CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

I just replaced my evap core. What a b**ch!! Here is a quick guide with no pics. This was on a 2000, but other models will be similar. Have these sizes of sockets and wrenches. 7, 10, 13, and 15 mm.

Do this at your own risk! My guide might not be 100%, so always double-check for extra bolts or wires to unplug. You can do a lot of these steps in different order, so plan ahead to make it easier. I just went with the flow of figuring out on my own.

Have the A/C discharged.
Properly disable the airbags/theftlock for your safety.
Remove the main bezel surround, it just snaps out.
Remove and unplug the radio and AC controls by depressing the tabs on the sides.
Remove the snap on covers on either side of the dash (the ones w/ fuses and wires behind them).
Remove the trim under the steering wheel where your knees go. (2 7mm and some snaps).
Remove the metal steering column guard (4 10mm nuts)
Remove the pillar trims, they just snap out.
Remove the dash top by unscrewing the philips screws on the sides and the several 7mm under the dash bezel you removed.
Remove the air vents and then the extensions on either side of the passenger airbag. They pop out.
Remove the grab handle by pressing the white tabs you can see where the air vent extension was.
Reach in the radio slot and twist the light sensor to remove it.
Check for any other bolts, then pull the dash top straight back toward you to disengage the clips, then lift it up and out.
Open the glove box and remove the several bolt-head screws. There are more toward the middle where the fold-out cup holder was on the early models. When you have all the bolts out, there are several clips to disengage to remove the whole assembly. Unplug the cigarette lighters and ashtray light.
Now, remove the 4 10mm bolts close to the windshield that hold the dash and support in place and unplug the small harness and ground wire next to the right-most bolt.
Remove the kick panel near the passenger side door and unplug the huge wiring harness underneath. Unplug the 4 connectors up a little higher as well.
In the engine compartment, remove the heater core hoses and 13mm A/C evap hoses. Protect the A/C hoses, moisture will mess up your system.
Now, remove the 7 nuts/bolts in the engine compartment that are holding the AC/heater assembly in place. They start behind the intake manifold and go almost to the fender. The bolts have a black piece of rubber behind them, and the nuts have a green piece of rubber behind them. 2 are behind the drier/accumulator thing. Remove the evap drain tube extension.
To the right of the gas pedal, remove the trim piece and unbolt the vertical dash support from the floor.
Now, loosen the three 15mm bolts holding the entire dash assembly to the truck, near the right door. One of the bolts is hidden and can be reached with long extensions. Make sure the dash moves and you didn't miss any bolts.
With a friend's help, remove the 3 bolts and carefully lift the dash up and out enough to slide the AC/heater assembly out of the truck.
Be careful not to break anything, because the dash assembly is still connected on the driver's side. Also, watch out for coolant from the heater core.
Now open that bad boy up with a 4.5 or 5mm socket (I forgot which) and replace whatever is broken.
Do it all over again to put it back together

Any questions, just ask. I threw this post together really tired, so I hope it makes sense.

nonnieselman

iTrader: (10)

Cool write up man!!

I just ripped the dash out and took forever the first time to get the A/C box out of the truck... That was for the Heater core...
This year it was the Evap core.. Luckly half the bolts were already missing so it went twice as fast..

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

Hey! Thanks for the tips in my earlier threads and stuff before I figured out the problem.

Actually, when I did it, I disconnected the plastic dash frame from the metal frame, and I'm pretty sure that was not necessary so I left it out of the instructions. Would have saved myself an hour

Maybe I should have done the heater core since I was already in there. Ah well, I'll push my luck.

All of the trim pieces still need to be put back in place, so if I have a bunch of bolts left over too, I'll let you know

nonnieselman

iTrader: (10)

This should be a sticky somewhere in a HOWTO!!

CashDudeHomie

iTrader: (5)

I only had two philips screws left over lol. These screws aren't very common in the truck, so any idea where they might go? I put 2 on each side of the dash under the covers, so I guess I forgot where these last 2 go lol.

nonnieselman

iTrader: (10)

put them in your tool box.. I had a lot more than 2 left over!
Weight Reduction!

projectnightcrawler

This thread is amazing! I just had to replace the evap core in my 99 and i had it out and put the new one in in less than an hour and a half, now ive just gotta wait for the rain to stop to finish up. Thanks a ton for the quick guide

VaFarmer38

I've got this task ahead of me this afternoon. Not looking forward to it but after seeing how long it took you, I'm a little more optimistic. I've got a 2003 2500HD. Any pointers you can add? Thanks in advance.