I have a 1995 Disco with a slight heater core leak. I used the search function and Have not found a good write up. My question is Do you have to remove the dash? I heard that you don't and you can get it out if you remove the glovebox and Right Kick panel. Is this true. I am a DIYer and Mechanicaly inclined but almost threwup in my mouth when I thought about removing that dash.

 

This might help.
http://www.landroversonly.com/forums...96-diso-37987/

 

Thanx for the link Antichrist. My heater core blew back in November, and I'd been dreading doing the job. I read what the guy in the linked said he did, and I had a hard time believing it at first, but when I took a closer look at it this morning, his description seemed extremely plausible. I'll post his description, followed by my own more detailed version - so that it's here to help other DI owners in need in the future. It was an amazingly easy replacement job. Took less than 25 minutes to remove the old core, 15 minutes to cut out those pesky pipe leads (I replaced em with 3/4" heater hose), and less than 10 minutes to install the new core.

Here is the description from the link:

Here is my more detailed description:

1. Remove the center console

2. Remove the glovebox (four 7mm bolts), and cardboard facia beneath the glovebox.

3. Remove the metal bracket that spans the now exposed area where beneath where the glovebox was. It's held on by four 7mm bolts on top, two 10mm bolts beneath on the passenger side, and a 13mm bolt to a wireloom bracket on the bottom.

4. There is a bracket which spans from the bottom of the dash to the transmission tunnel on the left side of the passenger footwell. Remove the two top 10mm bolts first, then the "rear" lower bolt. Simply loosen the forward lower bolt, but DON"T remove. There is a metal faceplate on the other side of the transmission tunnel that looks like it would be a bugger to put back in place from outside the vehicle. Just loosening that fwd lower bolt will allow the bracket to freely dangle out of the way.

5. The original pipes leading to the heater core are connected with a metal ring, and have "o-rings" in them which often fail. It's a terrible design imo, so I decided to simply cut out a 4 inch section of both the upper and lower pipes, and replace with 3/4" rubber heater pipes and normal screw clamps.

6: Once both pipes have been cut, use your left hand to pull down on the bottom of the dash about 3 inches (it'll give freely) and grab the heater core with your right hand. There are no brackets holding the heater core in. It simply sits in a slot in the plenum and dislodges very easily. Took less than 10 seconds to extract the core once my right hand was placed on it. Amazingly simple!

7. Fit a 4" section of 3/4" rubber heater hose on the new core BEFORE attempting to reinstall. Use regular hose clamps. The 3/4" hose fits on the heater core so snug that they might not even leak without the clamps, but obviously it's a "no brainer" to install em.

8. Don't forget to slip another hose clamp on each of the 4 inch hoses before reinserting the core into the plenum.

9: Installation is simply the reverse of disassembly, with the added step of tightening the new clamps you've just installed. The core literally just slide back in the plenum and then you work the ends of the 2 hoses on the dangling metal pipes leading to the engine bay.

10. Crack open a beer and smile at an amazingly easy heater core job!

 

NICE write up !! Question though....is it possible that this job may require TWO beers ?

 

This one sentence seems like it could be a rather involved process in and of itself. Can you briefely describe removing the center console to give a sense of how far it needs to be moved back...or come out?

Thank you. Great wright up BTW..

 

Actually removal of the center console is quite simple.

1. Remove the cover over the gearshift. You simply place a screwdriver under the rear portion and pop it up.

2. Remove handle and boot for the transfer case. Again, slip a screwdriver beneath the boot and pop it up. You then unscrew the shifter handle. Often the plastic nut inside the handle get's stripped, so you might not even have to screw it off and can just pull up on the handle.

3. Remove the rubber mat atop the console

4. There are only four screws now holding the console. 2 inside of the storage bin, and one on each side of the transfer case shifter. Unscrew all 4 phillips head screws.

5. Pop off the cover for the window switch's, and beneath it will be 4 small philips screws holding the switch panel itself. After removing the screws, lift the panel out, turn it sideways, and feed it back through the hole. No need to unplug and remove it.

6. At the base of the e-brake handle, you'll notice a brass pin going through the handle with a clip attached to it. Use a screwdriver to pop the clip off, then press the pin out of the hole. This will allow the e-brake handle to move freely.

7. Now you are ready to remove the console. Put the gearshift in 2nd, so as to allow you to easily lift up the rear of the console. It's just a matter of lifting the rear and pulling towards the rear of the vehicle. Before you can completely remove it, you'll have to reach beneath and unplug the wires leading to the cigarette lighter.

It'll take you about 25 minutes your first time, and then you'll be able to remove it in ten minutes after practice (and there often seems to be a reason to need to remove it! lol But don't be afraid of the task at all. I promise, a 9 year old could accomplish the removal without issue. No mechanical skills are needed what so ever.

 

Be warned. Increasing the beer consumption step has been known to cause erratic reassembly - often producing left over screws. But with that disclaimer, this job has been known to be successfully accomplished after the mysterious disappearance of a 6 pack in your fridge. Although, that of course is just a rumor. Likely urban legend!