. I see only way to get that one is with a 1/4 inch drive socket set and must have a swivel. If your hands are small (mine aren’t) you might be able to get with a short wrench but good luck. Only other pointers I can give to this is you have to pull the cluster out to gain enough clearance for the dash to swing back off the pedestals at the bottom. I didn’t and I broke my cluster glass (plastic though). Aside from that I did this job in 2 hours with a Milwaukee 1/4 electric ratchet and 1/4 inch socket set no bigge. Maybe add another half hour for draining coolant but I had looped mine over summer so I just had to reconnect my hoses. Fairly easy

[@maxwelljrdn]

Forgot to add, truck I did on is my 1998 Sonoma, automatic 2.2 motor

[@romoalex]

Thank you for your input!!!!

[@steveandrews1982]

I did mine today. I have long skinny arms and I took my left arm along the manifold and got to both those bottom hidden bolts no problem. I didn't break anything and didn't drill no holes in the box. I reinstalled all the bolts and it took about 3 hours. First time doing this type of job on a chevy. Did many chrysler products.

[@maxwelljrdn]

@@steveandrews1982 Sweet. Well if you have the means (skinny lol) then do it. I’m a big boy @270 lbs so wasn’t any way my arms were fitting back there. I do own both styles of these trucks with 2.2 and the 4.3 v6. I can see on the v6 there is definitely more room to work being the engine is skinnier around where the bottom of the box is, might be easier on that but the 4 banger has that obnoxiously large intake right in the way. Either way the job isn’t too bad considering other vehicles. I’ve put heater cores in an S10 now, multiple 97-03 F150s, couple in 3rd gen rams, one in a Grand Marquis and several in different 97-up Econoline vans. The Econoline would have to be the easiest of any vehicle I’ve ever done. With coolant drained, it’s literally a 30 minute job comes right out in the passenger floorboard with few screws removed. The F150 as I recall was probably the most involved of them all.

[@PincheKriss]

@@steveandrews1982 3 hours removal and installation? Like all back together total time!

[@chrisfoxworth2494]

I'm with ya on that one man, measure your options, go with it. Vehicles are not 100 designed in our favor so we have to wing it to survive.

[@Jblake808]

Lots of haters...bet they can't even do the job. Great tips here, especially if you're short on time. That last bolt IS insignificant, WILL cost you 2 more hours, and won't rattle after you finish assuming you put all others back. It only cracks anyway and still holds when you pull only enough to gain access. Thanks for sharing bud.

[@romoalex]

I really appreciate your comment. Thank you for seeing what I saw when I went after this job. I got tired of being cold and did not want to pay $800 in labor

[@stevehoover1112]

Yes I agree. I came here to see if anybody ran into this. To get to this last bolt on my 2003 Blazer requires complete removal of the right fender. Not in the mood to do that after already removing the entire dashboard! I will just break the flange there instead. Thanks!

[@romoalex]

thats what kept me from repairing it for so long until I said to hell with that stupid flange bolt

[@SuperNick090]

Thanks for the heads up bro , I’m about to put a new heater core in same s10 you have and I’m dreading it man but I do not want to dish out $1300 bucks or more to a mechanic …Thanks for all your info….Wish me luck !

[@romoalex]

Give it a try. If I had to do it again I would plan better and take my time. I rushed to finish before the sun went down

[@townsendliving9750]

All bolts can be gotten with out removing fender well or tire. You got them from underneath woth 10mm 6 inch extension and electric/air ratchet. The hardest one is the one you get from top, you have to remove the evaporator cover. Funny enough I got all the bolt out and still ended up breaking the tab he said to go ahead and break anyways. Bit it is easy to get out, took me 10 minutes to get all bolts out for heater core.

[@dangerdoberman]

Thanks for showing where TF the bolts and screws are. I just took everything apart because I don't like breaking anything on my vehicles. lol

[@romoalex]

You’re welcome! Glad this video was useful to you!

[@knuckelsd5177]

You failed to mention the bolt that is on the inside of the air conditioning housing your video is very raw

[@romoalex]

Is that the bolt I ignored and broke the mount from?

[@msroux1]

I need a video on how to take apart the dash etc

[@romoalex]

I did my best.

[@suzieq8379]

My daddy bought many s10 the last one was 2001 s10 kingcab 4x4 3.6 it only has 112 thousand miles .. he passed away in 2015 I am now driving it I love it but I have no heat, just had a manifold gasket , water pump, vacuum hose replaced and new spark plugs, they told me it was hard for the heater core.. geez louise I've had lots of trouble over the years with wheel bearing

[@romoalex]

The truck is amazing. I didn’t maintain the coolant and I allowed it to have rust inside the system. The repair takes a long time and I should have done a better job but it’s been a great truck especially with the heater fixed. If not for the heat inside the cab it’s for the defrosting of the windows that really matters

[@suzieq8379]

@@romoalex I just had a water pump, intake manifold gasket , spark plugs, and vacuum lines put on of course the oil changed, I see I said that above but what would you say it cost for that wondering where you live the price?

[@paulthepainter2366]

1995 S15 with 325k miles. I retasked the broken a/c by running coolent through the evaporator instead of the leaky heater core. Defrost set to cold is now hot.

[@matthewnortier4396]

How long have you been running this? Sound like a much faster option and I think i'll be trying it on my truck. The previous owner bypassed the clogged heater core and my AC system isnt hooked up.

[@paulthepainter2366]

@@matthewnortier4396 3 weeks. It's toooo hot. All air into cab goes through evaporator so there's no shutting off the heat right now. I'm going to get a bypass valve from salvage yard soon. I'm pretty sure mid nineties Chrysler's had them.

[@matthewnortier4396]

@@paulthepainter2366 Winter is coming in Michigan so I'm glad to hear that it works well! That bypass valve sounds like a good idea. Overall this looks so much faster than removing the whole dash.

[@paulthepainter2366]

@@matthewnortier4396 if it fails for some reason I'll update here

[@romoalex]

Dude that's genius!

[@kevinv84]

If, as a flat rate tech, you can't do an S-10 heater core the proper way, without breaking stuff, in 4-5 hrs, should rethink your career choice. You do enough of them, you get good at it.

[@romoalex]

My career choice has nothing to do with being a mechanic. I am a SAG AFTRA stunt performer bro and I brew beer commercially lol

[@josephcasey2645]

I feel it man

[@onametaquest]

Ah man, thanks for posting this. I just spent the last month getting the distributor replaced on my Jimmy after some idiot put Loctite on the cap screws and I had to wait to get the part. Then I go out today to drive and my windows won't defrost and it's overheating... Worst possible time of course. Looks like the biggest headache of this job will be removing the dash.

[@romoalex]

I was avoiding it also because all the other videos made it seem more difficult than it was. Now I have heat

[@flintsmiley9595]

They are somewhere LMAO just finished this job!!

[@franticisaac]

I did just this and it worked

[@romoalex]

Hell yeah 💪

[@brianneston2688]

You don't have to pull the inner Fender out the two bolts are underneath what hold on the floor box outside there's two bolts in the top by the heater resistor is the first one the next one is in the middle of the blower box on the top the next door on the bottom your car need the car you'll see it what's the near the wheel well what he can reach it and there's my boat inside don't need to break any thin don't need take the wheel well off

[@starkraven7308]

I have a 95 Blazer 2-door 4x4 that I've been driving for about 7 years now and let me tell you, there are so many engineering mistakes in this thing it isn't funny. Not necessarily fatal flaws but things that make it a bitch to work on. To start with, ordering parts is a pain. If I order online, I almost always get parts for a '94 S10 or '95 C-series truck. Like nobody has set their computers to know that after 94 there were no more full-size Blazers made, ever, and the S10 is no longer designated as an S10 unless it's a pickup. If I say Blazer, I don't mean Tahoe or Sierra. I love my truck and I'll keep it forever, but, as I go, I'll be "re-engineering" it just as you did here. A lot of the problem with mine is they packed essentially the same 4x4 drivetrain from the full-size trucks into a short wheelbase mini truck and there's no room for anything. They had to put a remote oil filter system on it because you cannot get your hand to the location it would normally be, on the bottom of the engine. The steering, exhaust, transfer case and front drive shaft completely close it off. I haven't had a heater in it for 3 years (only need it 2 or 3 weeks of the year in Florida) but I will be replacing the core soon. Thanks for the video.

[@0xWizurd]

Can a bad heater core cause radiator problems? I’m wondering why my radiator blew up on me (already swapped). I hadn’t noticed any overheating and didn’t have the ac/heat blowing but I did have the temp gauge set to hot. This also happened while driving in 30 F weather. 96 Chevy Blazer LS.

[@romoalex]

No. The radiator tends to rust out first. My issue was the thermostat housing rusted through and leaked out coolant. Replaced and it rusted again 3 years later

[@0xWizurd]

@@romoalex I think I might have a similar case then, I’ll have to check out the thermostat. Thanks for the help m8 🙏

[@whitesirhc]

How do you take out the 3rd bolt in the engine area at the beginning of your video?This is where my patience went out the door.

[@thrivealist9458]

whitesirhc I used a swivel joint

[@hunterlinville423]

whitesirhc I tied fishing line to a wrench and just took it out with the box end. Fishing line in case it fell and I could take it out. It took forever to take out but I managed.

[@SniperZaku]

Hey I did this and now my odometer tachometer and radio display are no longer working... I'm on my third time making sure everything was plugged in properly any suggestions

[@romoalex]

check the pins on the connectors, they could have worked their way out of the clip and not making any contact. Could as easily have caused a short and burned one of your fuses.

[@joescheller6680]

so you turn up the box to cover up the rattling after reinstalling

[@carpentarhartley8624]

Reminds me of the gent that said the rear hatch cover just pulled off..... It does....... In a bunch of fucking peices

[@batmoble3.060]

Think if a cigarette lighter blew up in my vent it would cause a bad core?

[@romoalex]

nawww. If you notice coolant steaming up your windshield thats the only indicator of a failed core. as far as electronics, maybe only the fuse blew for the cig lighter

[@batmoble3.060]

Alex Romo a little smoke comes out the vents. But a year ago my bic lighted exploded in the defrost vent

[@robertilberg]

Did you say that you removed all the stuff that was in the way of that bracket you broke to make your job faster. I am not trying to hate just want to understand your method to madnest lol

[@romoalex]

the bolts I could easily reach I removed them. The broken bracket is in the middle of 2 regular brackets and figured that was going to hold it down. It seemed to work lol

[@jasonsaenz8959]

Don't need to remove the fender, you have plenty of room to do it from the top. It take 3 minutes for the 2 bottom nuts

[@stonequarryrd76]

JUST SNAP...!! IT..Hell Yeah..its a BLAZER..C,MON....hahaha..good Job..i like it..

[@romoalex]

thanks brother

[@martinradtke5181]

It would be helpful to state "Year & Engine" of truck.

[@johncarr1118]

Man I cant even get the dash out... Way too much crap to pull out. Any tips? lol

[@romoalex]

you just have to commit a whole day to the job. best to get it done before it gets super cold

[@gadasavideos8564]

Still looking for a complete video including whatever of dash that has to be removed

[@chris.eskimo]

Do you need to drain the ac system?

[@romoalex]

no. heating system is separate from air conditioning.

[@nitrofever]

Why not just take the time?

[@romoalex]

Well I regret that now. But at the time it was my only vehicle and with the cold weather making my windows foggy I could not let the car sit more than a day.

[@pinkishdiamondz]

​@@romoalexWhy the regret?

[@gretabridges3364]

Can anyone tell me what could I possibly done wrong after replacing my H/C. My truck will not start. Just avoiding taking the dash out again.

[@romoalex]

check the wiring harness that goes to your steering column, the key circuit might not be plugged in if your engine does not crank over. it might not be properly seated into its connector

[@codyroark7345]

Naa bro, start simple and then work your way to the harder shit. So start with checking all your fuses bro. Snd then go from there

[@codyroark7345]

The H vac box 😂😂

[@jaredgardow5102]

do have a list of everything you replaced?

[@romoalex]

The only part replaced was the heater core itself. I kept everything else the same

[@patricklions9066]

how much time did you save?

[@romoalex]

Easily 3 to 4 hours

[@mrpanda2655]

Yeah right takes 2 hours to jack your car up

[@romoalex]

Didn't need to jack it up or off 👀

[@ORam...]

The hack makes it, literally, a hack job.

[@romoalex]

yup, and since I never plan to sell the truck I at least get to be warm when I drive it. doing it any other method would have just been a waste of time for me

[@ORam...]

@@romoalex I can understand that. But I have the opposite thought. Try to keep everything in the best condition I can if I'm going to keep it forever.

[@romoalex]

@@ORam... the craftsmanship of my repair is unparalleled. The dashboard is very damaged by the sun, the front bezel is broken in many pieces and a big chunk is missing. The paint has dents from when I loaned it out for people to use for moving. Top of the cap does not have clearcoat anymore. This truck is a tool that I use for tasks. Its more utilitarian than it is a luxury collectible item.

[@ORam...]

@@romoalex @Alex Romo Beater truck. Gotcha. I wasn't trying to sound cynical. I was just disappointed in that the "fast repair" involved breaking something. To each his own though. Love those little trucks.

[@romoalex]

@@ORam... granted I am the 2nd owner and the truck was obtained with 55k miles, I never liked when people bubble wrapped their cars, kept them in the garage, never drove them, rubbed them with an oiled diaper. they become the "this truck isnt for sale, even tho its a 1973 K5, its been sitting for 20 years but I am going to get it running one day"

[@brandonjames7670]

3:45 😂😂😂 "you broke this insignificant... but its ok" no. No it's pure laziness to break something that you dont want to do it the RIGHT way. If your not going to do it right why do it.

[@romoalex]

Because I’m absolutely lazy about working on this truck

[@jacobwright1429]

So instead of doing the job right, you just broke stuff to get it out of the way? I'd say "hack" is the right word

[@romoalex]

Call it what you want but I'm warm

[@kevinv84]

What about your a/c condensation? Where does that leak now, instead of outside through the drain tube, like it's supposed to...

[@codyroark7345]

Bro I’m sorry.. I don’t know who told you why your heater core failed on the first place but there full of shit.. heater cores do go bad after time.. there’s not one thing you can do to keep it from fucking up on you. Accept maybe use distilled water. And that only prevents it from happening as soon..

[@romoalex]

the termostat housing rusted through twice, once in 2014 and another time about 2019. I never took the radiator out to get flushed, it was gunked up with rust. It never had a coolant flush service before and my engine overheated and failed when the thermostat housing rusted through the second time.

[@jayb9687]

god i hope my heater core never goes out lol

[@romoalex]

you just jynxed yourself

[@JoelEmberson]

mine just went today, and here I am :(

[@romoalex]

@@JoelEmberson thank you for coming here. I hope its not snowing in your area right now. Let me know if you have any questions. You can get a long heater hose and bypass your heater core to get you by

[@carpentarhartley8624]

Hack is to break the heater box 🤦

[@romoalex]

We do desperate things when we’re out in the cold

[@davidallen5907]

Hold your camera.still its to hard.to fallow

[@romoalex]

sorry. I have a hand held image stablizer gimball from gopro that i will be using, I am more mindful of camera shake now

[@pauletteo2863]

Made me dizzy watching him move around, sorry dude had to stop watching. Suggestion edit your video a little then it would be awesome info...I'd watch

[@romoalex]

thank you for your feedback. I was switching between wrenching and filming and didn't want to take too much time. I'll use my tripod and setup better next time.

[@romoalex]

I got a camera stabilizer gimball finally

[@squirrelkilla7371]

How the hell is this fast?

[@romoalex]

Faster than the other methods out there. If you want to jack the truck up and remove the front tire on the passenger side you are more than welcome to :)

[@superwhuffo1]

Where do you live? LoL Need mine replaced..

[@romoalex]

Oh it was a mission. If I do a truck that belongs to someone else I am going strictly by the book

[@pjjuarez9037]

i don't do half ass jobs

[@romoalex]

You will if you owned a Chevy

[@johnjennings8085]

Break the bolt off it will rattle that is why they are there don't sell me your car jankey master. Hate to see the rest of it.

[@romoalex]

Nothing rattles. The rest of it is just fine. I just had the engine rebuilt and it included a warranty. Up next is the front suspension joints and bushings