My Brother and I were going to get a tree this past saturday. As soon as I pulled out of the driveway, he pointed out there was coolant dripping onto the floor.

I thought, OH NO! Thats gonna be a tricky job...

Went to NAPA, bought another core for 120 dollars. Started tearing the dash apart. Thought it was gonna have to be all torn apart, like some cars. Nope, its right behind the glovebox. Just remove the glovebox, and the cover under the dash. There are 2 screws holding the cover on. One on the top and bottom. The electronic hot/cold flap motor is also bolted to this cover.

Slide it out, and you may have to remove this flap? motor for more clearance. Heater core! Wow, couldn't be easier!

Now, the hard part, is to unclamp it from the engine compartment. If its secured with hose clamps, thank the lord, and just unscrew. If its the factory spring clamps, thank GM for making it difficult!! However, if its a plastic core, with plastic inlet and outlets, just break the upper inlet, (prybar) Get under the dash, and break her out of there!

Installation is easy, and I'm sure you'd know how to put it in. You may have to remove the hoses from the engine to get the clamps off, and the broken plastic out.

Well, now the heat works better now!

Now I know that you didn't find it funny, but I had to laugh when you mentioned the GM spring clamps. They are certainly a pain, but, if you don't have THE tool that makes them easy, they CAN be removed with pliers or channel locks. It'* not easy and requires some patience to sqeeze them open, break free if stuck to hose, and slide them back behind nipple connection. Opposite to re-attach/remove when replacing with screw clamps.

Of course, accessing them way back there at FOD is a whole other story...

<--- has the tool...I can't imagine it'* possible to remove those spring clamps without it.

I think I posted pics and the part number of it in my intake thread.

Thats good to know, only two bolts to remove cover.
Had my clove box out a number of times to work on a faulty damper motor and didn't notice them.
Great to hear these sucess stories.

If the core is the factory plastic, you can just break the hoses off. Use a hose clamp upon replacement. Bending the core down and outward will also get the bottom hose off, but the core will be N/G, of course, I dunno why GM has to use plastic sides for their rads and cores!!

If its that easy to get out maybe I'll pull one from the junk yard next time I go,
Just fo a spare.

It'* possible to unspring the clips with needle nose vise grips but it takes half the day.

TRUST ME!

I worked 13 years for a fluid transfer hose assembly OEM manufacturer that made hundreds of thousands of heater hose assemblies for GM and others. "The" tool is best to have, but the clamps CAN be removed with pliers if need be. I've done it many times. Channel locks work slightly better. PITA for sure, just takes practice and patience...

Tell us what the name of the tool is, and how to get it.

Oooh, got me there. Like I said, I "worked" there, as in past tense. But give me a day or so to make some calls, and I'll get the info somehow and post it here. I don't actually have one myself. I have always just used my pliers and a box of curses...

I'll get back...