Heater core replacement

suki243 · Feb 12, 2007

Hey guys, I just got my heater core replacement, the old one was leaking. I'm ready to start, the manual doesn't say to drain anything but I think I should, anyone have any manuals or know a website that has it all?

ForceFed70 · Feb 12, 2007

If you plan on owning your mustang long, I highly reccomend purchasing the ford shop manual. Not cheap, but has almost every bit of info you'll ever need in regards to regular repairs/maintenance.

geostang351 · Feb 12, 2007

You should drain your coolant. THis will prevent SOME mess

ForceFed70 · Feb 12, 2007

geostang351 said:
You should drain your coolant. THis is prevent SOME mess

If your cheap like me, you just remove the heater hoses from the engine 1st. That way the core is as drained as it will get and you save 75% of the coolant.

Now would be a good time to change the coolant if you havn't already done so in the last few years.

suki243 · Feb 12, 2007

I just got the car a few months ago. I'll disconnect teh hoses cause I am cheap as well.

ForceFed70 · Feb 12, 2007

You should take note of the fluid you drained. If it doesn't look good, probably a good idea to flush. A gallon of cheap coolant is only $10.

suki243 · Feb 12, 2007

Ugh,
along with the heater core repair kit i ordered a heater fix manual, but it has nothing to do with installing a heat core
I tried to follow mustang monthly's instructions but i dunno, maybe i'm just ignorant but I don't understand them, They're talkn about pulling it out but don't show me how to, i dunno. I gave up for today. I'll try it again when I get the car back from the painter, or maybe during the while it is at the painter.
I'm gonna look for install log's, hopefully there will be some.
Edit:
I just looked at some install logs, and it looks like as long as I can take it out of the car i should be in good shape. My question is,
On mustangsmonthly's article it shows them taking out the defogger, does that mean I should remove it before the entire unit from the bottom?
http://www.mustangmonthly.com/howto/5769/photo_07.html

And in between the steps of unscrewing the bolts connecting it to the firewall to actually pulling it back should I disconnect the hoses? If so, will it leak fluid out? should I have some kind of pan while doing it?

suki243 · Feb 13, 2007

Update
Being the can't wait till tommorow kid that I am, I decided to give it another try, this time I got a little farther. This time I was actually able to pull one hose off the engine and it ended up being the water one. It spurts out only a little but it stops eventually. Then I try removing the hoses from the heater itself, but I can't seem to get em free, (Yes i took off the clamps) So Then I go and see if I can take off the other one from the engine, I pull and pull and twist and twist, yet no go. Then I'm like ok i'm getting tired of this so i just Pull REALLY hard, and wallah it comes off, but then all this green fluid starts spurting out from the pump, I quickly Push the hose back in and clamp it up again then I start and then I left it there, one hose off one on, and both still connected to the heater core.
What should I do? pull the other hose off and collect the fluid? cut off the hoses from the heater unit? Let all the fluid drain out into a pan and then dispose of it then fill it in with new fluid later?

geostang351 · Feb 13, 2007

Read Post #3 that I made last night.

1966conv · Feb 13, 2007

OK, Step by Step

1. Remove both hoses from engine side, place bolts in the end and clamp tight.
2. Disconnect wire feed.
3. Remove 4 engine side nuts holding heater motor to fire wall.
4. (optional) Remove passenger side seat.
5. Remove one bolt way up underneath attached to underside of cowl.
6. (optional) remove glove box insert.
7. Disconnect heater controls and plenum.
8. Pull entire unit out as one.
9. Remove clips holding box together.
10 Replace core, rebuild paint box and reverse steps.

Very simple project taking two hours or less

suki243 · Feb 13, 2007

Ok, I finally pulled it out all the way, I had a small tube and I added a screw and a washer the size of the tube and I used a clamp to close it, it leaks a little but not as fast.
Anyway, So I opened up the unit, too out the core, scraped off all the dirt, and gunk, took off the blower, replaced the blower seals, and I stopped there. Then as I was assembling and cleaning I realized that I can't put in the other seals.
What sealant do I use to keep them on? Silicone sealant? crazy glue, etc...?
Also would I be able to drive on the a lower amount of radiator fluid and water? I just need to get it to the paint shop a mile away. when there he will probably repaint the engine, requiring to take off the hoses anyway and eventually replacing the coolant anyway.

dennis112 · Feb 14, 2007

suki243 said:
Ok, I finally pulled it out all the way, I had a small tube and I added a screw and a washer the size of the tube and I used a clamp to close it, it leaks a little but not as fast.
Anyway, So I opened up the unit, too out the core, scraped off all the dirt, and gunk, took off the blower, replaced the blower seals, and I stopped there. Then as I was assembling and cleaning I realized that I can't put in the other seals.
What sealant do I use to keep them on? Silicone sealant? crazy glue, etc...?
Also would I be able to drive on the a lower amount of radiator fluid and water? I just need to get it to the paint shop a mile away. when there he will probably repaint the engine, requiring to take off the hoses anyway and eventually replacing the coolant anyway.

You do not want to drive with the hoses disconnected. When you start the motor you will quickly drain the radiator and motor of all fluid.

You will need to do a by-pass.

Remove one of the hoses off the water pump (either one) and connect the 2nd hose to that connection, essentially creating a loop at the water pump.

Store the second hose. (Better yet, go by about 10' of 5/8" heater hose from a good autoparts store and plan on replacing both heater hoses when you reinstall the heater core-obviously you can do this step later when you get the car back.)

Refill the radiator with the proper fluid, start the engine too warm it up which should make the fluid drop in the radiator. Then top it off again. Then you can drive your car again.

geostang351 · Feb 14, 2007

suki243 said:
Anyway, So I opened up the unit, too out the core, scraped off all the dirt, and gunk, took off the blower, replaced the blower seals, and I stopped there. Then as I was assembling and cleaning I realized that I can't put in the other seals.
What sealant do I use to keep them on? Silicone sealant? crazy glue, etc...?
Also would I be able to drive on the a lower amount of radiator fluid and water?

USe a spray on adhesive like a 3M product. Very sticky. Spray it on from aeresol can, let sit for 3 minutes to get tacky and apply foam pieces.

yeloxr7 · Feb 14, 2007

This guy is in WAAAAAY over his head.....

krash kendall · Feb 14, 2007

Somebody should have told you to drain the coolant into a bucket using the spigot on the bottom of the rad BEFORE doing anything. Most of the coolant will syphon out of the heater that way. Your biggest problem appears to be you are afraid of letting coolant escape from the engine.

Coolant in a motor is NOT like smoke in an electrical part. If you remove the coolant you can always put it back in the motor, but if you let the magic smoke out of the electrical part it will never work again and you can't just put new smoke back in.

Yes to the looped bypass hose.

Note: the last Ford heater core I bought came with foam. You had to peel the backing off to stick it in place - no other glue required.

Big_B · Feb 14, 2007

krash kendall said:
Coolant in a motor is NOT like smoke in an electrical part. If you remove the coolant you can always put it back in the motor, but if you let the magic smoke out of the electrical part it will never work again and you can't just put new smoke back in.

That is too funny.

And you can bypass the heater. Mine has been that way for a few years becuase I hadn't got around to replacing the core.

suki243 · Feb 15, 2007

thx guys, I finished the job last night, i wasn't planning on driving the car without the hoses, just asking if it's ok to drive with less fluid in it. I guess i'll drain the coolant today and replace it with a new gallon.

Heater core replacement

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