I need assistane removing my dash board | Ford Explorer Forums

  • Register Today It's free!

I need assistane removing my dash board

Mjdtexan

Member
Joined
November 15, 2012
Messages
32
Reaction score
0
City, State
Houston(ish)
Year, Model & Trim Level
2005 Exporer. 4.0 Liter
I am having to remove the dash out of our 2005 Explorer. I have every screw out but the top one on the far drivers side. I just can not reach it. Is there a trick to it? I have been working on it for hours. My ultimate goal is to replace the heater core. This vehicle is a new purchase to us and it came with the heater core disconnected. I am making the assumption (I know, I know, the whole assume thing) that it is bad and needs replacing. I do have the Hayes manual for this vehicle.

So far I have had to replace the front wheel bearing hubs, other than that we are enjoying this SUV.

Any ideas about the dash screw?
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year or try it out for $5 a month.

Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Well, I managed to get the screw out. Man, it was tough. It took a lot of cursing, and grunting but I managed to get it out. Now I get to go buy one of those tools that allows you to get the a/c lines off. The Explorer looks pretty weird without the dash in there.

It seems that another Lone Star is in order
 












How about some pics so we know that it really happened? :p:
 






Just One ?

Well, more than one normally comes into play but I had obligations this evening.


How about some pics so we know that it really happened? :p:

Fair enough, pictures on the morrow.

I have to go buy the tool tomorrow that allows me to disconect the a/c lines. I guess they are called quick disconnects or something like that.

I also have a cd stuck in the radio. Is this common with that unit? Should I just replace it?
 






Standing by for the pics...................................:popcorn:

I think the stuck CD might be common? :dunno:

I will see if I can round up some info.
 






I have to go buy the tool tomorrow that allows me to disconect the a/c lines. I guess they are called quick disconnects or something like that.

QUOTE]

I assume that the a/c does not work and you have confirmed that there is no refrigerant gas in the system.
 






I assume that the a/c does not work and you have confirmed that there is no refrigerant gas in the system.

No, it does work, but the book says the system must be emptied in order to get to the heater core. I have a friend coming over today to reclaim the freon so that I can reuse it.
 






Pictures

As promised



 






WOW :eek: that looks like a lot of work. How long did it take you? I have removed a few dashes but older cars.
 






WOW :eek: that looks like a lot of work. How long did it take you? I have removed a few dashes but older cars.

It took me all day. I scrap cars for a living and I always take the dashboards out but I get to beat them out. You wouldnt believe the amount of wire that I recover from behind those dashes. Plus the heater cores and evap cores are recovered to be sold seperately as well

My friend did not make it over today to recover the freon. He will be here tomorrow.
 






Good News, Bad News, Weird News

Good News. I finally got the heater core out and it does leak

Bad News. I have the wrong heater core replacement

Weird News
. I was working on taking out the heater core box when I noticed a rag tucked in right where the fuel re-set button is. I am thinking it is stuffed there to keep something from rattleing (sp?). I pull it out and I feel a hard knot in it. I unwrap it and its a baggie of the evil weed marijuana. I had to laugh. That could have gone very poorly for me iffin I had not discovered that. I've been in a lot of trouble in my life and have just gotten my act together this year. My family has been considering going to Mexico this coming spring. I can see it now, dogs sniff my vehicle, give the alert, and I am standing there saying "thats not mine officer".

Now I am a bit scared what else may be in there
 






Well, I got the correct heater core now. I stuck it in its place and have decided to complete the job tomorrow. Its Lone Star time!!!!!!!!!!!! :salute:
 






Now I am a bit scared what else may be in there

Rather than take the whole damn thing apart looking for more, take it to your local police station and ask them to have a drug dog hop in and sniff around. They will be happy to do it for you and it'll keep you out of trouble in the future. Just don't ask them if you can keep it :D
 






Mjdtexan said:
Now I am a bit scared what else may be in there
Rather than take the whole damn thing apart looking for more, take it to your local police station and ask them to have a drug dog hop in and sniff around. They will be happy to do it for you and it'll keep you out of trouble in the future. Just don't ask them if you can keep it :D

I was wondering if I could do something like that. Thank You for the advice. I am going to give it try
 






I was wondering if I could do something like that. Thank You for the advice. I am going to give it try

No problem. If you want to really be a dick about it and you still have the stuff that you found, give that to them too and give them the name of the people you bought it from. Sure… You're throwing them under the bus. But you would have no problem throwing them under the bus if you HAD gotten caught with it…
 






I agree with Brian about having the local PD check the vehicle out. If you mention that you found some weed, they are going to ask where it is. If you show up requesting a drug check for no reason, they may get suspicious.

You say you have gotten things straightened out. You don't want to blow that. Think of your family.

I would show up with he weed and explain to them you were doing work and found it. Also let them know why you want the check.

This is one time where you have to look out for number one!
 






I already flushed that grass. I wasnt thinking and I didnt want it hanging around calling my name.

Quick question, those a/c lines that I had to use the quick disconnect tool on at the firewall, do I just shove those back in now?

Another quick question, I have everything put back together now but I have not undone the loop the previous owner done to circumvent the heater core. The reason is that I dont know which hose goes to which side of the heater core ends. One hose is coming from the top of the engine. I need to figure out if that one goes to the heater core outlet closest to the drivers side or the passenger side. Anybody know?
 






98 Explorer Heater Core
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLewFz9xc4Y&feature=relmfu
Just finished the demo part of the job on 98 Explorer V6. Took 8 hours with meal breaks
You should watch all the vids in this series for complete job. Man all I have to say is there is a special place in HELL for the mother fing engineers and design guys at ford that created this process for such a simple piece of equipment.
Step 1. Remove dash and steering column
Step 2. Remove Reservoirs for radiator and washer fluid, and heater hoses
Step 3. Remove AC hoses after removing pressurized refrigerant
Step 4. Remove AC/Heater/Fan air box engine side.
Step 5 Remove Computer
Step 6 Remove AC/Heater/Fan air box passenger compartment and old heater core
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year or try it out for $5 a month.

Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.





Any tips/tricks to getting the dash/heater core out? I'm about to start on a 2003 4.6L for the same thing. I think the core has a pinhole leak and I have some time off coming up soon to repair it. Any special tools needed or anything else to replace while I'm in there? Blend door is still working on this one, but the recirc door needs fixed.
 






Featured Content

Back
Top