2001 Dodge ram 2500 dash removal

[ruSSrt]

Good day everyone.

I'm about to start the change out of my heater core. I've watched couple of videos online and have a slight idea what I'm getting myself into. Couple of questions before I start tearing in to it.
Besides heater core, anything else I should change out while I'm in there?
What size of airlines are under the dashboard? I'm assuming they are pretty brittle by now and I should have some to replace in case of I damage one of two?
Any other advice you would give me?

 

[Egg_Head]

Actuator motors if your vehicle uses them?

 

[ruSSrt]

Actuator motors if your vehicle uses them?

Actuator for vent controls?

 

[Egg_Head]

Actuator for vent controls?

Si

 

[GON]

Any other advice you would give me?

Three items to have in place before starting the job:

• Baggies with a writeable label area (to share where the screws bolts belong)
• sharpie marker of finer width
• blue painters tape to mark places on the dash/ parts to correspond with the baggies

Fully concur with @Egg_Head on actuator motor replacement, if not cut the dash for access to replace actuator motors at a later date. You cell phone camera is you friend, taking pictures continually, even when thought not needed is a key task. Assuming your vehicle does not come with a factory cabin air filter, vacuuming out the evaporator while you are in there.

 

[ruSSrt]

Three items to have in place before starting the job:

• Baggies with a writeable label area (to share where the screws bolts belong)
• sharpie marker of finer width
• blue painters tape to mark places on the dash/ parts to correspond with the baggies

Fully concur with @Egg_Head on actuator motor replacement, if not cut the dash for access to replace actuator motors at a later date. You cell phone camera is you friend, taking pictures continually, even when thought not needed is a key task. Assuming your vehicle does not come with a factory cabin air filter, vacuuming out the evaporator while you are in there.

Thank you.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

.

 

[D60]

If auto, the shifter cable is very fragile.

Just pull the dash back and suspend with straps.
Post in thread 'What are you working on today?' https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/what-are-you-working-on-today.331303/post-6850766

This job is what put me on the hunt for the YA9660 to pull the hoses under the cowl. I now have a set but haven't needed to repeat the job.

On the last one my wife finally came out and was able to manipulate the core into place. She likes puzzles.

If you have a source for the "real" cores I'm all ears but AFAIK the ONLY ones you can buy today have the swivels

 

[ruSSrt]

If auto, the shifter cable is very fragile.

Just pull the dash back and suspend with straps.
Post in thread 'What are you working on today?' https://bobistheoilguy.com/forums/threads/what-are-you-working-on-today.331303/post-6850766

This job is what put me on the hunt for the YA9660 to pull the hoses under the cowl. I now have a set but haven't needed to repeat the job.

On the last one my wife finally came out and was able to manipulate the core into place. She likes puzzles.

If you have a source for the "real" cores I'm all ears but AFAIK the ONLY ones you can buy today have the swivels

That's what I got is with swivel. And I'm not sure if it's going to last long?

 

[Rmay635703]

Good day everyone.

I'm about to start the change out of my heater core. I've watched couple of videos online and have a slight idea what I'm getting myself into. Couple of questions before I start tearing in to it.
Besides heater core, anything else I should change out while I'm in there?
What size of airlines are under the dashboard? I'm assuming they are pretty brittle by now and I should have some to replace in case of I damage one of two?
Any other advice you would give me?

Ive often wondered how folks repair the dash, my 2001 s dash would be easier to remove by just pulling on it gently, heavily doubt it would survive properly removing

 

[SumGuy]

There's a ramforum . com site where you might probably get more responses to your question. Possibly also the Allpar site.

I own (bought new) a 2001 ram 1500 5.2L (78k km / 49k miles) that been garaged it's entire life and show no signs of leaking coolant anywhere. I have taken off the intake manifold a few years ago to do the plenum floor replacement modification (that was probably the first and only time the coolant was changed).

Also had to replace the blower motor resistor, but that can be done without taking the console off / apart.

I doubt any vacuum control lines (if there are any?) would be old enough to be brittle.

 

[D60]

Ive often wondered how folks repair the dash, my 2001 s dash would be easier to remove by just pulling on it gently, heavily doubt it would survive properly removing

The '99 I did definitely suffered some pieces snapping off.

Our '02 2500 at my non-profit has just totally caved in. Both above mentioned trucks live in identical environments ~10 miles apart, never garaged. Why some last and some fail is mostly a mystery.

I think the main takeaway for a shop is tell your customer you can make NO promises regarding the dash but EXPECT cracking and/or pieces missing entirely. No one can be expected to touch brittle plastic and have it survive. And you HAVE TO get a little rough with it, even if you had two guys and were trying to remove with care.

edit: there are hard dash caps for ~$200 and I think that's the best answer for an "okay" repair. In the case of my non-profit money is tight and it's not a priority

 

[Chris142]

We always did the evaporator too. That era of truck had those fail often.

The guy we had pulling dashes could do that whole job, heater,evap and whatever else could have it all back together,no leftover screws in 6 hrs.

 

[JHZR2]

Actuator for vent controls?

2nd gen uses vacuum if it’s like mine.

If I was doing heater core, I’d look into evaporator of a unit as good as OEM could be found. Not Chinese junk. At least I’d want to clean the fins and box, and ensure the drain had a short pipe off of it and wasn’t dripping in the wrong spot after it’s all messed with.

OP, please photo-document this, I’m really interested to see how it goes. As an owner of two second gen CTDs, I’m curious. If the later model dashes are as brittle as the earlier ones, be VERY careful…

 

[Chris142]

2nd gen uses vacuum if it’s like mine.

If I was doing heater core, I’d look into evaporator of a unit as good as OEM could be found. Not Chinese junk. At least I’d want to clean the fins and box, and ensure the drain had a short pipe off of it and wasn’t dripping in the wrong spot after it’s all messed with.

OP, please photo-document this, I’m really interested to see how it goes. As an owner of two second gen CTDs, I’m curious. If the later model dashes are as brittle as the earlier ones, be VERY careful…

The OEM evap was a known problem. The Chinese copy is an upgrade.

 

[JHZR2]

The OEM evap was a known problem. The Chinese copy is an upgrade.

lol perhaps. Theres likely a difference between the $50 eBay Chinese one and the good one. Perhaps that’s a good data point to have on here.

At 450 and 268k, both of mine are holding tight…

Fingers crossed. Evaporators are one of those jobs I just don’t want to have to do ever.

 

[Rmay635703]

The '99 I did definitely suffered some pieces snapping off.

Our '02 2500 at my non-profit has just totally caved in. Both above mentioned trucks live in identical environments ~10 miles apart, never garaged. Why some last and some fail is mostly a mystery.

I think the main takeaway for a shop is tell your customer you can make NO promises regarding the dash but EXPECT cracking and/or pieces missing entirely. No one can be expected to touch brittle plastic and have it survive. And you HAVE TO get a little rough with it, even if you had two guys and were trying to remove with care.

edit: there are hard dash caps for ~$200 and I think that's the best answer for an "okay" repair. In the case of my non-profit money is tight and it's not a priority

If i ever need to replace anything behind or under the dash my truck would be simple, make a fist and the heater core comes out.

 

[ruSSrt]

2nd gen uses vacuum if it’s like mine.

If I was doing heater core, I’d look into evaporator of a unit as good as OEM could be found. Not Chinese junk. At least I’d want to clean the fins and box, and ensure the drain had a short pipe off of it and wasn’t dripping in the wrong spot after it’s all messed with.

OP, please photo-document this, I’m really interested to see how it goes. As an owner of two second gen CTDs, I’m curious. If the later model dashes are as brittle as the earlier ones, be VERY careful…

Yes. Dash is brittle and already have multiple cracks in it. I've come to term with that I will damage it even more. Currently I have cover on it, and I probably will glue/tape it after I'm done and put a cover back on

 

[Timmastertech]

Change the evaporator core while you are in there. I have done a metric F***load of those dashes in my career and that is probably one of the easiest dashes to pull. Drop the steering column on the floor, undo the electrical connections on both ends and lay the complete dash back on the seat. My personal record from about 15 years ago when we were doing those regularly was dash out in 35 minutes and 3 complete evaporator replacements in 1 day. I miss those trucks.

 

[ruSSrt]

Change the evaporator core while you are in there. I have done a metric F***load of those dashes in my career and that is probably one of the easiest dashes to pull. Drop the steering column on the floor, undo the electrical connections on both ends and lay the complete dash back on the seat. My personal record from about 15 years ago when we were doing those regularly was dash out in 35 minutes and 3 complete evaporator replacements in 1 day. I miss those trucks.

By any chance do you know the size of the airlines that go to actuator?