[Frionel]

taking out dash...need help

when i replaced my stereo...i had to take the dash out...but could not...i can not figure out how to take out the damn thing, and its driving me insane. what do i need to do so i can take out the dash to fix
A. my stereo
B. the heater controls panel
C. fix my heater so it actually blows HEAT.

 

[tunepipe911]

Re: taking out dash...need help

when i replaced my stereo...i had to take the dash out...but could not...i can not figure out how to take out the damn thing, and its driving me insane. what do i need to do so i can take out the dash to fix
A. my stereo
B. the heater controls panel
C. fix my heater so it actually blows HEAT.

some dashboard are fixed with special clips,others are fixed
with screws,how is yours fixed,??
be verry carefull that dashpanel does not crack when removed!

 

[likengtj]

You may want to check this location for the steps:

http://clubs.hemmings.com/clubsites/oana/tech/DashRemoval.pdf


Good luck!!!

 

[Frionel]

screws....i think. i mean...my front piece has screws all through it...and i take out the screws and most of the dash comes out except it seems to get stuck. unfortunetly my front dash piece is now cracked because of my friend who was taking out the am radio last year and we had to basically bend the plastic. the crack isn't big...but its annoying. note the picture...below where the heater controls are...it isn't mounted properly...i can't get that in anymore like i could before. and the big whole where the am radio was is the hole we cut out for the pioneer deck. its been out of the car since i changed to my honda, but now its going back in...as soon as i can find the damn ANTENNA wire...which is another problem i am having...i want radio too. how can i get that to work?

 

[kwilford]

Dash Removal

This is a two step procedure. One is to remove the front dash plate, which gives you access to the heater control plate and the antenna cable, as well as the radio. This is actually fairly easy, once you get the required things un-done. The second is the actual dash pad (the padded part), which you only remove if it is EXTREMELY necessary. But this is required to access the heater box, heater core and fan.

First, go the OANA site shown above for the tips. The key issues for the dash plate are to:

1) Drop the steering wheel
2) Remove the flasher AND the two hex-head screws, from the sides, near the bottom of the lower panel
3) Disconnect the speedo cable
4) Disconnect the wiring harness plugs from the fuse box

The dash pad is MUCH more difficult. You have to remove the screws along the sides of the dash pad (next to the doors), but the tough ones are the screws along the TOP of the dash, right up to and just below the windshield. These are hard to get out, and almost IMPOSSIBLE to get back in, unless the front windshield is out. The trick is to have a long, thin flexible Phillips-headed screwdriver, and a LOT of patience. And you also have to manuever the defroster vent and fresh air vent hoses off, and then back on again.

Frankly, I wouldn't even attempt this without a factory manual to guide me.

HTH and good luck.

 

[Frionel]

i think my heater core is bad as i can barely get any heat...and i think my fan is jacked up too because it barely blows out (you can hear the fan moving...but you can't feel it hit your hand when you put your hand over the vents. and like i said, i couldn't take off that front piece for some strange reason...i took out all the screws, and the steering wheel...but there seems to be something else holding that infernal thing in.

 

[BQS4]

Guys;
Speaking from experiance, there are a few things you have to do behind the dash first, before just removing it. (1) is to remove two screws that hold the bottom part of the dash panel to the flasher assembly. One is accessed through a plug on the passenger side, lower part. The other is through a triangle panel you take off on the drivers side near where the hood release is. Then you remove the flasher relay. That allows the bottom of the dash to come out. The other is that when you start to pull the dash out, most do it from the top first, since you're sitting in the driver's seat while doing this, well, the back of the three little gauges catch on the clip holders for the top of the dash. This is a patient, tedious process, but, if you have done it enough, like I have, you can do it in your sleep.
Gene

 

[jordan]

i also cant get my dash out! the guage panel came out easily and there isnt a windshield in it at the time so that should make things alot easier. i have all of the visible screws removed, also where the hazard light switch was i removed those screws but it is still jammed or screwed in there. am i missing something?

 

[greensmurf20]

ok jordan i think i know whats holdin you up, make sure your headlight lever is pulled towards the back of the car and then take the ash trey out. there will be 2 screws holding the shift console to the transmission tunnell and pop the console up and then slide it back towards the rear of the car. then there will be 2 screws holding the dashpad to the floorpans/ where the center part of the dash pad comes down onto the floor. its a steel plate and i would put my money on thats what is holding you up. if not let me know, i've done it a time or two myself (maybe you should post the page i wrote, might be of help to some people)

 

[jordan]

how much money do you put on it?

 

[jordan]

i for got when i took the heater unit out i forgot to mention there is this sandy stuff in there. its not salty, or clumpy, it appears to be beah sand. any idea how 10 pounds of it got there?

 

[greensmurf20]

what was holding your dash in jordan? and that sand.... who knows how it got there but i can tell you its not supposed to be. any sandblasting recently?...all i can think of

 

[jordan]

that could be sandblasting...i never thought of it. the dash was stuck in from some sticky adhesive stuff really well i might add.

 

[jordan]

now i am confused, here it goes. on the heater unit where the 2 heater core pipes attach to the out side of the heater unit, there is a hole in the little bracket and it seems like a place for a clamp to go for the heater control valve cable. is it? do i need it? does any one have a spare heater control valve cable clip?

 

[kwilford]

Have you looked at the steel panel above the heater core? The outside of that panel is just behind and above the front wheel., and forms a shelf just below the outer fender, which collects road debris and mud. Then it rusts through, dropping debris on top of the fan and into the recess. Perhaps a PO repaired the panel but didn't clean out the heater recess?

 

[jordan]

i promised my self i wouldnt forget where this clip thing goes but i forgot! also i still need to know on the heater unit where the 2 heater core pipes attach to the out side of the heater unit, there is a hole in the little bracket and it seems like a place for a clamp to go for the heater control valve cable.

 

[jordan]

for got the picture (im having a bad day )

 

[mark1]

Gauges Catching Clip Holders

Guys;
Speaking from experiance, there are a few things you have to do behind the dash first, before just removing it. (1) is to remove two screws that hold the bottom part of the dash panel to the flasher assembly. One is accessed through a plug on the passenger side, lower part. The other is through a triangle panel you take off on the drivers side near where the hood release is. Then you remove the flasher relay. That allows the bottom of the dash to come out. The other is that when you start to pull the dash out, most do it from the top first, since you're sitting in the driver's seat while doing this, well, the back of the three little gauges catch on the clip holders for the top of the dash. This is a patient, tedious process, but, if you have done it enough, like I have, you can do it in your sleep.
Gene

I also had trouble with the backs of the gauges catching on the clips on the top of the dash. I was thinking of cutting the bottom of the clips back a bit to make this job easier, but I was wondering if there's a better solution.

Mark

 

[First opel 1981]

I also had trouble with the backs of the gauges catching on the clips on the top of the dash. I was thinking of cutting the bottom of the clips back a bit to make this job easier, but I was wondering if there's a better solution.

Mark

The dash is flexible enough that you can push up on it where the clips are catching.
You can also push the dash insert to the side a little to help clear the clips.

 

[poor gt (R.I.P)]

for got the picture (im having a bad day )

Jordon, that is the clip for the hood release cable that attaches to the hood bar. slide the cable over the bar then this screws on and keeps the cable in place. Some pic. of your heater question :yup: P.S. that is for 1968,69,& early 1970 style hood release