Monday, April 28, 2014
How to Replace the Evaporator Core in a 2003 Dodge B250 Van
The evaporator core, or heater core in a 2003 Dodge van is a radiator that contains hot coolant. The coolant circulates through the heater core when the heater is turned on, warming the interior of the van.
Instructions
- 1
Remove the negative battery cable with a socket wrench, and wait two minutes. This allows the capacitor in the airbag system to discharge, and prevents the airbag from deploying. Discharge the rigerant in the air conditioning system, and detach evaporators suction line jumper.
2Remove the mounting screws that attach the heater to the air conditioning unit with a socket wrench. Push the mounting bracket and rigerant lines out of the way to gain access to the heater.
3Detach the wiring harnesses for the fin sensing cycling clutch switch, blower motor resistor and blower motor relay. Cover the alternator with a shop cloth to prevent coolant from spilling on it. Drain the coolant in the radiator into a clean container for later use.
4Disconnect the coolant hoses from the heater with a socket wrench. Remove the right headlight assembly, support assembly for the right radiator core, support panel for the right cowl grille and the grille panel. Disconnect the screws that attach the heater housing to the blower motor housing.
5Disconnect the door motor link from the distribution duct in the passenger compartment. Use a socket wrench to remove the nuts in the glove compartment that fasten the heater to the dashboard.
6Remove the stamped nut in the engine compartment that connects the heater housing to the dashboard with a socket wrench. Detach the heater housing from the housing for the blower motor. Pull the heater housing from the dashboard so that the door link clears the hole in the dash panel. Remove the heater housing from the vehicle.
7Remove the pivot shaft nut from the blend-air door of the heater housing with a socket wrench. Pivot shaft nut. Detach the mounting flange boot and lever from the blend-air door. Disconnect the motor relay and its mounting bracket from the high-speed blower motor on the heater housing. Disconnect the screws from the top cover of the heater housing with a socket wrench, and remove the cover.
8Remove the screw that fastens the tube support bracket for the heater core to the mounting boss. Remove the heater core from its housing.
9Place the new heater core into its housing, and fasten its support bracket to the mounting boss with the retaining screw. Tighten the screw to 20 inch-pounds with a torque wrench.
10Complete the installation of the new heater core by performing steps two through seven in reverse order. Attach the suction line jumper for the evaporator, and charge the air conditioner with rigerant. Connect the cable for the negative battery terminal with a socket wrench.