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Omar M. Shams
Prolific User
Username: omar

Post Number: 134
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Wednesday, 09 June, 2010 - 05:06 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Does anyone have any photos to show us the steps involved in removing the heater core from a ShadowII/Wraith II?
Thanks
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Dave Puttock
New User
Username: ariel

Post Number: 2
Registered: 5-2010
Posted on Wednesday, 16 June, 2010 - 01:03 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Unfortunately I never thought to take pictures as I removed mine, the bits will all go together when the plenum comes back from powder coating.

If it helps this is my recollection of what I had to do.

Remove the two insulated plastic ducts between the fan and plenum. When they were new you could probably manipulate them but I found mine impossible to move, without releasing the fans.

This is a bit tedious. What I did was

Remove the wiper motor complete with bracket (just 3x ¼” UNF nuts) plus the wiring plug and drive tube nut, and you have to take the top off to separate the drive rack.

I should also mention that I had already removed the oil reservoir, so I’m not sure whether it is essential to remove it, but you might need to remove the rear support to get access to the hoses.

remove the three 2BA nuts holding the fan plate to the scroll, and withdraw the fan motor with impeller
remove the three 2BA nuts holding the scroll to the bulkhead
undo the rubber band that holds the duct to the plenum, pull the scroll away from yhe plenum about 3/4" and you should be able to get the duct off.

undo the three self tapping screws on the curved cover for the servos on the plenum and disconnect the cables at the plugs.

remove the 5 BA outer nuts that secure the control rods to the servo arm, leave the inner ones if you can to retain the setting (I dabbed mine with some touch up paint)

you will need to remove the bonnet catch rod so it’s a good idea to mark its position first.

now you have nine 2BA nuts which hold the plenum on, they alo hold the evaporator box as well
(I struggled bere because I had difficulty with one of the nuts and had to split it)
Actually I struggled a lot because the bottom has a sponge seal but some previous owner had seen fit to apply some sort of mastic all round and I had to use some brute force to split the joint
I warmed and bent a wallpaper scraper and hammered it into the joint, dozens of times.
Tee flange will probably bend a bit but its easy to straighten when you have got it off. Make sure you are ony splitting the outer joint.

Once you have the plenum off the heater core is retained in it by 4x ¼” unf nuts & bolts but a bit of care is needed to get the connection pipes through the grommets, mine were very hard.

Assembling, as they say is the reverse of removal, but probably with less swearing.
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Omar M. Shams
Prolific User
Username: omar

Post Number: 135
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Wednesday, 16 June, 2010 - 04:40 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Dear Dave,
what a scary proposition. The activity will require degassing and removal of the evaporator which is something I was hoping to avoid. I think I will just leave the heater in place and bypass the hoses to it. We don't need heaters all that much in Dubai. Many thanks for your repsonse.
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Bill Payne
Frequent User
Username: wimpy

Post Number: 54
Registered: 1-2007
Posted on Wednesday, 16 June, 2010 - 05:15 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

May I suggest you find a friendly service outlet who will evacuate & recover the R134 Freon and allow you to do the grunt work of removal & replacement. You will need to replace the dryer/accumulator and the orifice tube(if equipped). After all that, revisit the service outlet so they can pull a vacuum on the AC system and then (assuming no leaks) recharge the system.

Good Luck!
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Omar M. Shams
Prolific User
Username: omar

Post Number: 136
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Wednesday, 16 June, 2010 - 05:22 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Dear Bill,
i wish I had R134a in my car..................
sadly it is R12!!
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Bill Payne
Frequent User
Username: wimpy

Post Number: 55
Registered: 1-2007
Posted on Wednesday, 16 June, 2010 - 01:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Not sure what the situation is with exporting product but the conversion is really simple. In the US there are flush kits (fluid smells much like kerosene and there is a bottle to pressurize) to rid the system of the R12 & the debris in the system (don't flush the compressor). 12(12oz)cans are currently $70.00(USD).
See pages 16-17:
http://www.autosupplyhouse.com/pdf/2010_catalog_Price_updates/05CAT09_AC.pdf
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Dave Puttock
New User
Username: ariel

Post Number: 3
Registered: 5-2010
Posted on Thursday, 17 June, 2010 - 02:24 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Omar,
It is not necessary to de-gas your aircon, that is the point I was making. When you split the plenum containing the heater from the airbox containing the evaporator, the evaporator stays in place as its pipes come through the bulkhead much lower down.
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Omar M. Shams
Prolific User
Username: omar

Post Number: 137
Registered: 4-2009
Posted on Thursday, 17 June, 2010 - 04:39 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

loved the website Bill. I have now been encouraged to get that R12 out of my system. I will go to the friendly local shop and arrange for the flush in the near future.

Dave,
I now understand that the evaporator and plenum outer case come out together (whilst the ac pipes are still connected). thanks for the explanation.
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Paul Yorke
Grand Master
Username: paul_yorke

Post Number: 604
Registered: 6-2006
Posted on Thursday, 17 June, 2010 - 05:29 am:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Omar, stick with the R12 as long as possible. You can't beat it! :-)
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Dave Puttock
New User
Username: ariel

Post Number: 4
Registered: 5-2010
Posted on Thursday, 17 June, 2010 - 06:10 pm:   Edit PostDelete PostView Post/Check IP

Omar,
Nearly got it, there are two separate heat exchangers, The heater matrix uses water of course and comes out with the fan plenum, the evaporator matrix uses refrigerant and stays in place in the air box. You will be able to see it and the expansion valve when you remove the fan plenum but no need to touch it other than dusting off if you want to.