I finally got around to dropping the dash to install a new heater core on my '97 ext. cab. I'm trying to get the cover off the steering wheel to disconnect the plug for the smart switch. I figured they were either Torx or Phillips head screws. Nope! Shining a light up there, they are really small bolts. Is this factory? My smallest nut driver won't engage on them. I could break the cover off and replace it from the salvage yard if sommeone put the wrong bolts in there. I'd rather not though.

All the tools I have, and I don't have what I need. Any suggestions? I guess I could go to Harbor Freight and see if they have small head nut drivers.

 

Is this for the column cover or the horn/airbag assembly?

Horn/Airbag should be a torx

Bottom of the column should also be torx but might be an M6 or M5 hex

 

It's the steering wheel cover. drive, none of my sockets will fit down the holes for the screws. Not even the 1/4 drive ones. I barely got my smallest nut driver, but it won't grab.

 

I dug every driver I could find and none could get down the hole to engage the screw/bolt head. I got it off by the simple expedient of grabbing the lower cover and ripping it off. I still can't get the darn things out of it. So far, only the upper cover is destroyed. What is supposed to be in there? Torx? I can't remember ever not being able to get the screws out.

Anyway, I've got the dash out. I watched a couple of seminars at the U of Y (YouTube) and evidently the '97 is a little different than the 1998 and up. Both videos were on '99 trucks. I also did some things the video makers didn't and it made it easier. Now I need to get the orifice tube out of the condensing coil. I'm going to replace the dryer and it came with a new tube. So far I've pulled a piece of it out as it broke. I'll get the heater box out tomorrow after the rain clears out. This will let me scrub the cigarette residue from the previous owners who were chain smokers.

 

I need to pull the heater core out of mine & probably ought to replace the evaporator. I know there is a leak somewhere in the system, just don't know where. My dad's ancient detector kept alarming at the dash vents, so i'm guessing evaporator.

 

My heater core was bypassed when I got the truck. Winter in Indiana means you NEED a heater, if for no other reason than to clear the windshield. It's not as bad a job as the guys doing the videos let on. Especially pulling the dash away from the truck. Both videos show it taking two people. Granted, it isn't light but I'm in my late 60's and pulled it by myself. I'm replacing the dryer and blower motor resistor while I'm in there.

I'm going to do some customization on the dash for switches and phone charger outlets. Once I get the last a/c line disconnected, the heater box will be ready to unbolt and remove. I should be able to get most of the cigarette smell out. A friend who helped my unload it is a smoker and even he said it stunk bad.

 

That's good to hear. The stories I read make it sound like a royal nightmare.

Likewise but inverse here in texas. Heat isn't as important (esp for a streetable race car that only sees summe months), but A/C, when possible, makes a huge difference.

 

Where I'm at in Indiana you need a/c too. I went to a convention in Houston a couple of years ago, the locals were complaining about the heat. It was hotter but much less humid than here. Rather refreshing I thought. When I went to Gulfport Ms. last summer, it was both hot (105+) and humid.

As for being difficult, it's about on a par with pulling an engine and replacing it with another one just like it. Time consuming but not that bad otherwise. I've done cores that were unmitigated pains. One thing I did was pull the seats. Much more room and easier access. I'm also going to replace the headliner while everything is apart.

 

Got my heater box out and taken apart. Now I need to decide which heater core to install.




Which unit does the collective think I ought to use. I've scrubbed the inner parts of the heater box. You could see the tobacco residue running out of it. Hopefully that will take care of the cigarette smoke smell.

 

By the way, I figured out why so many parts won't fit my '97. Being a transitional year, the steering column, windshield visors and such are the same as a '96. I got a bunch of parts for my truck from a 1992 model. They bolt right on.