Heater Tube Assembly Leaking Bad!!! HELP!!!

badstang123 · Nov 4, 2007

Has anybody bypassed this tube or put together a setup that replaces it? I'd rather get rid of that weird cap setup that screws into the lower intake manifold but haven't figured it out all the way through. I just know that, that is where it is leaking from and I think that design is stupid. I just need a way to get rid of it but still incorporate the ECT. I think my Edelbrock Performer has extra holes in the lower manifold so I'm going to start snooping around tomorrow.

I also think I read somewhere that part is discontinued. I'll be calling Ford tomorrow in case I decide to stick with the original design. If it is though what is the difference between the 86-93 ones, since 50 Resto sells those? Otherwise can I buy it elsewhere? Thanks guys.
- Justin

badstang123 · Nov 5, 2007

That part is obsolete. I guess I'll be rigging something up today unless anyone thinks the fox one will work. I know it is similar but it has a couple of extra things on it and I don't know what they are.

Methodical · Nov 5, 2007

If you are talking about the black tube that run along the passenger side of the intake, I read a thread where Grady modified the tube so that he could run a long rubber hose to the heater core. Do an advanced search for Grady. I think he replied to a post regarding headers and the EGR tube so look for is reply to header threads. He has a picture in the post that shows how he cut the tube just after the ECT. Something I am considering. Or better yet just PM him about it. I saved the thread but I don't have it here at work though. I may do the the same modification.

final5-0 · Nov 5, 2007

I might be understanding your problem in the wrong way

It seems to me you're saying the fitting that will swivel and has the built in
sensor is leaking

I will give the info that Al was speaking about above
and
You can see pics if you use the link in my sig

What I did is cut the two hard tubes off after it straightens out from
its bend.

I then ran a section of heater hose to the heater core and did the same
for the other section of hard line I did away with.

It is how the older Falcon's and Stang's were done in the sixty's

I did it so I could remove my VC's without having to ... hose ... around
with those two hard line tubes, drain coolant, and all the rest

I as well have seen that fitting is no longer made

If you can find another place to screw in a sensor with the same
calibration as the OEM unit

then

You could do that and just replace that OEM swivel fitting with a simple
90 degree setup.

Hope that helps

Grady

final5-0 · Nov 6, 2007

I forgot about something
but
I guess better late than never

They make a thermostat housing with a place to mount a temp sensor in it.

You could do one of those housings and do away with that swivel fitting.

Again ... finding a sensor with the exact same calibration is critical as this
sensor is whats outputs to the pcm so it can determine coolant temp.

Grady

badstang123 · Nov 6, 2007

Interesting. That is something for me to consider. Right now I relocated it in a another hole on the intake. We'll see how that works.
- Justin

Methodical · Nov 6, 2007

badstang123 said:
Interesting. That is something for me to consider. Right now I relocated it in a another hole on the intake. We'll see how that works.
- Justin

I see you have the Edelbrock Performer intake. Just an FYI. I installed an aftermarket temp gauge and put the sensor where the stock sensor was and put the stock sensor in hole at the back of the intake so that I did not have a dead gauge. The port I put the stock gauge sensor in is not accurate. The gauge just basically float around up and down etc.

So to make a long story short if you put the sensor at the back of the intake the reading may be wrong. So if you experience some weird stuff that could be the problem.

Either way keep this post updated for future reference becausd I'm sure someone else will experience the same problem at some point.

final5-0 · Nov 6, 2007

Good info there Al

I had concerns about suggesting that work around

That thermostat sensor option should be doable as it is just about in the
same location as the original swivel fitting location

Grady

badstang123 · Nov 6, 2007

I got it all worked out and have no leaks!!! I'll get some pics when I get the chance, so you guys can see what I did. I basically used a 1/2" 90* elbow off of the lower manifold outlet and went directly to the heater core with rubber hose. Then I used a 3/8" T fitting off of the hose that comes off the water pump. The straight side continued to another rubber heater hose to the heater core and the part that breaks off I screwed the sensor into, that way it would be inline with the flow of water. The car seems to be running well and I have no leaks
- Justin

badstang123 · Nov 6, 2007

Here's a couple of pics. I may try and find some better looking fittings when I have more time. I just really needed this thing running and I had to make due with what I had locally at OSH and Home Depot. Here ya go:

T fitting with ECT attached

1/2" 90* Elbow out of Lower Intake

Now that I have the layout though, it will give me time to go and shop for some good looking fittings and ones that suit my needs a little better than the ones I have on there for the time being. Hopefully this will save someone a lot of guess work in the future though.
- Justin

final5-0 · Nov 7, 2007

I must say

This thread has been quite interesting

There is one similar to it over on that other site

In that thread ... JT has wisely brought up a point

If you used the t housing as a mounting point for a sensor,
it could be effected by the open and close of the stat

I got to thinking

The oem sensor screwed into a t fitting and inserted in the hose

Would it read differently cause it was not picking up heat
from being physically mounted in the intake

I mean ... in the hose, the rest of the heat from the motor could not
be transfered to the sensor

Maybe one could just find a t fitting you could screw in the original
oem location

Grady

badstang123 · Nov 8, 2007

final5-0 said:
Maybe one could just find a t fitting you could screw in the original
oem location

Grady

The problem is that there isn't much room to screw something in with the fuel injector right there. Space is going to be a limiting factor to what you can screw in there.

I'd like to report that so far the car seems to run great. No issues as of yet.
- Justin

SQUEEZE&STROKE · Nov 8, 2007

I think I still have the stock one in good condition. If anyone needs it PM me, I'll have to look for it though.

final5-0 · Nov 8, 2007

badstang123 said:
The problem is that there isn't much room to screw something in with the fuel injector right there. Space is going to be a limiting factor to what you can screw in there.

I'd like to report that so far the car seems to run great. No issues as of yet.
- Justin

Thats great to know Justin
and
The info you share here will help future members

Grady

badstang123 · Nov 8, 2007

final5-0 said:
Thats great to know Justin
and
The info you share here will help future members

Grady

I started the thread to see if anyone could help save my a**, but I kept it update for just that reason. To save people the troubleshooting I went through initially.
- Justin

Methodical · Nov 9, 2007

badstang123 said:
I started the thread to see if anyone could help save my a**, but I kept it update for just that reason. To save people the troubleshooting I went through initially.
- Justin

COOL

mr_woodster · Nov 9, 2007

I'll have to check out thread sizing, but the early 90's 2.3 (mustang and maybe ranger) came with this Inline temp sensor housing. I have one laying around somewhere, ill see if i can get a Picture.

Good job on the fix, I spent my weekend at the junkyard picking a useable heater tube for my 5.0 66'. They are getting harder to find, for cheap that is.

FYI: the only difference i can see (without checking thread size and count) from the 87-93 version and the 94-95...is the temp sensor is mounted pointing forward on the 94-95, and straight up on 87-93.
Someone can correct me if I'm wrong?

mr_woodster · Nov 12, 2007

Just following up for tech / archive
This sensor housing is located on 91-93 2.3 mustangs. It is near the firewall / passenger side, inline with the heater hoses.

Yellow302 · Nov 12, 2007

This thread is saving my ass, mine just cracked in the sivle spot too

Going to by the heater tube and the fittings.

How much heater hose did you need to buy?

final5-0 · Nov 12, 2007

Here is my concern for using a ECT sensor other than a OEM 94-95 sensor

The pcm takes the senor's output and makes all different kinds of decisions
about changing things like spark, fuel, turning on/off fans, etc etc etc.

Its critical the sensor output is the same if you go to a different sensor :Word:

I'm just pointing out ... It may NOT be valid to say

A sensor is a sensor ... the're all the same

Grady

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