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'84 528e Heater Core Replacement--HELP!!!

Hi all,

I have an 1984 528e that's been gettin' my floor wet with coolant for all too long now, so I've made the leap and finally found some time to disassemble the dash and replace the little sucker. I've removed the entire dash and center console, the AC evap. unit, etc, etc. Removed about all there is to remove. I finally came to a black box with an inverted "V" shaped bottom labeled "BEHR" (which I'm assuming enshrouds the heater core). The box is held together by pressure clips that are mostly inaccessable but I've popped off the 5 or 6 I can see with a screwdriver...still, the 'ol BEHR box shows no indication of opening up. What am I missing? I'm assuming there are lots more clips that I can't see. Is this the case? Is there a shortcut around this misery? Does anyone at all have an exploded view of the heater core area? Any manuals that I've been able to find do not cover the heater core--I'm assuming because they don't want people evacuating their A/C while doing this procedure (my A/C is long since empty of refrigerant 'cause I need a compressor too). Does anyone know of a manual easily accessable that covers this? Or any inkling of where I can find one? Lastly, is there any "trick" or special BMW tool for getting these steel clips (they look like this:> /_____\ )off intact without busting any plastic? ANY help would be so appreciated, as I'm driving my beloved 528 with a driver's seat, miles of wires, and not much else! Not even a tachometer or a lowly "Check Engine" light! If pix would help let me know 'cause I've taken them. Thank you all so very much; any help at all or experience with this problem would be welcome and happily devoured!

Happy driving!

Ron

Reply to
Dr. Ron
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"Dr. Ron" wrote

Check out Brett's article on A/C upgrade to R134a:

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FloydR

Reply to
Floyd Rogers

Here's a link to the exploded view of your heator on the RealOem website.

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I have a Chilton's Manual that covers your car. Here's what it says to remove the heater assembly and core.

1) Disconnect the battery ground. Remove the instrument panel trim at the bottom left. Remove the package tray.

2) Have the air conditioning system discharged.

3) Remove the two bolts securing the trim panel underneath the evaporator unit.

4) Remove the tape type insulation.

5) Using a backup wrench, disconnect the low and high pressure A/C lines and cap the open ends.

6) Unfasten the electrical connector for the evaporator. Disconnect he temperature sensor plug accessible from the outside of the evaporator housing.

7) Remove the two bolts and then remove the bracket that braces the evaporator houing at the firewall. Remove the mounting bolt from either side of the houding.

8) Unclip both fasteners and remove the housing.

9) Now move into the engine compartment and remove the rubber insulator from the cowl. (I think this is really a seal at the top of the firewall)

10) Remove the mounting bolts for the cover which is located under the windshield.

11) Remove the mounting nuts for the heater housing located on either side of the blower.

12) Drain the cooling system then disconnect the 2 hoses at the core.

13) Working inside the vehicle, remove the 3 electrical connectors for the heater housing. Pull off the 2 air ducts.

14) Remove the 2 mounting nuts and remove the heater unit.

15) Remove the air duct connections from the housing. Push the retaining bar back and thensplit and remove the 2 blower shells.

16) Remove the retaining clips from the housing halves and split the housing. Then remove the core.

To Install:

17) Reverse the removal procedure, noting the following points: a) Cement a new rubber seal onto the core. b) Make sure that when reassembling the halves of the housing, all the distributor flap shafts pass through the holes in the housing. c) Before reconnecting the refrigerant lines, coat the threads with clean refrigerant oil. d) Refill the cooling system with clean coolant and bleed it. e) Have the air conditioning system evacuated and recharged using an approved recovery/recycling machine.

They have another routine for just removing the core.

1) Remove the center console and the glove compartment.

2) Disconnect the coolant hoses from the heater. Blow air into the upper connection to purge the coolant from the core.

3) Remove the screws from the holder. Remove the screws from the right holder and remove the holder.

4) Remove the motor for the front vents and disconnect the inside temperature sensor.

5) Disconnec the screws, straps, and clips holding the heater cover. Remove the cover to expose the internal coolant pipes.

6) Remove the mounting screws from the coolant pipes and lift out. The heater core removes from the right.

These don't make much sense to me but hopefully will be more helpful to someone looking at the hardware.

Reply to
Jack

P.S. The trick to removing the clips without breaking the housing lip is to use a small pin (like a #40 drill) inserted into the hole in the side of the clip to use as a prybar to open the clip while lifting it off.

Reply to
Jack

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