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Today I decided to tackle the heater core. My heater is not what is used to be.
1) Park on level flat terrain. Choke your wheels.
2) Empty out all your possessions from the glove box & center console.
3) Use a philips screwdriver to remove both cup holders. 2 screws per cup holder.
4) Open up center console cubby and use philips screwdriver to remove 2 bolts.
5) Twist off CDL shifter ****, then carefully pull up & off the plastic square base of the CDL boot. Next using a philips screwdriver to remove the 2 bolts directly underneath where the CDL boot assembly was.
6) With Automatic shifter in Park and truck off, grab onto the auto shifter **** with 2 hands and pull straight up until it pops off. If you need to shift into another gear for ease during console removal just push on the auto shifter solenoid and move the shifter as needed.
7) Next carefully pry up & off the auto shifter gear selector assembly. Then unplug the clip on the underside off the gear selector.
8) Slid off the e-brake ****. Then using pliers carefully pry off the e-brake boot assembly. Then using pliers to pull the safety pin on the side of the e-brake at its base. Next push out the pin that secures the e-brake cable to the handle.
9) Next carefully pry forward the center console window/heated seat control panel to access the backside. Unplug all the window and heated seat switches. With the switches disconnected carefully pry up & off the center console woodgrain trim bezel.
10) Next reach inside where the window switches are and push outwards the seat control switches. Then gently lift up the back portion of the center console a couple inches or so into you have enough clearance to slide the seat control switches out through the access hole where the window switch panel was. You will have to twist them and work them a bit but they will come out. Then once the seat control switches are free,it up the back portion of the center console more then reach your arm underneath the console and unplug 2 wires from the cigarette lighter jack. Now your able to lift up and wiggle out the entire center console.
11) Next remove 4 plastic panel fastners from the cardboard trim that conceals the heater blower motor. I find that using a panel popper works best for removing the plastic fastners without breaking them. Once remove 4, bronze colored 7mm bolts from the bottom portion of the glove box. Then reach in on either side of the glove box simultaneously, lifting up both metal arms together and lifting them up & out of the dashboard. Metal springs are attached to the arms that hold the glove box in place so you will need to have a strong grip on the arms.
12) Next remove 4 more 7mm bronze colored bolts on the bottom portion the dashboard near where the glove box was. Then using a 10mm socket to remove 4 bolts These bolts hold a metal bracket in place just beneath where the glove box sits in the dash.
13) Now look inside the empty of the cavity of the dashboard where the glove box was and identify a black wiring harness. You don't need to disconnect the whole harness. Gently push up and out the plastic clips securing it to a vertical metal bracket closest to the heater controls. Then free the harness from a metal clip on the lower long horizontal bracket and disconnect 2 wires from the terminals on said bracket.
14) Now remove 4 bronze colored 7mm bolts that secure the long metal bracket in place.
15) Next using a philips screwdriver remove one black screw holding a small black piece of air duct in place. Remove air duct piece.
16) Next locate a black bracket in the footwell, just under where the glove box was. Using long 13 mm socket to remove 2 bronze colored nuts and 2 washers from the bracket. Remove bracket. Now your ready to reach in and remove the long horizontal bracket from inside the dashboard where the glove box was.
17) Next carefully peel off a thin foam covering that conceals the heater core.
18) Using a small philips screwdriver remove 2 pinch clamps, each held in place by a bolt (one clamp per pipe) & 1 screw that secures a bracket over the heater core pipes. Then remove the pinch clamps & bracket. Dont lose the bolts! Probably a good idea to set up a containment system to collect any coolant that pours out. I used cheap disposable aluminum baking pan and aluminum foil to divert the stream into the pain.
19) Now its time to disconnect the 2 heater core pipes. I found that using a long screwdriver and inserting it in between the heater core and the pipes then pressing the tool up against the core was the easiest way to get the pipes off the core. Do not use any tool on the tip of the pipes where they insert into the heater core because damaging them in any way may prevent you from getting a proper seal when you reconnect the pipes.
20) With the pipes disconnected use your left hand and grab the bottom of the dashboard and pull it out and away from the heater core. While simultaneously and very carefully sliding the heater core out of the plastic box it sits in. Make sure to let all the coolant drain out first into a pain.
21) Remove the old O-rings from the heater core pipes and replace with genuine O-rings. Take a moment to clean out any debris inside the heater core housing.
22) Install new O-rings. Might help to lubricant the O-rings first. Using your left hand to pull up the bottom section of the dashboard while inserting the new heater core with your right hand. Bungie cords can be used to help hold up the bottom portion of the dashboard while your getting the best core installed. Next line up the heater core pipes, being careful not to damage the pipe ends. This part might be very difficult. The pipes have to be pushed into the core all the way until you can't really see the O-rings. You won't have much room to get a good grip on the pipes. The core is made from aluminum I presume, as are the pipes. In other words "soft metal". They bend and dent easily so don't use blunt force or anything sharp. Take your time. Once the pipes are properly seated, install the pinch clamps. Make sure they are properly lined up. The lips of the pipes should be squeezed inside the pinch clamps. Then install the bracket. At this point it is wise to bleed the cooling system then start up and let the truck warm up. Check the heater core pipes for leaks before putting everything else back together. Expect to perform a couple bleeds.
23) With the new heater core and O-rings installed, and with the cooling system blead and having verified that thete ate no leaks,, reverse all the steps until everything is back together then bleed the cooling system again the next day. Good luck.
Daaaaaaamn! Thanks for this tutorial @TRIARII !
I have to confess, after reading all of this and seeing the pictures in your post, I think I'll leave this job to the professionals. lol
Before you throw away the old heater core can you measure the length, width and depth.
One type of repair for the Range Rover P38 community is to replace the Land Rover heater core with an Audi unit due to the connection point. If the D2 heater core fits in the same space this may be a better option even if the pipes that lead into the engine bay would need to be sourced also.
Some of the 3rd party manufactures of the Audi heater cores are finding out to be unreliable as well.
Before you throw away the old heater core can you measure the length, width and depth.
One type of repair for the Range Rover P38 community is to replace the Land Rover heater core with an Audi unit due to the connection point. If the D2 heater core fits in the same space this may be a better option even if the pipes that lead into the engine bay would need to be sourced also.
Some of the 3rd party manufactures of the Audi heater cores are finding out to be unreliable as well.
Unfortunately I threw the old core away before I made this thread. Did the write-up as I was doing the job. Honestly replacing the heater core in a D2 us not too bad. I did it after work in a rainy cold day. Took me maybe 4 hours but thats because I was taking pictures and making notes for each step.. Really the only difficult part of the job is detaching the heater pipes from the core, and re-attaching them. The pipes have to be fully inserted and properly seated. Everything else is easy. Just takes patience. Anyone can do it. Just have to be organized, don't lose the hardware and keep track of how everything goes back together.
My heater works much better now. Just in time for a upcoming winter storm.
That’s a nice write up. But I couldn’t help to see that orange goi stuff. Are you still using dexcool
Glad you asked. As far as I can tell "Dexcool" is a specialized Anti-Freeze developed and recommended by General Motors.. Land Rovers with Aluminum block engines and aluminum radiators also require a special type of Anti-Freeze. Yes both are a redush color. But are they one in the same? I doubt it. As far as I can tell many GM vehicles don't use Aluminum blocks. Land Rover recommends using an organic acid based coolant in our trucks. Otherwise known as extended long life coolant. The dealerships recommend it.. RPI Engeineering & countless other UK based indi Land Rover shops also recommend XLC coolant. Furthermore Atlantic British recommends using it. But the good folks here on the forums will tell you to use the more toxic green coolant and they will tell you to use a TD5 180° thermostat and cheap aftermarket hoses and hose clamps. The same folks who claim that in order to replace the heater core you have to pull the dashboard and that its a 12hr job... rubbish.
My advice:
- Flush your cooling system every 2 years.
- Use only Land Rover XLC coolant..
- If you live in colder climates, use only the genuine V8 version thermostat.
- Do NOT switch to adjustable hose clamps. Only use genuine spring clamps. Update/replace all your aging clamps with new genuine spring clamps. Use special spring clamp tool.
- Do NOT use cheap aftermarket cooling hoses. Use only genuine.
- Use only premium fuel.
- Change oil and filter every 3,000 miles.
- Castrol GTX High Mileage 5w-30 in colder months
- Valvoline VR1 20w-50 in warmer months. (Has high zinc content).
Hoping these instructions would work for a D1 too? Anyone confirm that? My Disco started misting steam out of the dash last night. Thinking it’s gotta be the heater core.
12-07-2020, 03:45 AM
Heater Core Replacement Write-up for Discovery 2
Thanks for this tutorial 
