Paerrin

I've got a 2008 F150 FX4 SuperCrew.

I removed the dash and was able to get to the heater/evaporator core housing. I got the actuator off along with the heater core cover. I cut the heater core lines going to the engine compartment and removed the old core. Obviously there isn't enough room to slide the new one down in with the lines intact. I removed all the screws (I think I did anyways..) but that cover is still locked down tight. Looking at Haynes, they say you have to remove the entire housing.

I've read all the heater core threads on the site and none of them talk about 2008's and my covers are quite different from anything I've seen in the write ups.

My truck is in pieces. I'm so close to getting this done. Can anyone help?

grss429

I was wondering same thing.. i got to do 1 in my 06... hardly any infomation on it

Paerrin

I think the write ups have great procedures for removing the dash. Sure there's differences in bolt placement but they'll get you there.

It's the differences in evaporator housing that are the biggest issue. In the older models, maybe even up to the '06, the evaporator housing seems to be one piece. On those, the cover is removable with the housing still in the vehicle. On the 2008, the heater core actually slides down into the housing with the hoses on top of the cover. Not to mention that the center vent covers and evaporator housing cover sit on top of the middle section heater core cover.

Thinking about it last night and this morning, it looks like I have 2 options:

1) Attempt to pull the evaporator housing at least a little bit out from the firewall to give me room to maneuver those pipes.
2) Carefully bend the pipes down to get them past the lip of the dash and firewall and then bend them back once I get them through the hole.

You can look through your glovebox and see if the housing is one piece or if it overlaps. If it overlaps, you'll be in the same boat I am. If not, you'll still have to remove the dash but probably have an easier time with the core replacement.

grss429

I think ive heard of people bending the pipes and then rebending them at a 90

Paerrin

I ended up doing both of my options above. I was able to loosen the retaining bolt right by the heater core and get a little bit of wiggle room and I bent the pipes as little as I had to. Bending those pipes is scary as hell as they tend to want to bend near the top where the welds are.

I was finally able to bend them just enough (with no room to spare) and get them into the engine compartment. I did have to cut the foam piece as it was too thick and I didn't want to bend the pipes far enough to get them through without cutting.

But everything is in place. Everything is working. I only have like 6 screws left over and 3 were from the back side of the hvac housing that I couldn't get back in.

Paerrin

The thing that almost ground this whole project to a halt was the fact that I have a non-standard radiator. It's original and is a Ford radiator, but they must not have put in many of them because the parts people at 2 different dealerships couldn't figure it out.

I have the 8L34-8005-HA which apparently doesn't exist... I broke the tab off the radiator plug when draining it. Everyone else has a screw, I have a unit with a tab.

Luckily I walked into AutoZone and they had 1. It was a Dorman 61134 which was listed for a Chrysler.

grss429

Can u give me a brief brake down on the dash removeal?
And write ups u used