Volkswagen Repair: Removal of Heater Core - 1993 Golf, volkswagon golf, dash vents

Question
H1>
  My heater is leaking. I have been told that to replace it I must take apart the inside 'Dash'.
  Where can I get info on the internet on the procedure to follow for the removal of the heater core.
1993 Volkswagon GOLF        Thanks    Joe Osman  

Answer
The internet is not the place for this task…the library would be much better as you can get a book beside you as you are working on it.  I can give you the general go thru if it hasn't changed since the mid 80s.  
 As you know it gonna be that black box (that is situated between the driver and the passengers feet) to come out.  It will take you a few hours to do so leave it for the weekend.  You will want to take out both seats to do this job.  Also, disconnect the battery.
    First, put a pail under the car and let out the coolant via the rad hose(it will hold about a gallon).  While that is draining go into the car.  
    Looking under the dash, you will see the heating tubes coming from the box and going across to the dash vents.  Pull these off and toss them in the back seat.  They will be a bit tough to get off the vent as they snap on plastic tube to plastic, but it will come.
    Now at the very bottom of the box you will see a lever sticking down with a wire loop connected to the pin on it.  Slide the wire off the pin.
    On the drivers side looking up under the dash you will see a pair of wires that go to the fan above.  There is a connector close by , disconnect there.
    One more thing to help you in this job if your doing by yourself, find a block or a firm spacer to place between the hump and the underside of the box taking not to break that lever that the wire was connected to.
     Now, you can start to loosen things.  Go into the engine compartment.  The coolant should be gone by now.
    On the drivers side near the steering column, you will see the heater hoses(2 mid sized ones) one has a control mechanism the other does not.  Disconnect the hose near the firewall so that only the hose has to go thru the opening.
    In the “trough” near the base of the hood is a plastic tray about 8” wide and 3' long that comes out by first removing the rubber seal and then lifting it where the metal clips hold it down.  This tray keeps the rain off the wiper motor and the heater fan motor.
     In the trough around the heater fan motor opening (approx10x10 inch square) you will see 4  bolt heads screwed down onto the surface.  You may still have the plastic mesh in place which keeps out large debris out of the system (like leaves) which is also held down by these same bolts. These bolts are 3 “ long which is a lot just to hold down the plastic mesh for they also hold the heater box up in place.  
   Remove the bolts, starting with the ones the farthest in.
  Do not disconnect any wiring here as it all goes together as a unit and the fan motor does not come apart from the top here.  As you are nearing the removal of the last bolt be sure that the blocking on the inside will hold up the heater box until you are ready to carefully remove it.  Assured that it won't fall, take out the last bolt.  Now go into the car on the drivers side.  
    What you have to do now is you are going to remove the heater box by pulling from bottom away from the firewall so that the hoses come through and then hold it there while you put your right hand behind the heater box and feel for the cable that has that wire loop…which you must pull up from the guiding holes in the plastic so that it is free(you can't see this…it is a feely job).  Once the cable is free, then swing the base of the heater box to the passenger side and let it down watching that the fan assembly clears the wiring of the dash.  Continue to pull from the bottom back toward the passenger seat and you should be free of the car.

You are half way there…. Find a warm spot to work with light.  I go into the basement from the garage.    Now the heater box consists of two halves that are held together with metal clips on the edges.  A flatblade screwdriver will do the job to pop them off.  Once they are all off then it should split apart .  The fan motor is now free, and the heater core is also exposed.  That's the piece you want right?  It may be repairable and it may not – a rad shop can tell you.   That is how to take one out.  To put in  and everything, took about 4 hours total.   

Be sure when putting in the coolant that you fill by taking off the top rad hose and pouring in that way until full, and hook the hose back up.  Then pour the rest in thru the expansion tank.   Doing it that way, assures that coolant is on both sides of the thermostat, for if you have only air on the one side, the thermostat will not open, ever.


If you do it once, you remember for a long time afterward