The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Questions on Replacing heater core on my 1968 Chevy half ton

I have a leak. Its costing me coolant. Heater works fine. I figure its best to buy all new replacement parts if I am going to replace the core. Any of you experts want to give an amateur like me advice feel free to step in and tell me. I am all ears.

Just filled out the order form from LMC Truck and ordered the following:

Heater core- 1 each $39.95
Heater Blower motor- 1 each $26.95
Seal Kit without A/C-1 each 24.95
You will find these parts listed on page 121 of the LMC Truck winter catalog.

I took a long read in the shop manual I bought from from e-bay. It tells me the following(Source:1968 Chevrolet truck Chassis Service manual Series 10-60 ST 133-68,Copyright 1967 General Motors Corporation.):
1. Disconnect battery Ground cable.
2. Support the right front of the hood in the fully raised position.
3. Carefully scribe the hood and fender locations of the right hood hinge and remove the hinge.
4. Unclip the blower wire at the blower flange terminal and note or mark the motor flange flange position in relation to the blower case.
5. Remove the blower assembly mounting screws.
6.. Remove the blower assembly (pry away the flange from the case carefully if the sealer acts as an adhesive.)
7. Remove the nut attaching the blower wheel to the motor shaft and seperate the assembly.

So- My question is- what is the reason to Carefully scribe the hood and fender locations of the right hood hinge and remove the hinge.? Is there a way to mess that up?

Secondly- did I order all of the parts i will be needing? Did i miss any?

I will post pics as I go.

Thanks in advance.

I think all there sayin with SCRIBIN the hinge is to help get the hood alighnment darn close to where it was after you put the hing back on .
Remember whoever wrote the TO for that section of your manual was trying to make the instructions as user freindly for the not so mechanically inclined users also.
I could be wrong

my question would be WHY do you have to remove the hood hinge to replace the heater core...Joe

Hey Joe- good to hear from ya...

reason is ya cannot get to one of the bolts in the back with the hinge in place...matter of fact it is the same on that truck I saw in your garage...which was an early 70's truck...right?....course yours might have A/C..mine does not...but there is one more bolt ...wayyy over under and behind the hinge....

Mine is a 68 also w/o air but never really looked at. Good to know it though incase I ever have to replace mine. That's why they tell you to scribe around the hinge. It's so it can be put back in place EXACTLY the way it came out so you don't have to align everything back up.

And Scotty it was great talking to you the other morning other then it was 6:30am here :crazy: . I figured it was the kid calling so it was no big deal, hell I'm normally awake at that time anyway cause thats about the time Denises alarm goes off...Joe

Yesh...us east coasters...hehe...gotta keep that in mind....

But do you guys have any good ideas of how to keep that hood safe from smashin hands and /or windshields while performin this surgery? Or is it no big deal?..might be a dumb question...just wanna be sure ...
THIS PIC... ....is an old one and shows a side view...and like i said i will post more later...but since my digital camera went to Iraq with Kimmy...I gotta get the new shots developed....then I'll post em...

Scott get broom handle or a piece of pipe that will go from the bottom of the radiator core support to the hood & then put a heavy rag, piece of carpet or something similar in the area where the bottom of the hood will be laying to save the paint. You may even want to put a bungee cord on the lower part of the hood & the hook it to the lower part of the fender, padded or course so you don't hurt the paint. Thats what I have done in the past when I had to remove a hood hinge to replace it or work in that area...Joe

I started on this mess tonight. I got the whole assembly out of the firewall after removing the hinge. Man you would not believe the amount of Mice nests behind that heater assembly! :shock: Its all cleaned out now.

Parts I ordered are not in yet.

I found that a scoop shovel fits between the radiater and the grill and holds the hood up perfectly. Its so solid it wont move at all even with the hinge out.

I took pics- gotta get em developed and will post em soon.

Tools needed:

shop manual(mentioned above)

Ratchet- I used a 3/8 inch drive

Extensions- I used a 6 inch and a 3 inch

Socket swivel

Sockets- short 7/16(for removing the heater assembly, Deep well 3/8 Inch (also for Heater)9/16 Deep well for hood hinge.

Open end wrenches- 3/8 and 7/16 and 1/2 inch and 9/16

Ball peen hammer- used to wedge up the assembly while fighting my way to that last friggin screw located way on the left side.

Scoop shovel- to prop up hood

Flashlight.

Extended magnet to pick up the darn screws I lost.

I did not drill a hole through the fender wall like suggested, but i more than likely will leave out that screw for next time.

Cant do nothin else till parts come....more later...

Stay after it. You'll get it done and when it's all over, you'll feel like a million bux knowing you did it yourself. Besides, hard to beat the labor rate when you do this stuff yourself. I did a complete frame off on my 64', and believe me, I'm so far from being a "mechanic" it would scare you. Scared me, and I'm fearless. But it's back on the road and I still have all my fingers.
Tramp

Thanks Tramp...here is an update..

Pictures of the progress...

Propped open with a shovel:
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/63/663/7/69/95/2631769950100017791QXfWEG_th.jpg[/IMG]

My expert advisor:
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/58/658/0/6/7/2530006070100017791zrnamz_th.jpg[/IMG]

Hinge out..[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/58/558/5/87/43/2348587430100017791BaBHrj_th.jpg[/IMG]

Look at them Mouse nests![IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/55/555/8/90/92/2874890920100017791hctPVm_th.jpg[/IMG]


Back of heater once out...
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/63/663/6/85/68/2782685680100017791rwlfaD_th.jpg[/IMG]

More Mouse nests....
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/63/663/6/85/68/2782685680100017791rwlfaD_th.jpg[/IMG]

After Cleaning...
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/55/555/4/99/94/2800499940100017791kganyy_th.jpg[/IMG]

Better shot of the back...
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/52/652/6/7/51/2958607510100017791BloYDx_th.jpg[/IMG]

Tools used...
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/52/652/4/48/26/2769448260100017791kxfzOx_th.jpg[/IMG]

He was a great help...
[IMG]http://thumb11.webshots.net/t/55/755/6/2/42/2070602420100017791JFBhuv_th.jpg[/IMG]

More later when parts come in and I reinstall...

Not sure when I will getback to missouri- but i will be able to help ya...i will see if my 'helper' will come along...