Heater Core is leaking

[tv's 03]

Anyone else have this problem yet? I have 50,000 miles and its leaking on the drivers side floor.

I do have the Apten style cooling mod, and I wonder if this may have led to its early demise, since it does not use the flow restricter

 

[BLK03SVT10TH]

Just wondering, did you remove both the inner and outer flow restrictors or just the inner?

 

[bigbadwolff66]

What kind of driving do you do? Any road racing, long duration WOT runs, or just street driving and the occasional WOT blast?

 

[YoungJim]

I posted the instructions to change in another forum. The heater core is easy... getting at it isn't.

 

[caveman6666]

Figures. Every Ford I've had, they didn't last more than 50K. Cost-saved junk.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

the restrictor was there to prevent pressure spikes from bursting the heater core.

many of us are beyond 50k miles without a problem.

i put a heater core in my 5.0 capri every year i owned it, so i can definately sympathize.

 

[RandyStinchcomb]

very common problem. ever since FoMoCo went to all aluminum heater cores(vs the old copper/brass) we have seen a ton of problems wth them in our shop, it's called electrolysis(sp). Ford even came-out wth a "TSB" to correcton this. you'll need to solder a wire to the heater core and it run out to the engine block as a ground.

 

[FireRed04Vert]

very common problem. ever since FoMoCo went to all aluminum heater cores(vs the old copper/brass) we have seen a ton of problems wth them in our shop, it's called electrolysis(sp). Ford even came-out wth a "TSB" to correcton this. you'll need to solder a wire to the heater core and it run out to the engine block as a ground.

That is very good information. Also, if you removed the restrictors for the cooling mod, put one of them back in.

Remember...before you install the new core, take it to a radiator shop and have it pressure checked. There is no worse feeling in the world than to install a new heater core and have it defective. It will induce a whole new language to the neighborhood.....

 

[tv's 03]

Thanks for the information. I had a mechanic do the cooling mod, but it sounds like that may not be the problem. My mechanic said the aluminum cores have problems

 

[flyn high again]

My '92 Fox body also ate heater cores. That's where I learned to hate the install. Somebody tell me why Ford can't install a cover plate in the firewall so you can loosen 4 or 6 screws to get to the heater core. That would make things MUCH easier.

You guys can see why we won't tell you to remove the restrictors in the coolant line. Even if it was the heater core failing because of electrolysis and had nothing to do with our kit, we'd still be hearing complaints if we told you to take the restrictors out. The way it is, you guys can decide to leave the restrictor in if you are worried about the coolant spikes damaging the core.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

my '66 galaxies were the best. two screws and out it slid.

 

[FireRed04Vert]

my '66 galaxies were the best. two screws and out it slid.

No sh1t!! I remember those! There were some LTD's and T-birds that were that way. Oh man...was that nice! It's pretty bad when you open the manual for removing the core and the first words on the page are "remove the dash assembly"....

 

[alanw6]

My '92 Fox body also ate heater cores. That's where I learned to hate the install. Somebody tell me why Ford can't install a cover plate in the firewall so you can loosen 4 or 6 screws to get to the heater core. That would make things MUCH easier.

You and I both, my friend. My heater core is bypassed at the moment, as I decided the garage queen really doesn't need heat anyway. I'm not doing it again, at least not this year. :nonono: