So...no heat...heater core?

[ryan218]

its getting close to winter here in ohio and the temps are dropping....my car will be put on DD duty soon and the heat has stopped working and the heater core is leaking...the floor board ant wet but its leaking anti frezze...

so im guessing time for a new heater core? anything else that i should change while i do the heater core?...

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

Where's the antifreeze leaking from? Could just be low and have no coolant in the heater core.

 

[Darkwriter77]

Verify you've got a flow restrictor in place on the inlet side of the heater core (available from Ford, or you can maybe fabricate one) to avoid blowing out your new core.

Also, might wanna verify that your blend door is operating properly. If it's not opening and pulling air through the heater core, it could be that you've either got a bad door actuator, a vacuum leak, or damaged/disconnected vacuum line going to the actuator. This can be checked before you have to go tearing everything apart for the core replacement by using a vacuum gauge, or just tracing all the vacuum lines you can see and check for any hissing sounds and such.

 

[ryan218]

Where's the antifreeze leaking from? Could just be low and have no coolant in the heater core.

leaking down my passenger side exhaust...coming down the pro chamber so while the cars on i smell burnt antifreeze......

after driving the car for about 10 mins i had lost about 1/5 of the radiator fluid in the radiator...

 

[ryan218]

Verify you've got a flow restrictor in place on the inlet side of the heater core (available from Ford, or you can maybe fabricate one) to avoid blowing out your new core.

Also, might wanna verify that your blend door is operating properly. If it's not opening and pulling air through the heater core, it could be that you've either got a bad door actuator, a vacuum leak, or damaged/disconnected vacuum line going to the actuator. This can be checked before you have to go tearing everything apart for the core replacement by using a vacuum gauge, or just tracing all the vacuum lines you can see and check for any hissing sounds and such.

hmmm....blend door?....im going to need pictures or something i dont know where thats at? is that the slector? from hot to cold? the white things the slides back and forth?...i have no idea how my a/c/ heat works?

 

[88blacklx]

leaking down my passenger side exhaust...coming down the pro chamber so while the cars on i smell burnt antifreeze......

after driving the car for about 10 mins i had lost about 1/5 of the radiator fluid in the radiator...

sounds like it s leaking outside the car, did you check the hose connections where the rubber hose connect to the metal core pipes poking through firewall into the engine bay? thats the first place i would look , i would think if the heater core itself was leaking that you would have some antifreeze inside the car,

 

[BlownFiveLiter]

When my heater core went in my Fox, I luckily didn't get any antifreeze in the car. It all went out the weep hole (and fogged up my windshield). I'd look for external leaks first, just so you don't put yourself through replacing a heater core if it's unnecessary. It's a huge PITA.

The blend door is the door on the blower motor that opens and closes with the selector that determines if you get heat or not.

 

[ryan218]

When my heater core went in my Fox, I luckily didn't get any antifreeze in the car. It all went out the weep hole (and fogged up my windshield). I'd look for external leaks first, just so you don't put yourself through replacing a heater core if it's unnecessary. It's a huge PITA.

The blend door is the door on the blower motor that opens and closes with the selector that determines if you get heat or not.

ok ill check that... i check the where they enter the car... even if it was leaking from a hose wouldnt i still be getting some heat? pretty much what the temp is out side the what it blows though the vents?

 

[Turkey Sammich]

Only biotchs need heat. Put on a jacket if your cold.

 

[attackkatt]

my heater core went bad and the pass floor got all full of antifreeze and the windows would get a sticky haze. It is a beoch puttin in but mustangs are notorious for it so I got a dremel and cut some peices out in case I had to do it again. I had a/c real tight, in the summer I block off the heater like we do in the big trucks valve on the line.

 

[Darkwriter77]

I've always wondered about that manual heater valve idea. Only thing is, wouldn't you be starving some portions of the top-end from proper coolant flow but shutting that off completely? ... like the ECT sensor at the end of the heater pipe?

 

[SuperStang83]

Dude, don't be afraid to do a heater core, it isn't nearly as bad as everyone makes it seem. I just did one in my buddie's 90 Saturday and it was a breeze. A lot easier than I ever thought it would be because everyone made it seem like it was gonna be impossible.

 

[ryan218]

Dude, don't be afraid to do a heater core, it isn't nearly as bad as everyone makes it seem. I just did one in my buddie's 90 Saturday and it was a breeze. A lot easier than I ever thought it would be because everyone made it seem like it was gonna be impossible.

yeah i know...finding the time to do it latley has been the big problem.....

do i need to order this part from ford or what? or can i just have napa get me one?

 

[SuperStang83]

Just go to Napa, and the part isn't even $30. Save yourself a lot of money there.

 

[ryan218]

Just go to Napa, and the part isn't even $30. Save yourself a lot of money there.

k il be doing a heater core next saturday then...

 

[ryan218]

im gonna go get a heater core in about 30 mins...any other things that i need to buy besides a heater core?

 

[Darkwriter77]

1. A flow restrictor, if you don't already have one in there;
2. Screw-down hose clamps (instead of the crappy spring hose clamps from the factory);
3. New heater hoses (if your old ones are worn at all - better now than later);
4. Couple gallons o' antifreeze;
5. Band-Aids and Neosporin for many cuts and abrasions that will surely result from pulling dash and/or reaching around behind there;
6. Six-pack of Coors Li-- ... ummm, wait. Never mind. Make that Mountain Dew or Coke.

 

[stykthyn]

you gonna drive your car in the snow??? dont most people in the great white north winter their mustangs?

 

[ryan218]

1. A flow restrictor, if you don't already have one in there;
2. Screw-down hose clamps (instead of the crappy spring hose clamps from the factory);
3. New heater hoses (if your old ones are worn at all - better now than later);
4. Couple gallons o' antifreeze;
5. Band-Aids and Neosporin for many cuts and abrasions that will surely result from pulling dash and/or reaching around behind there;
6. Six-pack of Coors Li-- ... ummm, wait. Never mind. Make that Mountain Dew or Coke.

k..when i pull the hoses of the heater core is antifrezze gonna go everywhere?

you gonna drive your car in the snow??? dont most people in the great white north winter their mustangs?

i have no choice.......on the days where theres snow on the ground ill drive the work truck and leave the stang at home...if theres snow on the ground the stangs parked...

 

[Darkwriter77]

You won't likely lose a LOT of coolant, although the heater core holds maybe a quart of antifreeze. It's just a good idea whenever you're doing some crap on the coolant system to go ahead and give the whole system a good drain/flush/refill while you're at it. Might not be a bad idea to throw a new thermostat in there, too, while you're at it. Only takes a few minutes and costs less than $10 for the T-stat and gasket in most cases.