2021 VNL heater core replacement

My heater core is leaking from the condensation drain on the front of the firewall, just under air filter housing. I have seen a hack on Youtube where you can get the box apart and replace it without removing the whole box and evacuating HVAC system.

@nasriza or one of you Volvo mechanics, I'm wondering if you've done this on the newer VNL? The videos I found were on the old VNL.

I have replaced a blower motor before so I've had the right side of dash apart and I know I can do the job, I just don't have HVAC equipment. I don't mind hacking my box up and taping it back together if I can avoid evacuating the system.

I got the new heater core and O ring kit from Volvo for around $125.

 

Hey @nasriza, this truck is fairly new to me. Last weekend I didn't have time to change the heater core so I put in ball valves on the heater core lines so I can manually bypass it. ( I did this on my last truck too). I shut them off to stop the leak and then turned them back on a couple days later when it got cold and I needed heat.

Heater core hasn't leaked since.

 

That was my guess too. Just ran a thousand miles in a couple of days and still no leak.