RESOLVED -Rear heater core cover reinstall question 2003 Expedition XLT

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Pinky 1352

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This is a 2003 Expedition XLT that needed it's rear heater core replaced.

Removing was easy enough once I found all of the screws, but getting the black cover BACK ON is stumping me!

Is there a trick to keep all of the components in place while trying to replace the cover?

Should the door actuators be removed or left in place?

I'm finding that either the AC core moves a slight bit, or the blend door over the heater core moves out of it's slot. Which makes getting the cover back on impossible.

I was at it for over an hour yesterday and finally had to walk away.

I've obviously searched for videos but haven't found any.

Any clues as to what technique I may be missing would be greatly appreciated!
 

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rjrodney

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Not sure if this will help. When installing a Subaru water pump, I put some threaded rods in a couple bolt holes. Then I can slide on the gasket and pump and start bolting it up without needing 4 hands. Maybe you can use the same trick, then pull them out and replace with screws as you go.
 

whtbronco

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Wow even AllData isn't any help here, sorry I ave nuttin for ya. It literally says "Remove the auxiliary climate control housing." and "Remove the screws and the evaporator/heater core access cover."
 
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Pinky 1352

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Not sure if this will help. When installing a Subaru water pump, I put some threaded rods in a couple bolt holes. Then I can slide on the gasket and pump and start bolting it up without needing 4 hands. Maybe you can use the same trick, then pull them out and replace with screws as you go.
I considered trying something like this, but the problem is that it looks like you have to *slightly* tilt the cover so the bottom goes a bit into its own slot first. So if you do that the angle is wrong to get the stuff up top to line up!

Adding to this mess is that there is one plastic "post" for a fastener to slide onto on the bottom, and another on the left side that's similar.
You can kind of see that plastic post and fasteners hole in the circled part of the pic.

It's not even a need four hands kind of thing, because even with tiny hands it would be difficult to get the stuff up top to line up with the nearly inch or so space you end up with in the top once bottom is in.



It's when I try and tackle the problem with this bit of an angle that the AC core slips a bit, and the "door" that covers the heater core falls out of IT'S hole.


Who designed this???!!!

LOL
 

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Pinky 1352

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Wow even AllData isn't any help here, sorry I ave nuttin for ya. It literally says "Remove the auxiliary climate control housing." and "Remove the screws and the evaporator/heater core access cover."
Yup, pretty much the "help" I've been finding! :D
and there's NO videos of this being done either that I've been able to locate.

All I can find is ones where the heater core is on the driver's side of the car and the housing is much different.

I can't imagine why they changed it!
;)
 
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Pinky 1352

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A few more pics of the problem areas.
Note the plastic "pegs" that also have to be wrangled with. The one towards the front of the car isn't too bad because the cover is a bit flexible. It's the bottom one that's causing real issues.

Also, there's NO tolerance for the space where the AC core is. I *may* try a bit of gorilla duct tape on the top of that piece to hold it to the back wall, and hope that doesn't somehow interfere with it's cooling later.

The door shown in these pics is the bigger problem. Why it's "channel" for the top of it is in two pieces is beyond me! That's where I was wondering if leaving the actuator bolted in would help...but I tried it both ways without success.
 

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Pinky 1352

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Took another hour or so , but I FINALLY got that cover back on.

Turned out duct tape was indeed the needed trick (it was either try that or a hammer. LOL)


I put a single small loop of duct tape on the side of the AC core. Just enough, and with enough slack, to hold it in its own "slot" so it wouldn't move too much.

Another piece of duct tape on that door over the heater core helped to keep that part in it's rear hole.
I ended up having to do this a second time when I figured out the pieces would only go back together correctly if the door was in the UP position.
(The photo attached shows it on my first, incorrect, attempt.)

I then simply had to worry about the door hinge coming through the hole on the FRONT of the cover, but I was able to finesse that a bit with a screwdriver in it's actuator slot.


After the cover was firmly back on, I had to reach through the door (that controls floor/roof vent) access and reach back to remove the duct tape I used to prop up the other door.

Actuators themselves were installed AFTER everything else was done.


I hope this will help anyone else that ever has to attempt this!

Thanks everyone for your thoughtful replies!
 

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whtbronco

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Congrats on figuring it out, and thank you for the follow-up. Nothing like finding a thread like this one when you have an issue and realizing that it doesn't have a resolution.
 
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