Truck has 78,000 miles.Truck overheated.Radiator was flushed out.Mechanic said that there was a lot of rust.Next day radiator got a hole in in and had that replaced.Same day there's a sound coming from glove compartment area.Mechanic says it's water running through heater core.Radiator flush cost $80 and replacing radiator cost $300.Now I'm told that heater core replacement may cost around $600.HELP!!!!Is this something that I could do myself to hopefully save some money.I didn't do the flush or replacement because truck overheated during the week and I had to work.Was hoping the heater core replacement was something I could do over a weekend.Any help or instructions would be greatly appreciated.Thanx!!

 

a heater core is about $50 give or take. The rest is labor.

On most cars and trucks, especially those with A/C, it's usually an incredibly complicated job. Last time I did one was on a 82 Mustang GT nearly 20 years ago. I swore it would be the last one I ever did.

If you can live without heat for a while, you can just bypass it with a hose.

 

Dang $80 for just a radiator flush...that's a big rip off. And $300 for the radiator replacement. Was that with the cost of the new radiator too? I just bought a new radiator for my 96' 4.9L and it costed $120 and took about 5 minute's to install, it just set's in with 2 bolt's at the top.

 

are the heater cores in the 92-96's located behind the glove compartment ? the ones on the 87-91's are and they arent hard to change at all took me about in hour on my 1990 f150 50 bucks or so for the heater core

 

Yes, it's behind the glovebox and only takes a few tools & an hour or so to replace. Make sure the foam seal is in place before you put the cover back, and make sure the hole around the 2 pipes is packed with sealant or rain will leak into the floorboard.

 

My suggestion would be to have a system presuure test done first to see if the cooling system will hold the required amount of pressure over a set period of time. second, do you smell antifreeze inside the cab with the defrost on? does the inside of the windshield fog up when you are warming up and kick the defrosters on? do you get good heat?

On my '94 f-150 with the 4.9l I routinly get the gurgling sound from the right side of the dash. no smell, fogging or coolant loss, and fantastic heat I gotta turn it down when I'm on the freeway!
And I have been running this truck for 2-1/2 years.

Instead of antifreeze I think you may be smelling a opportunistic mechanic!

Craterjoe

1994 f150 4.9l auto 2wd supercab, longbed,topper,

1990 f-250 7.3 diesel 2wd supercab,longbed

I like my land barges