I'm going to be replacing the heater core but I wasn't sure if I needed to discharge my a/c first. It doesn't say anything in the manual about it so I figured I'd try asking here

 

No. This is not an easy process though. The hardest part is removing the heater core hoses. They will be binded after years of heat. You will need to cut slits in the hose with a razor and then pry the hose so you will need new hoses where they attach to the water pipe and the heater valve. You may want to just cut the hose where it attaches and it will come with the heater core when you take it out. Where the hose attaches to the water pipe its really hard to get to with the axle in the way. You will atleast need 90 degree needle nose.

 

^ +1, you will be repeating 4-letter words aimed at Honda engineers for designing the parts like this. There's really no way other than cutting the hoses (or slitting them) because the heater core is made of a soft metal and you will literally deform the heater core trying to get the old hoses off.

 

I know someone that has replaced their heater core in a toyota and the manual said to discharge the a/c before doing anything else, glad it's not necessary since I already have everything taken apart except the heater core. Really appreciate the help, thanks guys

 

Its likely the heater assembly will be mounted ever so slightly behind the evaporator assembly. You might need to just loosen the evaporator mounting bolts to pull the heater assembly around it and out.