What kind of repair makes good mechanics cry? The CAR WIZARD shows you on this 02 Chevy Avalanche

[@papaguche]

I fixed the one in my dodge ram myself and the amount of screws i had left over was impressive.

[@jarrodmcmillian1747]

Any rattles? Lol

[@wanee8039]

Boy you can say that again. I replaced my heater core in my 93 S-10 blazer 4x4. Even have the factory shop manuals that I bought when I purchased the blazer. Used to be a mechanic back in the 70's. And even though the manual requires the complete removal of the dashboard just like that 😖. I was able to do it without removing the whole dashboard. Six hours later got it in but ended up with at least a dozen fasteners left over 😒. And Luckily no rattles at all still working great to this day. That was about six years ago. Still have her as she was literally a garage queen as I had a company car. Just over 100k on her now and will be the last Brand new car I'll ever buy. And that's exactly why I became a engineering technician. Because they don't engineer cars anymore that people like me that use to love working on their own cars PERIOD. And to think I almost got an avalanche loved the concept of the vehicle Whew.

[@markbeiser]

In the spirit of the great Collin Chapman, you made it more efficient, by adding lightness!

[@theundergroundlairofthesqu9261]

@@jarrodmcmillian1747 None that he could't hear over the previous rattles?

[@questioner1596]

I often grab spare fasteners when I buy used parts, but then I have extra fasteners in my tool bag and can't remember how many came from the parts car and how many from mine.

[@Fevebblefester]

The Avalanche reminds me of a car I owned in the 90’s called an Eagle Premier. The core went bad and at least three radiator shops refused to even discuss the job. Finally found one who tackled it. It took four days and cost almost $900 after they found a new core. I figured that when they built the car the first item on the assembly line was a heater core hanging on a hook. The car was then built around it.

[@calebniederhofer6529]

Thr Avalanche is not any different lol. It is the same frame, everything. American trucks are a pain.

[@midcenturymodern9330]

You think that's bad? Older Toyota Sienna 3.5-liter engines develop a slow timing chain cover oil leak. It's an engine out kind of a job costing around $4,000. Yes, all that to replace a silly $20 timing chain cover gasket!

[@piggy310]

​@@midcenturymodern9330Stupid comparison.

[@user-wj9wq7mk4h]

Those eagle premier cars were the biggest POS's. My mom had one that was constantly breaking down due to an electrical problem that no one could find.

[@vinces8974]

That’s unbelievable, it’s like they crammed 10 pounds of shit in a 5 pound bag .Definitely makes sense replacing both the evaporator and the heater core, great video Wizard

[@emotionz3]

I had to do this on my focus once and while not nearly this intense it was still multiple hours of work and I replaced EVERYTHING that was replaceable, especially other well known failure points like the blower resistor/switch.

[@jamesmclaughlin8261]

Thats called a gribble

[@mikenormandy9250]

It's done purposely, So YOU the customer don't have to worry about fixing it, JUST BRING IT to the dealer and trade it in! Don't worry about getting all that mess taken care of! BUY A NEW CAR! - It's all developed with that in mind...

[@paulkirkland1535]

@@mikenormandy9250 :you're certainly right. As Scotty Kilmer says its planned obsolescence. I've also been through the same headache of doing this kind of work. It really is a P.I.T.A as some say.

[@mikenormandy9250]

@@paulkirkland1535 'Planned obsolescence" a word I use VERY often...Nicely said!

[@mikebroom1866]

As soon as the door opened I knew it was heater core. I've done this job. I call everything between the firewall and dash panel the land of sharp shit.

[@Berven-gf9jq]

In the land of sharp shit...............hehe............great title for a rap track :-)

[@tatialo37]

😂

[@barryaiello3127]

Did one on an Escort but same drill, it took me 5hrs one day and 5hrs the next day to complete. Wife came into the garage to do a load of laundry and thought I was starting a used parts business.

[@richardbambenek2601]

I used to repair vending and it was impossible to work on them without getting cut.

[@johnkashka803]

you bill the job on band-aids and blood loss..

[@johnclamshellsp1969]

Every repair is the answer. Got out of being a GM master mechanic in 1998 and never looked back. I work for a railroad and make three times the pay for 70% less work. 30/60 retirement too!

[@xephael3485]

Nice life choice!

[@johnclamshellsp1969]

@@xephael3485 The only people of any shop that makes money are the owners. A shoo charging $150 hr labor and the employee gets $34/$40 per "booked" hr is absolutely horrible. Even crappy class two railroads pay 2x more annually than any mechanic.

[@DarthVader1977]

@@johnclamshellsp1969 make*

[@firstlast---]

What do you do at the railroad?

[@michaelb7071]

@@johnclamshellsp1969 Not sure how things are in America. Over here, we say about three times the workers salary is what you need to charge the customer to cover all your other expenses as a business.

[@jimanastasio192]

I wish I'd had a boss like the Car Wizard when I was in autobody repair. Every place I worked was "rush, rush, rush". That led to dozens of needless comebacks over the years. Man, that made me nuts! Although I've never worked as a mechanic full time I've built a few hot rods over the years. That got my phone ringing as a few auto businesses would call on me to do work the regular mechanics didn't want to do. What do many mechanics not want to do? Heater cores, or any job that requires pulling a dash. So, that's where most of my experience lies - heater cores. They suck to replace but I enjoy the challenge. Never had one as bad as the Avalanche though. I think the worst ones took maybe six hours. Thank God I never had to do one in a Range Rover! The easiest by far was in a 1979 Bronco. Just give it a hard look and it practically falls out by itself.

[@jamesmclaughlin8261]

I had an 80 ford fairmont, it took longer to drain and replace the coolant than it did to remove and replace the heater core!

[@larrywhittemore9362]

You are a rare breed! I can just imagine what a Range Rover is like!

[@CAepicreviews]

"The easiest by far was in a 1979 Bronco. Just give it a hard look and it practically falls out by itself." Ah yes, Built Ford Tough :)

[@farnthboy]

Car Wizard did a recent video on a Rangie heater core - a bit like this vid - a morass of interior dash parts - scary.

[@markschommer7407]

1977-1990 GM B-bodies. Heater core and A/C evaporator is under the hood. I still have 2 of those.

[@Hanky_Bannist8r]

You know what they say about engineers and technicians, this makes it very apparent. Thanks for showing normal people that a job like this isn't easy and why you have to charge so much for the labor.

[@TheBrokenLife]

Engineers don't make those decisions. Back when that was the case, you had a firewall access panel to change cores from under the hood. I think the last time I saw a car with one was probably around a 1980-ish model year. Accountants design cars. Papa GM/Honda/Ford/Toyota/etc can't afford the extra money for that panel. It's way better to stick the guy doing repairs 20 years later with a 15 hour job, to replace a $40 part, instead.

[@keefjustkeith]

@@TheBrokenLife That part has a lifespan thats just outside the factory warranty!

[@TheBrokenLife]

@@keefjustkeith A heater core? Normally they last for a couple of decades. The one Wizard is working in this video is 19 years old. The youngest one I've personally done was 14, and that was in my Fox 5.0 which is a car notorious for eating them. I'm sure somewhere out there is some car that chews them up every year or two, but that's not normal.

[@CoreMaster111]

Engineers could make a part that is bulletproof and lasted 100 years but if it costs 2 cents too much then it's not going into production, ever. And if there is a part that lasts 3 years and costs 2 cents less then 100 years lasting part then that's what they go with because upper management with accountants make final decisions and they only care about making as much money as possible with least amount of effort.

[@chrisdavidson911]

You can't make every part of every machine easy to get to quickly. Techs complain about engineers because this 1 thing that they're trying to do didn't magically fix itself, while Engineers complain about the constraints and parameters they're having to design to. Specifically on the subject of this HVAC unit; where else would you put it?

[@dylanscarangella9012]

Might not be a bad idea to replace the actuators while you're in there. Done a lot of them recently on that generation silverados

[@InsideOfMyOwnMind]

Good call if it doesn't take six months to get them.

[@513SBF]

@@InsideOfMyOwnMind you can get blend door actuators anywhere lol

[@DarthVader1977]

@@513SBF blend?

[@beronib888]

@@DarthVader1977 blend door actuators. Usually on dual climate zone equiped vehicle.

[@MichaelBrent77]

I would replace the fan motor as well.

[@Terminxman]

The 8.1 vortec makes me so jealous of that truck. I don't blame the owner for keeping it running, I would never let it go and I'm not a GM guy. not to mention that's the best generation of truck they ever made.

[@Wowezzersdozzers]

@thegunsngloryshow The president isn't in charge of gas prices and it is actually republicans who blocked a bill that would help with gas prices for us...

[@mikelouis9389]

​@@Wowezzersdozzers Stop wasting your time trying to talk sense to low IQ cult members.

[@cullenmiller8170]

I just turned down a $1000.00 to replace heater core on a 1986 735 BMW just for labor, because I was worried about all the old plastic pieces snapping in half.

[@eloymontoya9200]

Don't blame you. Smart choice, just the car make sounds expensive even tho it's a 80s model

[@oldguy2082]

Can't blame you, I've replaced tons of heater cores and evap cores on VW/Audi products and those blend doors can be a huge problem...it's not bad enough that the sealing foam around the edge of the door crumbles to dust, many times the climate control box gets warped and doesn't want to mate up properly with other parts.

[@brandonward2619]

Probably a wise choice. Those old bimmers plastic pieces are really crazy brittle these days. Not the techs fault when that junk crumbles when touched though. Explain that to customer and tell him you'll do your best, but you aren't liable for 30+ year old cheap plastic.

[@mikelouis9389]

Wise decision. BMW is notorious for using very low grade plastics.

[@ProbeGT2]

And this is why, you want to change your antifreeze at regular intervals. It may not prevent it from breaking, but it might have hapened 50-100 000 miles later.

[@verdeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

Or maybe not... after almost 20 years something bad is bound to happen no matter the car.

[@milkman2758]

This. Always, always change your coolant, every 2 years, do a drain and fill, and make sure you bleed it correctly or use vacuum filler. Same for transmission, transfer case, differential, etc. All fluids need to be changed and on most cars, more often than the factory maintenance interval.

[@Spazik86]

​@@milkman2758 Well if you change all the fluids often, you spending more money doing that. So you may push some repair to later date in the future, but you are spending more money on fluids instead.

[@modarkthemauler]

@@Spazik86 A wise man once said. "Engine oil is cheap, engines are not." - Scotty Kilmer

[@vw5056]

@@modarkthemauler he also uses bootleg generic brew from Wal-Mart. Run a high quality oil and do 5k miles between changes.

[@theshadowman1398]

In the good old days those cores were just in the engine bay. But manufacturers of-course had to make it as hard as possible

[@luviskol]

'73 Landrover - blower motor mounted to the wing, heater core on the bulkhead takes longer to refill and bleed the system than it does to change the core

[@barryaiello3127]

the need to be inside so the blower can force air over it, still a horrible design to need that much stuff taken off to change it.

[@mini4x]

Did my 79 Cutlass in about 20 mins in the parking lot of Auto-Zone.

[@barryaiello3127]

@@mini4x So the dash did not need to be taken apart?, there is no 20 minute dash removal/replacement and why the parking lot anyway, the car can run fine without a heater core, they can be bypassed.

[@mini4x]

@@barryaiello3127 it's under the hood.

[@herbiehusker1889]

I have always loved the Avalanche. Why does GM always kill their cool and unique vehicles and give us crap like the crossover Blazer.

[@12yearssober]

Especially the 2500 with the 8.1. Those were beasts!!!

[@chryslerfordgm]

Sales

[@moonman3309]

People stopped buying these

[@zedlepplin7834]

@Kent Teffeteller honestly they get more hate than they deserve, mine has done fine offroad so far. I've done about 40 hours of wheeling with it while hunting this year.

[@zedlepplin7834]

Mind you I don't think they should have made it under the trailblazer name. I think people don't like it because it's predecessor was an actual truck.

[@Nathan-fz8wx]

Man I get this. I did my 92 Wrangler and I had to pull the entire dash. I was living with my parents at the time and when they came out to see what I was doing they freaked out. I put it back together and it worked great afterwards. I was in my early 20s at the time and it was the biggest job I had done at least until I pulled the entire body and did frame repair.

[@marcusdare1688]

The state of that K&N filter!! Amazed the engine can get any air in!

[@RageKage1776]

I have a 04 Avalanche 2500. 496ci the last of the Chevy big blocks. Rare rig, can't wait to watch this.

[@Flies2FLL]

"After the vehicle is out of warranty, it's not their problem anymore" I call this the Airbus attitude. The European plane maker is clear that they do not think that their airplanes should be in the air after about 25 years, despite the number of hours/cycles. Their reasoning is that technology moves forward and older less efficient equipment should simply be replaced. This isn't limited to Airbus; ALL car manufacturers are doing this now. They know that nobody works on their car anymore, and when they get a few years on them, most people simply replace their cars. Or if a major malfunction occurs, they simply trade it in. Thus serviceability takes a backseat to cheaper production costs, and as a result it takes 15 hours of labor to change out a $40 heater core on a modern car, versus 1 hour on "Great Grandma". Great video!

[@b52murph]

Good thing we stick to Lockheed & Boeing in the USAF. As we often say...when the "last" B-1B or B-2A flies to AMARG (Davis-Monthan), they'll get picked up by a '61 model B-52H. Same durability works for the mighty 'herc H-models...😉

[@Flies2FLL]

@@b52murph Haha! I've always said that when they park the last A380, the ferry crew will fly home in a 747.

[@jcangler88]

Yeah the heater core in my Avalanche went out a long time ago, I live in FL, so no worries. 280k and going strong!

[@ji3194]

Sounds like my inlaws their heater core in the PT Cruiser went out but they are in southern AZ so they never got it fixed.

[@cnw8891]

I live in Florida and my AC has been out for 2 years 😭

[@richardbaumgart2454]

i thought my '01 went out but i back flushed it with air and it's still fine 8 yrs later.

[@78SilverBronco]

This is why I like old cars. Heater core on a 60-65 Falcon is 3 nuts, 3 screws, 2 bullet connectors, 2 hose clamps and it’s out. It’s a 30 minute job! By contrast, on a foxbody mustang it’s about an 8 hour job!

[@InternetDude]

I did a heater core on my 93 Mustang, it sucked!!! I have a short video on my channel.

[@brendenfreeman9572]

I say a prayer every day that the heater core on my 95 GT doesn't go out 😭

[@barryaiello3127]

@@brendenfreeman9572 just change out coolant often and increase your odds of not facing the devil.

[@mr.gutwrench]

The heater core on a 60 Falcon was made of brass and copper, when the rest of the car rusted away you still had the heater core.

[@barryaiello3127]

@@mr.gutwrench I had a Falcon, very easy to work on but horrible performance, with it's 144CI six its top end was 65 MPH and like all cars of that era it rusted like all hell.

[@williamlloyd3769]

Car Wizard, totally enjoy your videos including your recent VINwiki appearance. Amazing the amount of parts you had to remove to get to and repair the heater core / HVAC box. Plus you surplus school AV carts are making a guest appearance! PS - appreciate your explanations about what works and what doesn’t work in car repair and the pitfalls.

[@natexthomass]

i’ve got an 01 Silverado i JUST did the heater core too and what a pain! Took me 24 hours on an 18 hour job (but i also have like no experience) and the whole dash had to come out! I’ve enjoyed almost every repair but this one was a nightmare

[@Bdamazyn]

I did the core on a 97 S10. The whole dash flips down on two pivot points on either side of the dash. Still a pain in the rear!

[@soundautomatic1]

Volvo 240 is also an 18 hour repair. Also took me 24. I had like 30 cuts on my hands afterwards.

[@mzimm460]

Step one find the inlet outlet hoses on the motor side of the firewall. Step two using the already purchased new heater core sketch it over the motor side of the firewall. Step 3 use angle grinder to cut fire wall where you sketched. Step 4 rip it the hell out put hoses back on and tack the panel in place

[@Mikey-wf9py]

The 2500hd avalanche/suburban/Yukon xl are so awesome the 8.1l rocks but they build up akot of carbon and get 6mpg with no trailer

[@normalizedaudio2481]

I changed the heater core in my 1984 Ford Ranger in 1 hour. No problem and did it myself.

[@herbiehusker1889]

Older cars sure were more simple.

[@johnholmes2808]

How times have changed, and not necessarily for the better.

[@racecarsinc]

I just took apart my 03 silverado dash yesterday to get to the heater core. It's not a technically difficult job, but it is time consuming. I'm mostly worried I'll end up with some nuts or bolts leftover at the end 😅

[@smartin2174]

True story. It's all about organising your parts and keep track of how you removed them.

[@darkside2521]

I cut right through the dashs done in 5 mins. 😝

[@dynamixhd3251]

@@darkside2521 Thats the best way to do it. Plastic weld the HVAC box back up ad your job is done in less than an hour. Atleast for the evaporator.

[@rpavlik1]

I mean, they're probably not all required 😉 Do they still make Haynes/Chilton books for cars? They weren't always accurate but they were a decent starting point. Alternatively, you can leave a video camera rolling....

[@garyr7027]

Or have rattles you can't ever seem to locate 😂😂

[@mbox314]

The heater core is the first part that rolls down the assembly line and the rest of the car is built around it.

[@johna.4334]

I drive a 2000 Chevy S10 2.2L with 200k on the clock and never, repeat never have I had to replace the heater core. Why? Because I flush the coolant on a regular basis. I also use a quart of lime-away and water every 100k and drive for 100 miles before flushing.

[@danoakes8680]

That interior reminded me of the days when a/c was not common. We would install aftermarket custom a/c units. You are absolutely correct Wizard. Do not ever let the customer see the process. They would freak out for sure. It is common place for us but not them. Reliving the days when I was still productive. The old school guy.

[@georgegonzalez2476]

Compare it to on a VW Rabbit, you unsnap two spring steel clips under the dash and voila, the heater core. That’s about the only positive thing about the heater. The fan is very noisy and the heat is lukewarm on a good day.

[@1983dmd]

RESPECT to you CarWizard...What a tough job you have sometimes !!!

[@Himdownstairs86]

I always thought these looked so cool as a kid. I think they still look amazing now.

[@yourgodsisspeakingtoyouher4284]

I guess they changed. Alot from the 02 2500 and the 03 1500, because it didn't require removing almost anything on mine

[@alexram2104]

How in the hell do you guys remember how to put all that stuff back together again.I'm more than happy to pay someone to do that work as long as it's put back together correctly!.

[@richardbaumgart2454]

KZbin videos of other people doing things always helps me...but not this video.

[@anonamous7108]

That's what I was going to ask. When you think it has all been put back together, how many parts are left over?

[@TheRetarp]

Whatever shop data service Wizard subscribes to (like Alldata) has the step by step process laid out.

[@dickfitzinya3082]

ALEX RAM You’re assuming the guy you pay to do the job does it correctly. Many don’t and will have pieces left over or broken parts that they’ll never tell you about. The worst is when the dash pad cracks because it’s so brittle and you’re being careful.

[@keithwolstenholme4238]

How do you even know where to start taking it apart? 🤯

[@MattKremer39]

20 seconds in and I’m anticipating an Avalanche of problems.😳

[@jaycotto26]

I remember doing the heater core on my MR2, the whole interior had to come out. Well worth it when winter rolled round.

[@erwinrommel1963]

I watched an MPG test of an 8.1 truck. It managed 13.5 on the highway. Only 2 or 3 less than my son's V6 Tacoma. I told him to buy one next time gas prices increase, owners tend to panic. He traded the Tacoma for a Civic SI because of his commute and no longer has a tow vehicle. Here in Florida, everyone needs something to tow a boat with.

[@Prodriver33]

I get around 11.5mpg average on every tank my truck drinks. It’s been that way since I bought it new. 13 isn’t bad for an HD chassis but Chevy has always been decent on truck mpg. Weight, aerodynamics, and gearing are all terrible for mpg on trucks. It’s just not what they are for so just be cool with it I say.

[@mike30534]

As a former paramedic, I've seen accidents with multiple fatalities that looked better than the front dash area of that Avalanche. But the beauty of it all is that the best physicians and surgeons couldn't save the occupants I've seen, while the Wizard and Magic Mike, carefully and, with the skill of a surgeon, restored the plastic, metal, and glory of the day it rolled off the assembly line -- probably better!

[@craigtiano3455]

I did the heater core in a 98 Ford Expedition. The level of disassembly was pretty much the same as this vehicle, although there wasn't much in the engine compartment. In all, it was about 2 solid days of work to replace it. It's obvious that the heater core was the first thing they installed when they built the truck.

[@dentmastersofnymichael3316]

I remember changing my heater core in an old 85 escort. It was behind the glove box. Took a few hours for someone with 0 experience. The good ol’ days

[@ullrangtheviking4412]

My first real education in car repair was a heater core in an 88 Ford ranger. It taught me the valuable lesson, "some things are worth paying a real mechanic. "

[@neiljones8179]

My friend has a 02' avalanche as well... It's always something.

[@user-zv7ov4rm5w]

Some of your best videos are when the mechanic educate the customer, the vehicle and the maintenance great job

[@hotpuppy1]

I worked on auto assembly line for 19 years for a foreign transplant. Most all vehicles are built this way. Manufacturing expediency. If you saw how the assembly line works, it makes sense, though later service work on a part that goes in first is a nightmare. The body is bare coming out of the factory paint shop. First thing that goes in is the body wire harness. Somewhere early on the line, the heater box goes onto the firewall. The Instrument panel is subbed up somewhere else typically and then goes in all in one piece usually. All the little trim parts then go on. If you are lucky, a few trim covers can be removed and the whole IP can be dropped out intact (after the steering column is out) making it a whole lot easier--less parts to break or have buzz/squeak/rattle problems with later. This truck looks pretty hard. Not seen how this vehicle goes together at the factory to know if it can come out in a less disassembled form. Dealer wanted $1100 to change the heater in my wife's Hyundai Accent. Was more than the car was worth. Stop leak every season when you could smell the coolant for four years kept it at bay until we dumped it. There was a non-authorized work around that meant cutting the tubes that went behind the IP and yanking it out the side of the console where it was mounted, but was too lazy to do it. This is a pretty good example of why it is a good idea to change the coolant frequently--helps prevent the corrosion that kills heater cores and radiators. They got almost 20 years out of theirs--pretty good.

[@Paulman50]

I'd have to do that job nonstop while it's fresh in my mind.

[@arneldobumatay3702]

This brings back bad memories of my '92 VW Passat heater core replacement. Total dash removal and repair took 2 weeks before I got the call to pick it up and bring $1200 to pay for the total cost. This was about 2002-2004 in Silicon Valley. I seriously think this was one factor, among others, that motivated the shop owner to sell his repair shop and walk away.

[@alanhubbard1868]

VW had a big recall in the early 90's on heater cores. Sunnyvale, Ca. VW Dealer replaced heater core in my '89 Jetta free, and in one day.

[@hyperuTech]

We Avalanche owners sure love our trucks though!

[@ogonbio8145]

Just finished watching your latest VINwiki video! Crazy to see the growth and progression 😄

[@kingjlinza]

I was about to say the exact same thing, The Wizard is a very humble guy. I wish all shop owners would be like that

[@mike929929]

Watching this while I sit in my 02 Avalanche with 490k on it's original motor.

[@Suzu92]

I had to replace the Evaporator in my 2000 Silverado. I took my sawzall to the bottom of the dash lol. It worked 🤷‍♂️

[@jeejay98]

What you need first in repairing a modern or newer car is a ton of patience. Believe me when I say a ton. I tried to fight with a car and I lost. I've had cuts and bruises and scrapes and band-aids and yet I still have to re-assemble back everything again. But in the end if you were successful, you could appreciate the effort and you could give yourself a pat in the back for a job well done. My respect goes with honest and patient mechanics like Wizard. Kudos.

[@derrickodyes1934]

And ya dexcool eats aluminum, plastics, silicone most rubbers so flush that crap out and put green conventional in

[@JoseSantiago-hv3xm]

Wow!!!! A new respect for what mechanics do-It’s like putting a gigantic model kit back together- extremely detailed- and everything is there but you’ll be there a while

[@MKIVGTI1.8]

To be fair there is somewhat of a shortcut for the heater core. If you hook up a hose and flush your heater core out, that can possibly buy you an extra few months or sometimes even a few years before it needs replacing. And you can keep flushing it repeatedly as well. I know this is a trick used by MK4 GTI owners and it can save you a few grand on a cheap car. Definitely a bandaid and it may not work on all cars, but its a hell of a lot better than nothing

[@georgegonzalez2476]

That works if the problem is clogging, but more often it’s the cheap plastic end caps leaking. GM saved 50 cents and moved like $1500 in costs to the second owner. Super.

[@xephael3485]

@@georgegonzalez2476 GM will make sure cables have no leeway.. can't even provide an inch extra for cost savings.

[@MKIVGTI1.8]

@@georgegonzalez2476 Yeah but on a lot of other cars it can be very useful to try first before undertaking the massive dash removal process

[@atx-cvpi_99]

If it’s leaking, game over.

[@EAGLEHORDER]

I have an 02 8.1 avalanche and its amazing

[@AlessandroGenTLe]

I suppose that in order to prolong the life of that part one key factor is to change the antifreeze fluid like every 2 to 3 years, so that the corrosion inhibitors aren't worn out, correct?

[@mr.goodpliers6988]

My 2001 Tahoe started fogging the windshield, and I smelled that sweet vapor of doom. I looked up what it takes... Snap off some plastic pieces, row of screws for more plastic pieces, row of screws under that for more plastic pieces, more plastic pieces, removing the box, discharging A/C, recharging, reassembling... I remembered how easy my 89 GMC was (10 minutes to remove a row of screws and drop a flexible plastic tray to undo a couple clips and hose clamps). Then I said NOPE, looped the heater hoses and made the Tahoe a summer vehicle 🙃

[@lordcorgi6481]

I had to change the heater core in a 1994 Ranger. easiest heater core ever. You pull the glove box out, disconnect the hoses and it slides right out after removing 2 bolts...why can't all manufacturers be like that lol.

[@KalebKronic]

I have a '93 Ranger now, glad to know it sounds as easy as my '91 S10 was if i ever need to do it.

[@lordcorgi6481]

@@KalebKronic yeah. I think in the '95 or when they updated the Ranger the heater core is mounted vertically so the entire dash has to come out 🤣

[@claytoncherry3192]

I've done many jobs like this and it really makes me appreciate how well built and simple my cars and trucks from the 1940s to 1970s are.

[@Terminxman]

The manufacturers also weren't forced to fit in 20 airbags, backup cameras necessitating a screen, be able to roll over 100 times and get smashed by a semi and keep the passengers alive, etc. People like to blame the manufacturers but there are so many mandates on things that vehicles have to have, while achieving better and better fuel economy. That's also why they cost so much more. They have to fit more and more stuff in the same size package. However, I'm not sure why GM specifically made it so hard to get to the heater cores, the F150s of this era and even the newest aren't this bad.

[@chappell721]

your 1970's car doesn't have nearly this level of content and likely requires significantly more regular upkeep to just keep moving. I took both of my last new cars to 100,000 miles with only oil changes and tire rotations/replacements as the service items. if you told someone in 1970 that you did that they'd think you were lying.

[@johnsonsl944]

That looks like a nightmare! I did my 04 Dodge Ram last summer in our driveway and it was bad enough even with just laying the dash back into the seats. I still can’t believe they build them like this and think it’s acceptable, I guess it’s because most of the cars are out of warranty by the time they fail.

[@Bishopfistwick]

Another option for a quicker heater core replacement, particularly if it fails in the winter and you don't have a heated space to work is to cut the lines coming from the core. Crimp a bead around the stumps passing through the firewall, slide the old core out of the HVAC assembly and then cut the new core lines short and crimp a bead on those lines as well. Add intermediary radiator hose between the stumps and be sure to use the spring style clamps to hold it all together. Hose clamps will not seal well enough. It's a bodge, but it'll at least last long enough to get you to warmer weather when you don't mind pulling the dash.

[@Bishopfistwick]

@Bones McGillicuddy I've only done it on a Hyundai Elantra, but there should be an access panel on the side of the HVAC box allowing the core to slide out. In the case of the Hyundai, it slid out towards the driver's side. So this method only works if you don't have to split the HVAC box to remove the core.

[@amazingjason455]

I’d like to see you do a video on catastrophic failures. What leads to failures on major components that makes them practically unrepairable? Are they more common in old or new cars, some brands vs others?

[@hotpuppy1]

Lack of maintenance is the largest thing that kills cars or reduces the life. Some parts are designed poorly/cheap so it is important to CHANGE THE OIL! Keep things clean. Owners manual service periods should always be considered "severe usage".

[@keithbassett4988]

You are so right about some mechanics doing a rush job and either breaking parts or not tightening screws and bolts or correctly fitting trim back properly. I did just what you said 'NOT' to do. Lol. I purchased all my own parts. My '98 Grand Marquis had a broken flap inside the HVAC box. It had been bad for almost 3 yrs. 2 yrs ago I took it to what I thought to be a reputable garage for repair. At the time the car had just a little under 200,000 miles on it. Since I knew that they would have to remove/loosen dashboard to install the new box that I had provided, I decided to also have the mechanics replace the heater core in my car (the current one was original to vehicle and still working). I also had them replace the HVAC actuator which sits atop the box as well, because it is a pain to replace otherwise. I furnished all the parts and decided since they were going to drain the antifreeze to go ahead and have all new coolant and upper/lower radiator hoses replaced too. I was happy when it was finished because then I could feel heat on my feet through the floor vents for first time in years. But there were numerous clips missing from trim, some trim pieces were not fitted properly, and some parts of dash panels were cracked. I know old plastic can dry out and be brittle. I would not have been too upset about it but I told them there was no rush and that I did not need it back soon. They had it for six days. And when they told me it was ready there was dirt and grease on door padding, carpeting, and on the seats. I would hope more mechanics take pride in their work than these guys did. Overall they fixed the problem and all that I had asked....but I was disappointed with the condition they had left my car in when I picked it up. You NEVER get a second chance to make a good FIRST impression.

[@kerryrwac]

The car companies care about how quickly and cheaply the vehicles can be assembled on the line. As long as it outlasts the warranty, they're good to go.

[@benthompson7526]

Just had to do a job just like this. The problem was ignition power, power at firewall and passenger seat, but not in the drivers footwell! After the dash structure was removed (including the aluminum dash plate!) there was a chewed wire. That was on an 05 Monte Carlo, it’s amazing to think that I did all that myself in the second year of Highschool.

[@ObamaoZedong]

As a shadetree mechanic, *every* job makes me cry 😅

[@JimmyMakingitwork]

I love these jobs, not many customers would think about attempting it themselves. In fact many "professional" mechanics are afraid of these jobs. Yet, they are easy if you are organized, patient and willing to do work others will say shouldn't be done. I just did a shifter cable on a Ford Escape that was only slightly easier, lol.

[@burkcw]

That is a big price but seems like a tremendous value at under 2k total. With everything costing so much more and increasing it seems like the customer is getting this done now when in a year the price might be double or more.

[@johnsonspeedfab]

You don’t have to completely disassemble every single part in the dash…. It goes in as an assembly, it can be removed as an assembly.

[@ToomasTelling]

The only simple heater core i have seen on a modern car is my 1997 Volvo V70 and 2002 Volvo XC70 where you can get at it from the driver side foot well. And takes a copule of hours to do.

[@Avboden]

Yep, no one does it better than Volvo. Pop off the carpet panel and it's just right there.

[@ville85]

Yeah, and the same thing with many other european cars from the 2000 and on: all Volvos, audi, vw, BMW. I think this what Wizard is saying is total bullshit, it's only a thing with these big stupid american cars and trucks that you need to take the whole dashboard apart to change the heater core. To change the blower motor on like a BMW e60 you need to remove the upper part of the dash, but still it's bullshit when Wizard says that 'you have to remove the dash to change the heater core on modern cars'. And fuck that Avalanche is ugly as hell.

[@alexpuls8219]

The 2015+ F150s are great to do heater cores on! The dash comes out as a whole assembly and you don’t even have to remove the HVAC case. Just detach the dash from the fire wall and roll it back as far as you can and you can access the heater core on top of the HVAC case and just slide it out of the top and slide the new one in.

[@Zeem4]

Ford can sometimes be good at this. I just replaced the heater blower resistor in my 2002 Focus and it took five minutes - unclip glovebox, replace resistor, clip glovebox back in. In contrast to my 2005 Renault Scenic that required half the dash to be dismantled to get to the wiring from the resistor to the motor.

[@Zeem4]

Ford can sometimes be good at this. I just replaced the heater blower resistor in my 2002 Focus and it took five minutes - unclip glovebox, replace resistor, clip glovebox back in. In contrast to my 2005 Renault Scenic that required half the dash to be dismantled to get to the wiring from the resistor to the motor.

[@demuskumarius]

If you keep yourself collected, jobs like these aren't hard at all. Heater core one of the first repairs I attempted. I wasn't disorganized or anything like that but it showed me a higher level of keep it together. I have years more experience now but having the internet, with channels like this, would have made my first go a lot easier.

[@richardbaumgart2454]

i thought the same about changing a timing belt on a 24 valve v6 front wheel drive...sometimes it's a case of mind over matter,..just have to take your time and pay attention. Sometimes quit and start the next day to keep it together.

[@markh.6687]

@@richardbaumgart2454 And sometimes quit before you start. :)

[@richardbaumgart2454]

@@markh.6687 true that

[@azharsiddiqui9639]

You’re right. My heart just stopped at 1:14 when the door opened.

[@James_Hough]

I replaced the heater core in one of my cars...the cost makes perfect sense to me.

[@markh.6687]

It would have cost $800 to fix the one in my Ford Taurus, but there's a cheat way to do it that cost me about $250. That method won't work here since the heater box is buried with no under-dash access panel.

[@snuffysmiff]

May as well rebuild that instrument cluster and replace all the blend door actuators while that dash is disassembled.

[@nabob14]

I used to be able to do these and h3's with my eyes closed when I worked at the dealer... I always wished they made the dash come out more like a dodge... not taking every single component out to remove the dash... but after having to lift out a new dodge dash, and how heavy it was(and needing to wait for someone to come help me), I feel like taking out all the individual pieces helped keep me from injuring my back and let me do the job without needing any assistance.

[@michaelb7071]

I prefer the whole dash method as well. But man, you need to make sure you had a good breakfast for the lifting in and out part. :P

[@SEVENTEENPOINT1]

On the Gen 1 Ford Focus you had to disconnect the steering wheel and the air bag. Talk about nerve racking.

[@mattl1811]

I'm glad you mentioned breaking the plastics because I recently did a similar job on my Avalanche and that plastic is so cheap and brittle. It's nearly impossible to not break anything.

[@MrDDawson]

My guess is it was DHL who lost the parts. They are a complete joke these days in my world. That was a nice way to show people Wizard, nice job.

[@xephael3485]

DHL, when you really want it to get lost and damaged! I'd rather deliver it myself than deal with DHL... How they stay in business is a mystery.

[@MrDDawson]

@@xephael3485 well said. They are completely useless.

[@martinliehs2513]

Supply chain issues that you mention are very real for builders of industrial machinery as well. Many custom machine builders currently have their shop floor filled with projects that are 99.9% complete. The problem is that the missing 0.1% is the difference between getting paid for a completed project or warehousing a few of tons of expensive scrap metal.

[@danr1920]

You would think because it's a large truck, there would be lots of room and you remove a couple of thing and you got it. Guess not.

[@johnhermann762]

If it were my car, I would get Bars Leaks Block seal and put it in the cooling system. That has always fixed my internal core leaks. But if that didn't fix it, I would just bypass the core and get a few electric heaters. This is a 2002 vehicle; not worth the cost of repairing it.

[@danhooper8652]

Book time is definitely a double edged sword. I used to love changing harmonic balancers on the mid 90's Ford Tempo and Mercury Topaz. Book said it was an engine out job that paid 13 hours and I could knock one out in about 40 minutes.

[@vw5056]

It is almost as if book time is determined by mechanics themselves. What a scam.

[@danhooper8652]

@@vw5056 if it was, I wouldn't have made such a killing on those balancers. 2 hours would have been plenty for one, but the engineers decided it was an engine out job. Try changing an oil pump on a Northstar Cadillac, book gives over 40 hours and you are lucky to come close to that.

[@smartin2174]

Great video. I always told my dealer that I am willing to pay even the additional hours, as long as it is done properly. Once they ran in a similar issue and wouldn't charge me the extra costs. I gave it to them via their tip jar. I really appreciate honest work.

[@pammiasmr9068]

My husband and I get together every time you have a vid. We sit and have cocoa and discuss what we've learned.😁

[@Tempsho]

Same!

[@pammiasmr9068]

@@Tempsho 😄

[@markhuffstetler9009]

You the man , that's a job most shop won't even touch

[@unstablebobgable]

The Car Wizards has the coolest walk on KZbin! I'd love to see a continuous loop video of him just waddling around on his stubby little legs with Pantera's WALK as the background music. Maybe if this post gets enough thumbs up The Car Wizards will make such a video!

[@vw5056]

Stop spamming this ghey shyt

[@WhoThisGuy515]

I just replaced the head gaskets and timing set on my v10 Excursion after the thermostat stuck and exploded the radiator. My grandpa came out while i was taking it all apart (engine stayed in and body stayed on) and though it would never run again. 2 weeks later (waiting on parts to come in) fired right up, put a 7500# trailer on it and drove 500 miles problem free. He told me he was extremely impressed because there would have been no way he would have gotten it back together, let alone run lol.

[@miketeeveedub5779]

Magic Mike: "I'm a Mercedes-Benz qualified Technician. There's isn't a car repair that scares me!" Car Wizard: "Fix the heather core on this 20 year old Chevy Avalanche." Magic Mike 16 hours later: "I'll never say a bad thing about Mercedes ever again!"

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

The labor would be the same, but the part would be twice to three times as much, and the plastic would break easier.

[@EvilTurkeySlices]

You’d probably also need a Mercedes(tm) scan tool to “program” the new heater core or else you get a check engine light.

[@MrMillertime289]

The easiest one I have ever done was a 1981 Delta 98 that came originally equipped with the 350 Diesel engine. Three screws that hold a cove on under the hood, the two hoses and that was it.

[@Prosecute-fauci]

The problem with the mechanic supplying the part is that they often mark the parts up 100%. Paying double for the part, plus $150/hr shop time is ridiculous

[@johna.4334]

Agreed

[@leonarddaneman810]

Yes. A 100% 'keystone' markup on a part the dealer ordered from a NAPA stock warehouse, where you would pay half, is unjustifiable. For an item they don't have to stock in inventory, a 30% markup is reasonable. Not 100%.

[@barryaiello3127]

True, but on a job like this think of it as insurance, the labor cost for this will be staggering.

[@21Piloteer]

Our shop would mark up aftermarket parts 30% from our wholesale cost. OEM parts we marked up 20% from our wholesale cost. Labor rate was $79.95/hr. Of course this was in 90's/early 00's. I left that career in '01.

[@utidjian]

As long as the part is at or below the dealer MSRP I see no problem marking up the price I pay as a professional mechanic or shop owner. I am with Car Wizard on this one... if you want to supply the parts then the *only* thing I will warranty is that they are installed correctly. If your part fails then I will charge you the same shop time rate to replace it again. If your part fails, say a timing belt, and it takes out the entire engine... guess who is gonna pay for that engine. Most every shop I ever worked at or ran had this policy. Another thing to keep in mind is most electrical and electronic parts will have a no return policy (depends on local state/consumer protection laws) at all from the dealer. Some discount retail parts suppliers have the same policy. If your mechanic/repair shop supplies the part it will have a warranty. People who insist on shopping around and buying their own parts can be a particular nuisance to a shop. Say you bring your car in for a repair or service but you didn't get all the parts and supplies yet. Do you think that shop is going to wait while you shop around town for the best deal on whatever it is? If your vehicle is taking up a lift or bay most places I know will slap it back together (running or not) and put it in the parking lot. If it sits there more than a coupe of days they will charge you storage.

[@dronepilotflyby9481]

Car Wizard, I remember replacing the heater coil in my wife's 80s Escort. All I did was remove the glove box, do some Hoovie under dash yoga and had everything back together and working in an hour.

[@alexreinhardt6971]

Probably only makes about 200hp with how badly that air filter needs to be serviced

[@AENIMA22]

I noticed that too

[@delcorick9967]

Yep I've been there and done 4 of em,, not an avalanche but 4 dodge Durangos, and yes there's absolutely no cheating in a shorter way to do it,, everything you can think of has to come out., not as labor intense as this chevy avalanche but a good long experience., job typically calls for 8 to 12 hrs and took me all of 8., just a very tedious repair,, it's cool the owner chose a shop that will keep everything in order, and one friendly tip I would recommend for anyone doing this is to double check the position of a/c evaporator drain hose (small rubber L shaped spout) as it's easy to bump around when completing install

[@obsoleteprofessor2034]

I'm wondering how this is done at the factory. Those guide pins tell me it all goes in assembled one piece.

[@sccarguy8242]

Yes the dash as a whole is assembled outside of the car, and the entire unit is installed at one time before the doors go on.

[@bloothedog4443]

Love it when you said "they don't care about you or me". Spot on! And i should know. I have a big spot, on my ass.

[@Cohiba2]

Avalanche's were junk the dealer i was working at replaced a engine or two a week on them first few years. the number of customers screaming in the service lane and at a gm master tech who insisted a quart of oil every 1500 miles was acceptable to chevy guidelines and not a warranty issue. Gm hated to warranty the engines even though they were going through them like crazy. Some just blown up from head gaskets others from the massive sudden oil consumption from first time towing. Sometimes with like 10k miles towed first time bam engine junk.

[@GM-sk2wk]

What year of vehicle?

[@Cohiba2]

@@GM-sk2wk like 2002 to 2006 wasn't a mechanic but got to see and hear a lot come from the service managers office and fr being friends with the mechanic what working on another avalanche engine replacement

[@vw5056]

Typical GM garbage, nothing out of the ordinary here.

[@GM-sk2wk]

Not that I’m doubting you, but I find it strange that so many engines had issues during that year. Considering the reliability and strength of the vortec engines. Personally, I’ve had two LM7s. One has over 340k miles and the other has 218k. No engine issues in either case.

[@TheRetarp]

@@GM-sk2wk survivor bias. The ones that failed went to the junkyard 10 years ago.

[@reallyrandomrides1296]

I'm glad mine was done under warranty! Still had to wait six weeks for the part to arrive, and the mechanic had to put my truck outside with all of the pieces of the dashboard inside the truck. I only saw it because I needed a few things left in the truck and could not wait six weeks. It took one comeback as there was a weird glitch after it was reassembled. The radio speakers would intermittently lose all sound at random times, or whenever I released the foot operated parking brake.

[@HypocriticYT]

I would have just wired up an electric heater. Actually probably trying cutting it out with a saws all

[@markh.6687]

A KZbin video showed a guy wire in a 1,000 Watt or so heater direct to the alternator of his Buick.

[@hithere7382]

This is stupid because vehicle engines are at best about 40% efficient, most 30ish % efficiency. This means most of the power in the fuel is wasted as heat. You can use some of that heat to heat the cabin, using your alternator to run an electric heater will burn more fuel and burn your alternator up faster than it would have otherwise.

[@verdeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee]

Come to romania and the warranty is totally the oposite. I used to buy the parts from the garage, of course they were more expensive but that's what i thought aswell. If i'll buy them from the garage i won't pay for the labour again. Tough luck brian, i had to pay the service and they are right. The law is written in such a manner that the garage is only responsible for the labour so if the part brakes you will still have to pay them... I got burnt once and i had enough. Since then i buy the parts and usually i buy them like 50% cheaper compared to the garage so even if it breaks i will save some money.

[@100SteveB]

Designing these modern hvac systems into one module like they do probably saves the manufacturer a few bucks, plus maybe an hour in assembly time. Unfortunately somewhere along the line it is the customer that eventually ends up having to spend 20 times more than what the manufacturer originally saved by designing the units that way. Ease of repair is not even on the list when it comes to modern cars, the engineers that design them don't seem to take that into account. It is all about making it easy, thus quicker and cheaper to manufacture the car. I cannot even imagine just how many modern cars and trucks have ended up down the scrap yard early, simply because a heater core let go. It's simply the modern world we live in. And give it another 20 years it will be so much worse with things like EV's. Battery packs going bad - time for the scrap heap, main control screen and computer go bad - time for the scrap heap. I reckon a EV will only have a life span half of what the older cars had. Does not take a genius to work out that will mean the world will need to produce twice the amount of cars than it used to over say a 10 year period.

[@xephael3485]

You're completely correct... also factor in proprietary parts and diagnostic tools, repairs become even more daunting. I've started to see manufacturers discontinue parts forever as warranty ends. You better pray for a 3rd party manufacturer or scrap yard to have it!

[@Theloudestguyyouknow]

If your willing to cut stuff out of your way and glue it back, it can be done without removing all of that