Coolant leaking from firewall - need help

[topless98gt]

Well, after all the problems I have been having with overheating, I finally found out where my coolant is leaking from. The coolant is leaking from a hole in the firewall on the passenger side. I did a search and came up with it being the overflow hole for the heater core.

What could have possibly caused this?
Do I have to replace my heater core?
If so, anyone have a write-up?

If you have any other info, please do say. Thanks in advance!

 

[86bluecobra]

i would say that the heater core needs replacing

 

[topless98gt]

I know the WHOLE DASH needs to be taken out, but how hard is the overall replacement? How much do heater cores run? New? Used?

 

[01Steeda]

gonna be an allllday job. i dont know how much they are, but it isnt fun

 

[Mike97gt]

the dash needs to be pulled back so you can get to the heater box behind it. the core itself is cheap but plan on atleast one full day for install.

 

[Roland69]

I think the core is around $50 and I need to do mine to sometime. I have mine bypassed right now cause I only drive it in the summer where I don't need heat anyway

 

[tradde]

I know when I did a heater core replacement in my old 1985 Capri it was an
all day job. Steering wheel had to drop, and the dash had to be removed
just to get to the heater box. If I had not had A/C I believe I could have
had it easier. The manual seemed to imply you could just get to the heater
core (on a non-A/C car) by taking the glove compartment out. I am not sure
if this still holds, and I bet you have AC. So plan on a long day to do it. It's
not hard, just time consuming. Heater core is probably ~$50.

 

[topless98gt]

Anyone have a writeup?

 

[TweekedGT]

This is the best i can find. http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=580844

 

[topless98gt]

Thanks guy, I appreciate it.

 

[Roland69]

Sweet I need to do mine and I have a non A/C stang woot woot

 

[Roland69]

anyone know for sure if I can do mine from the glove box.

 

[Pennywise2]

Sweet I need to do mine and I have a non A/C stang woot woot

Don't feel bad my A/C compressor bite the dust and it
only blows out warm air and it's summer weather now.
I will be fixing it soon though.

 

[Roland69]

I don't feel bad I like having a factory A/C delete lol...astually I have no options in my car but tilt and power lumbar. And what's funny is my winter bearet (92 Z71 4X4) has working AC and it's loaded lol

 

[98GTfromGA]

****...my car started leaking coolant from that hole as well....looks like i am doomed

 

[CMEFLY]

The last one I did took me 4 hours from start to finish using air tools. I removed both front seats center console dropped the steering column and pulled the dash back far enough to get to the heater box. It is easier to work on the heater box if you remove the dash completly but it takes a little bit longer and is best wih two people to pull the dash out completly. I left the ac lines hooked up and was able to pull back the heater box enough to get the top cover out of my way to snake the heater core out. It is easier but takes longer if you disconnct the ac lines and pull the heater box out further. do not forget to remove the nut on the fire wall. all in all it is a real pain to do. Get a repair manual like chiltons. Hope this helps.