87 heater core change, need help what am I forgetting?

[weider1717]

I recently changed mine in my 87 it actually went out so told my dad lets change yours before it goes out because mine was a mess to get all that coolant cleaned up and dried out! his is an 87 also. never been changed.

I have all the hard part done with but I can't get the box actually removed!

I have taken the 3 nuts off the 3 long bolts which go through the firewall (yes that includes the bottom ones which are HARD to get to!) I have removed the adjustment cable on top of the heater box and set screw, I have removed additional duct work that would get in the way including the 8mm bolt on the top that is attached to the heater box and the I think 10mm bolt from the inside at the passenger side end.. and the 2 vacuum hoses on the back and end of the heater box and ofcourse the heater hoses. There is one more vacuum hose on the very back but I'll take that off when it pulls out enough to make it easier to get to.

the box feels like its gonna nearly fall out when I'm trying to pull it out. The bolts are still poking through the firewall (3) but the bottom pulls way out while the top doesn't want to pull back that much...not sure what I'm missing though! it went slick on mine the other week.

the bottom of the heater box will move away from the firewall like 2 inches but the top doesn't want to that much.

no clue?