heater core leak ? - Ford Forums

fast68 · 08-07-2008, 19:37

ok we have a 98 f150 that is leaking quite a bit of coolant out next to the starter and heat shield under there

its not coming from the heater core hoses

or from the a/c drain tube

inside the truck the floors are dry and no fogged glass or coolant smell

what is going on ?

dealer says heater core

i have a hard time believing it is the coreleaking out... when it is an external underhood below firewall floorboard leak and has dry heater core hoses

crazy

thanks for anything

thefonz · 08-07-2008, 20:53

Checked freeze plugs,head or head gasket?

fast68 · 08-07-2008, 22:47

hi there thanks :))

hmm yeah but only one catch with freeze plug or head gasket leakage.

and that is:

it only leaks when running

even when cold and just fired up

no matter how full the system is

not running= no leaking

confusing...

very odd.,.,

just cant see how a heater core can be leaking but not be leaking in the floorboard inside or out of the drain tube...

anyone else have this happen ??

has to be someone out there who has ?

no ?

would really like to figure out that its really the core leaking before taking it out..

have this truck here already and am ready to do it if thats whats really causing the leak

ideas ?

thanks!!

fast68 · 08-08-2008, 15:48

ok welp went ahead and took the dash out and got the old core out

the core was rotted leaking inside the box assembly

dunno where and how it leaks to leak out under the truck outside but its bad definitely..

actually an easy job other than getting the damn core out of the box sheesh and the damn hose fittings :O

dropped one of the plastic o ring things now i gotta try and get it out of there from behind the box and carpet pad or im gonna have to get new ones at the dealer humm

new core is copper

and smooth cut off end nipples not sure if thats correct and same as the orignal aluminum core will find out in a bit when i get back over to the shop

the instructions you download online dont say anything about the screw at the top of the dash at the windshield ot about the floor dash brace brackets other than one of the RH ones...

and if you unplug the three harness plugs on the bracket on the bottom side of the steering column then you can pull the dash way out real far

i dropped the column completely down to the floorboard

was simple

need two ppl to maneuver the dash
someone to hold the driver side while you yank the pass side

i taped a spool of wire to the antenna end at the fender you dont actually have ot pull that much into the cab like it says you need to

was plent of slack for the dash to sit on the pass seat

will take a pic of it disassembled in a bit with the old core out

new core is only 62 bucks with tax

it is all copper unlike the original

thanks

thefonz · 08-08-2008, 18:25

Good deal, hope it all goes back together smoothly!

fast68 · 08-09-2008, 08:52

ok new problems wow

went ot the dealer to see abotu new o rings and plastic spacer in between them

and well at first the counter guy looked at me like i was asking for a space ship or something

he gets on the machine and takes a while and finally comes back with a baggie with a couple o rings and a couple of the clip connectors but no plastic spacer

i told him i lost one of the plastic spacers

he has none

he says you can go to an auto parts store and get some kind of conversion kit to convert to hose clamp type connection ?

so i leave that un helpful place and call Napa up and he doesnt have any kit like that but he has some kind of replacement quick connect fittings like the OEM ones

but no plastic spacer between the o rings

so screw it i am just gonna cut the hose ends off and hose clapm them to the core tubes

next issue:

foam sealer around the core itself

cannot find anything

dealer didnt know what to do and napa didnt have anything either

wtf is this crap ?

what do the techs do when they replace them ?

this is getting to be rediculous

the hardest part is this stuff

not the actual taking the dash out or anything else

the dash part is simple compared ot the troubles of trying to connect the new core and seal it

wow.,.

whomever has replaced the core in one of these what did you use to seal the core into the box ?

be specific ?

thanks!

fast68 · 08-09-2008, 12:37

well i just cut off the hose ends and used hose clamps

works fine

i posted the last reply at 10am before sticking the new core in

its now 1:30pm

and im done, and thats after taking my time the first hour of reassembly

heat is great, no leaks

back to owner it goes

not a bad job overall pretty easy about 6 or 7 out of 10

the 99 plymouth breeze core was just as or more involved than this one and was actually harder to get out of the box than this one and there were lots more parts to remove in that car as well which took more extra time

thanks

thefonz · 08-09-2008, 12:41

I know you're glad to be finished. Good job!