Oh the embarrassment.

 

I've got the dash off, cluster off, wires taped and labelled, duct work off, stored, sensors in the right places, bolts back in holes so they don't get lost.... but I can't get the *expletive* heater box anywhere near off. Shiny new P10 Primera heater matrix is sitting on top of my fridge waiting to go in but I'm more stuck than a stuck thing covered in glue in a tight space.

 

I've been following various writeups as best I can (most seem to have lapsed their image hosting) but they all seem to say 'remove this, remove that' with regards to whole units, with little explanation as to how or why, so I must once more dive into the pit of wisdom and knowledge contained within this fair forum.

 

 

The heater box itself is looseish, I've removed all I can see of the bolts although I'm pretty sure it's entrapped by this doofer containing what I assume to be the A/C rad, which isn't coming off despite all the visible bolts being free.

 

What exactly, and precisely, or a combination of the two, holds the AC box and the heater box in? Any little tips or tricks?

 

Once again, thanks to all of those who sacrifice their time to divulge knowledge and experienced to the clueless and green.

I may have missed something here (I've not had to do this job) however reading the quide from the Australian site (RHD cars)

for "dash in" heater core replacement states that the heater core is removed by:

 

"9. Look now at the side of heater box itself and you will see a little bracket that holds in the heater core. It is held in place by one

screw that swings out of the way when it is loosened and voila!... the heater core will slide out of the heater box"

 

No mention is made of removing the heater box itself. That you have removed the dash should make access even easier.

 

http://www.pexcom.com.au/z32cms/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.341

Edited December 22, 20178 yr by AndrewG

To remove the heater box I had to take the blower out, then the AC evap then the heater box. But I remember a post somewhere that said you can extract it from the other side?

Edited December 22, 20178 yr by Alic

Removed mine from drivers side

Hate to tell you buddy but your picture is of the ac condensor not the heater matrix, the matrix is extracted on the drivers side, and if you guys will please please listen every time a matrix job is mentioned YOU DO NOT NEED TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD, it slips out of the heater box on the drivers side where your left foot ( clutch or auto-box rest ) would be.

 

It really is a 30 minute job to remove, honestly, used to do these in customers dinner hour whilst they waited, the Aus site shows in detail how to do it without removing the dash !

 

 

Jeff

Haha raging.. That's a very good tip for people going forward! Most cars to be fair it IS a dash-out job, so you can see the logic.

 

I'm very happy for one it's not, means that when the job comes along I have less to worry about.

The worst jap car to be fair I've worked on is a K12 Micra (my mothers car), it's like they've swapped Japanese ingenuity for European common sense. The K11 Micra was almost the PERFECT car from a mechanics standpoint - short of the bloody rust issues, nearly every job can be done in the space of minutes with minimal tools and fuss - even the dash out is not much more than a 25 minute affair. I don't know how they got it so wrong with the next evolution.

 

The 300 doesn't acctually look that bad, everythings quite logical given how cramped they've made it.

The worst jap car to be fair I've worked on is a K12 Micra (my mothers car), it's like they've swapped Japanese ingenuity for European common sense. The K11 Micra was almost the PERFECT car from a mechanics standpoint - short of the bloody rust issues, nearly every job can be done in the space of minutes with minimal tools and fuss - even the dash out is not much more than a 25 minute affair. I don't know how they got it so wrong with the next evolution.

 

The 300 doesn't acctually look that bad, everythings quite logical given how cramped they've made it.

 

The k12 was the start of renault having an influence on nissan... it all went down hill from there. French cars are without doubt the worst cars in the world........

Hate to tell you buddy but your picture is of the ac condensor not the heater matrix, the matrix is extracted on the drivers side, and if you guys will please please listen every time a matrix job is mentioned YOU DO NOT NEED TO REMOVE THE DASHBOARD, it slips out of the heater box on the drivers side where your left foot ( clutch or auto-box rest ) would be.

 

It really is a 30 minute job to remove, honestly, used to do these in customers dinner hour whilst they waited, the Aus site shows in detail how to do it without removing the dash !

 

 

Jeff

 

Yup - there speaks the voice of experience.....:wink:

 

And I too hate to say it, after you have gone through all that effort, but that is why Jimmer did mine all-in; parts labour and new coolant etc. for just £245!!!

I decided on the dash out method mostly because I don't have spares of the copper pipes that the dash in method recommends chopping, and I needed the ducting apart anyway as it's all full of grotty coolant.

 

I'm also not nearly nimble enough (or small enough) to get in under the pedals with the seat in and not being able to fully open the drivers door. Spent ten minutes with my feet on the headrest trying to look for it and only succeeded in getting a headache!

 

That and the 900 mile abortion of a wiring job under the steering column that appears to be linking two separate alarm systems to whatever they need linking to...

That and the 900 mile abortion of a wiring job under the steering column that appears to be linking two separate alarm systems to whatever they need linking to...

 

That's what sidecutters are for.

I decided on the dash out method mostly because I don't have spares of the copper pipes that the dash in method recommends chopping,

 

I'm also not nearly nimble enough (or small enough) to get in under the pedals with the seat in and not being able to fully open the drivers door.

 

No pipe chopping required, they just undo, and removing the seat is the key.

 

Jeff

Now to wait for it to stop raining, and for me to be not-ill enough to crawl around in the cold!