Stupid Connector!?!??!?!

[Rivieraracing]

So, I'm trying to flush out my rear heat heater core and I can't seem to figure out how to release the quick release connectors on the hoses going to the heater core. I've tried getting the ones at the rear of the truck but there's very limited space so I'm trying to get the ones before the front heater core in the engine compartment that lead to the back of the truck but still can't figure out why they won't disconnect!!
My haynes manual says to pinch the tabs together and it should disconnect but no luck so far, anyone have solid idea/trick to make this happen? Also, is the plastic piece that I'm pinching together suppose to come out with the hose or does it stay in the T fitting when everything is disconnected?
Hoping someone has the answers on how to do this without getting pissed and ripping everything out in the way out of frustration!!

 

[TnTahoe]

if i remember correctly the plastic piece stays with the black plastic piece, they are a pain to deal with, you need to stick something in both sides but push the metal line and plastic line together because the metal line has a lip on in, hope that makes sense

 

[TheYuk]

black piece stays on, white/clear piece should come out with the pipe

 

[DenaliAK]

Ask this guy. He seems pretty well connected to his stupid....

http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=34412

Sorry, bro...couldn't resist. Totally not helpful, but I made myself laugh.

 

[Rivieraracing]

The black piece is the actual T fitting, so trying to figure out if the clear white piece stays in the T or if it comes out with the pipe. I'm thinking I can get the white piece out with the pipe, just having a hard time wedging screwdrivers and such at the tab with such limited space! Stupid thing is at the firewall and I have a wiring harness in the way to make things a bit harder, just an awkward spot so close to the motor at the firewall!!
Anyone know of any tools to make this easier than it is?

 

[Rivieraracing]

Bought a Harbor Freight tool today that might help my quest, hopefully gonna give it a whirl again this weekend! Wish me luck!

 

[Rivieraracing]

Well, finally got the rear heater core flushed out tonight, talk about a pain in the butt!! Decided to unhook the hoses at the rear core instead of under the hood due to more room at the core to unhook the hoses!! Squeezing the plastic tabs together like the Haynes manual casually talk about doing to release the fitting is crap, had to do what was mentioned in this thread about shoving screw drivers into the tabs to make them come off and even that wasn't easy due to limited space!! The plastic tabs do indeed come off with the tubes, at least mine did!
Also, if you guys wanna flush out the core on your rig but don't wanna change out the coolant, go to HF or somewhere that sells a radiator hose vise grip and at the core you can actually clamp off both hoses with one of those hose vise grips so that you don't drain any of your coolant!! Worked pretty slick!
So, the problem I had was that as long as I was driving, the rear heat would blow hot air but as soon as you came to a stop and was idling, it would cool down to pretty much cold air! After flushing out the core tonight, it now blows hot even at an idle, so glad it worked after all that it took to do it!!
Thanks for everyones input on this, was getting pretty pissed off about the whole thing!!

 

[Tahoewhat]

was getting pretty pissed off about the whole thing!!

1. didnt read the whole thread.
2. Glad you got your hot air/ cold air solved
3. hope i dont have to do that
4. Quote Unacceptable. ha ha

5. Dont know why im listing things. ha ha, glad you figured it out, you need the heat, not the a/c now.

 

[chauncey0337]

Even though my rear heat seems fine, I want to do this because I feel like it's one of those maintenance things that should be kept up to prevent issues or maybe I'm just paranoid that it's going to happen to me, idk. Thanks for posting the results Chris.

 

[DenaliAK]

Yeah, it's probably something I should do, too. I have noticed the rear heat is pretty ineffectively actually heating lately. It blows air around pretty good, but there's not much actual heat to it.

Then again, I assume because it's colder than your average place here that that fact alone is why it isn't very effective.