leaky heater core again!

[Cobra of 1999]

So, six months ago, i pulled my dash back, and changed my heater core because when on, the heater smelled of coolant and the carpet was wet. after changing it, the smell and wetness went away. I replaced it with a heater core from oreillys and even had it tested to make sure it was good because of the pain in the rear installation. Now the heater smells like coolant again. Is it because i didnt go to Ford to get one? or could there be something else causing the heater core to break? Im also still fighting that ghost coolant leak thats dripping off of the oil filter.. Sorry for no recent pics too, january of 2012, some idiot ran into my car in a parking lot after running a stop sign and tore my quarter panel up and his insurance wouldnt cover it because he lied about the situation. But i fixed her all up and will have new pics up soon.. any help would be great, thanks guys and gals!

 

[NicksGTR]

heater core leaks

Did you determine the cause of the 1st heater core failure?

 

[Cobra of 1999]

Did you determine the cause of the 1st heater core failure?

no, what sort of things cause a heater core failure?

 

[po-po 5.0]

So, six months ago, i pulled my dash back, and changed my heater core because when on, the heater smelled of coolant and the carpet was wet. after changing it, the smell and wetness went away. I replaced it with a heater core from oreillys and even had it tested to make sure it was good because of the pain in the rear installation. Now the heater smells like coolant again. Is it because i didnt go to Ford to get one? or could there be something else causing the heater core to break? Im also still fighting that ghost coolant leak thats dripping off of the oil filter.. Sorry for no recent pics too, january of 2012, some idiot ran into my car in a parking lot after running a stop sign and tore my quarter panel up and his insurance wouldnt cover it because he lied about the situation. But i fixed her all up and will have new pics up soon.. any help would be great, thanks guys and gals!

In my experience, the part store heater cores are crap. The brazing is terrible. Back in the day, the police package foxbodies actually had a little restrictor in the inlet hose to the heater core to prevent overpressurizing the core and popping them. You could try to create something similar yourself.

Definetly get the motorcraft core, though.

The other leak soudns like it might be the gasket for the oil filter cooler.

 

[NicksGTR]

no, what sort of things cause a heater core failure?

Ford heater cores were notorius for weak inlet and outlet tubes. They are such a pain to change, I always mix up a batch of J-B weld and pool it around the area of entry to the core. When it hardens it gives the tubes a lot of support from flexing.