Blew out 4 heater cores and need help

rconaway · Dec 4, 2007

6 years after I bought the car, I started blowing heater cores. The lower block is rebuilt but I did that 2 years ago and didn't have a problem. I have a Steeda aluminum radiator but although I have put in 4 of those, I haven't changed one in 3 years and have had them from day 1. We even put in t's to provide a simultaneous bypass so that if the pressure got too great, the water had 2 paths. Nothing else has blown and pressure tests are showing any issues. We even replaced the thermostat to no avail. If anyone has any ideas, I welcome them.

Superhereaux · Dec 4, 2007

so 4 radiators and 4 heater cores? yeesh
do you ever change the coolant?

has the coolant cap ever been replaced? the cap itself is what relieves pressure in the cooling system so i'd suspect that

rconaway · Dec 4, 2007

Caps have been replaced. Coolant was flushed and replaced also. However, keep the ideas coming. I appreciate any guesses at this point.

nyuk98gt · Dec 4, 2007

rconaway:

Did you attach a grounding strap/wire to the (aluminum) heater core and then run that ground to the block? It will prevent galvanic corrosion. You are a wise man to keep the fluid fresh and clean!

It's time for your heater core luck to change, imo. That's a big job changing out the core. You have my sympathy.

Chris

rconaway · Dec 5, 2007

Thank you for the idea. I never put a seperate grounding wire on there and didn't have a problem for 6 years. I can see that causing an issue over a longer period of time but 2 of these failed in 3-4 weeks. I'm not aware of the corrosion occuring that quickly. It is possible that removing the radiator has changed the ground potential but it should still take longer if corrosion was the issue. If I'm wrong on that, please let me know.

RandyStinchcomb · Dec 5, 2007

are you using the correct oem thermostats? what water pump? have you done the coolant mod? and last, do you have a water flow restrictor in the hose going to the heater core?

rconaway · Dec 5, 2007

Good questions. The pump is a standard GT pump. I don't know what the coolant mod is. Can you please explain? We do have the restrictor in there.

02stangbang · Dec 5, 2007

do they all blow out in the same place? is there a bolt or anything sharp under the dash that could be puncturing it?

rconaway · Dec 5, 2007

I checked with Az Dyno and they are all cracking at the same place. In addition, they told me they also put in a lower flow restrictor to see if that solved the problem. We decided this morning to get a new one, put it under 18lbs of pressure, and test it for a couple days before we put it on the car to see what happens. I'll have to see if I can get a picture of a cracked one. We are also going to put a slightly lower pressure cap on it. When they have it apart, I'll have them check to see if something could be rubbing against it. That's a good suggestion. Thank you.

nyuk98gt · Dec 5, 2007

rconaway:

Sounds like you have a good plan. Considering the quickness of the failure, it must be a manufacturing defect. The failure is reproducible (unfortunately for you). You're right about the rate of galvanic attack, in our cooling systems it is a fairly slow process.

Please post back with an update. We're all going to face this problem sooner or later.

Chris

RandyStinchcomb · Dec 6, 2007

Make Damn sure that flow restrictor is in the Right Hose.....

rconaway · Dec 6, 2007

I know. After the 2nd one blew, that was the first thing we checked. After 3 of them including the original blowing in the same place, I'm not thinking that's the problem.

jfman · Apr 18, 2009

Where is it that they blow?

bhuff30 · Apr 18, 2009

Buying the heater core from autozone is your first problem. I bought one from a local parts place for my 88, and when I went to hook up the hoses one of the solder joints broke, causing me to do the whole job again.

Do it once, do it right. Go to the ford dealer and buy the FORD PART! It is much heavier and higher quality than anything you can get at the parts store. We all know what a nightmare it is to replace the heater core (but you are probably down to a 6 hr change time by now). Seriously, I've held both and the difference is incredible. Get your money back for the parts store piece of junk and spend a little more on the ford part. I bought one for my 88 and that was about 8 years ago, and it's still doing fine.

Also, make sure you are connecting the heater core properly. The smaller pipe should be the water inlet. It should also have a restrictor of some kind (again, buy the ford part). That reduces pressure in the core. If you are connecting the hoses backwards, that could cause excess pressure in the core.

rconaway said:
I checked with Az Dyno and they are all cracking at the same place. In addition, they told me they also put in a lower flow restrictor to see if that solved the problem. We decided this morning to get a new one, put it under 18lbs of pressure, and test it for a couple days before we put it on the car to see what happens. I'll have to see if I can get a picture of a cracked one. We are also going to put a slightly lower pressure cap on it. When they have it apart, I'll have them check to see if something could be rubbing against it. That's a good suggestion. Thank you.

rconaway · Apr 18, 2009

They blow at the joint where the tube feeds in. I have to ask the mechanics specifically because it's been so long, I don't remember. However, during tuning, the number 7 spark plug blew out so I'm thinking my car thinks it wants to be a whale.

mustang50v8 · Apr 19, 2009

how in the world did this thread continue as though it hadnt been sitting dead for 2.5 years?

281CI96Coupe · Apr 20, 2009

mustang50v8 said:
how in the world did this thread continue as though it hadnt been sitting dead for 2.5 years?

+1 whats with all the old thread revivals?

jfman · Apr 22, 2009

bhuff30 said:
Also, make sure you are connecting the heater core properly. The smaller pipe should be the water inlet. It should also have a restrictor of some kind (again, buy the ford part). That reduces pressure in the core. If you are connecting the hoses backwards, that could cause excess pressure in the core.

I thought the right pipe (the bigger one closest to the engine) was the inlet?

Blew out 4 heater cores and need help

rconaway

Superhereaux

chicks make me feel inadequate

rconaway

nyuk98gt

rconaway

RandyStinchcomb

New Member

rconaway

02stangbang

New Member

rconaway

nyuk98gt

RandyStinchcomb

New Member

rconaway

jfman

Member

bhuff30

rconaway

mustang50v8

Member

281CI96Coupe

Member

jfman

Member

Similar threads

Blew out 4 heater cores and need help

chicks make me feel inadequate

New Member

New Member

New Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Similar threads

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency