I have just finished replacing the heater core on my 92 Aerostar XL and want to share what I learned. I work on jets for a living (avionics tech and some mech work) and am very much a car novice. I've worked in a lot of cramped spaces on aircraft but this heater core job was one of the worst tight work areas I've seen. Here is what I learned:
1) Unless you are super strapped for cash (which I am), pay Pep Boys the $100 bucks in labor to replace this thing.
2) the heater core did fix the problem- it is now blowing hot air. I replaced it with one from Autozone and it is working fine.
3) Their are more than one brand of quick disconnect tools. At my local parts store (finding one that had the tool was next to impossible) they had one brand that cost $66. The other brand was only $11. The tool was the same. The cheap one listed itself as for a Chrysler or Ford heater hose.
4) The tool (in my hands anyway) was useless. I felt better knowing I had at least tried to do it the right way. After consulting with others on this board I knew I wasn't going to put quick disconnects on the new heater core so I didn't have to worry about tearing it up. This is good because to get the hoses off I had to use a flat tip screwdriver and use it to push the retainer as I pulled on the hose. This worked well but was not good for the QD's. After consulting the board I was going to break or cut the pipes. On mine the A/C was in the way so I didn't have room to do either, not even with a dremel.
5) to get the heater core out you have to remove the trim piece from the side of the floor area. I failed to do this and it caused everything to get all cockeyed and stuck. Once I removed it things came out (with some prying). The new core went in pretty good.
6) that is all I've got. I hope this helps someone who has not yet had the joy of doing this job on the Aerostar. I changed the heater core on my old Bronco so I thought this would be a piece of cake. I'm sure you are all smiling at that thought.
Good luck.

 

Welcome to FTE and the Aerostar Bloody Knuckles Heater Core Crowd! Sounds like you did alright - congratulations and thanks for the post.

 

Good job on the Heater Core removal/ replacement. Now that you are done, with cut and bruised hands/fingers, don't you feel good? I know I did.
Actually, I was relieved. Then I wanted to beat the snot out of the Design Engineer who did that to our beloved Aerostars!!!
Wait..... um.... ok....... the meds are kicking in...... I feel better now

Congratulations on a job well done.
reever

 

I think there is a sadistic HVAC Engineer at Ford who derives some twisted pleasure out of making heater care replacements as wretched as possible.

I haven't had to tackle the Aerostar yet and hope I never have to.

I did the job in my old 85 LTD (Fox chassis, not the full-size one). Step one was to lower the steering column. Step two was to unscrew the entire instrument panel assembly and pull it back to get the clearance needed to remove the core. Step 1.9 was to remove the windshield (which I broke) to get at the screws to remove the instrument panel.

Sick *******.

Cheers,
Eric

 

Ahh! Just wait until you try to tackle replacing a 90 Sable heater core.

Not only drop the steering wheel, Remove Instrument panel..
But the remove whole dash, Discharge the A/C so you can remove the evaporator core at the fire wall.

Then you can take out the Heater/Evaporator case.
Which holds the Heater Core.

FORD told me this is listed as a 8.4 hour job.... Cost almost $600.00 to replace a $30.00 heater core.

I think it was eaiser rebuilding the engine in my van.

 

By no means am I even considered a backyard mechanic, but my girlfriend likes to see me all grease up and smelling like I am one, so every now and then I'll give in to her desire. It came time for me to change the heater core in my '92 Aerostar, mini-cargo. After reveiwing my Chilton repair manual I thought "This will be a breeze, only 10 steps from start to finish" according to the book. As well a couple of months ago I changed out her heater core in the '90 GMC Suburban, which required me to take out the entire Pasenger side dash and 10 hours later, 'Ala Peanutbutter Sandwiches".

The rude awakeing was getting my hand on the tool ( T85T18539-AH) that my book reccomended. Generally when I follow the book and it reccomends a tool, I can find my away around not having to use it. However this didn't seem to be the case for the Aerostar. As another post said the tool itself was as much as $70.00 at Napa, and Autozone had some ranging from $4.99 to $9.99. I bought the tools from Autozone, not knowing which one I specifically needed and they not being much help either. I got the tools home and couldnt figure out how to use them, instructions were not included. So I came on this board and low and behold one of the first posts I came across without even doing a search was on "heater core tips for and by a novice", for a '92 even. What luck!

Taking a little from all of the posts that I read and working them together, I was able to get my heater core in and out without the use of the reccomended tool and with one minor scrape on my knuckle. Here is how I did it.

1.) I did not drain my fluid as recommended.
2.) Removed the Heater core access cover from the inside after removing the glovebox.
3.) Twisted and bent the heater core and in every direction possible to break it from the outlets. I didn't need the old one anyways, it was garbage.
4.) A couple of final twists and bends on the heater hoses from inside the engine compartment and they were off.
5.) Removed the heater core from inside.
6.) Removed the (not so) quick disconnect adapters by hand on the heater hoses, Be carefull not to lose the o-rings in each one. Remember how they were installed on the old outlets.
7.) Placed the new heater core in the vehicle.
8.) Had my girlfriend sit in the pasenger seat with her foot proped on the top right side of the heater core, bottom of her foot flush with the face of the core, for presure.
9.) From inside the engine compatment I slid on each quick disconnect adaptor over the new outlets. Bottom one first. With my girlfiend applying pressure from inside I used a large spark plug socket to push on the adapter until I heard it lock over the outlet rib.
10.) Next came the o-rings. Working on the bottom one first, I slid the black rubber o-ring over the outlet until it couldn't go any more without force, then the white plastic and then the other black o-ring.
11.) With my girlfriend again applying pressure from the inside I lined up the bottom heater hose and its adaptor to the adaptor locked on the outlet and pushed until I heard it lock into place.
12.) Repeated steps 10 and 11 for the top heater hose.
13. ) Replaced the heater core access cover and I was done!

The only fluid that I lost was what was in the old heater core and all of that came out during the removal onto the old towels that I layed down on the floor board. I came away from this project with one minor knuckle scrape and barely enough grease on myself to even be called a 'grease rat' much less a 'grease monkey'. I was dissapointed that I didn't get greasier for the sake of my girlfriend. Had she not been there to help me then of course I could have slathered some on. All in all I must say it was a project well done. I hope this info helps someone

Estimated time to complete: About 1 hour

 

I changed five heater cores in my 92 inside six months. I have used both methods for replacing the lines,the very slow disconnects and they sell regular hoses with clamps but it is almost impossible to tighten regular clamps in the area you have to work in ! I'll give one good tip that I've learned , some of the after market heater cores have tubes that extend too far beyond the retaining ridge to allow the "quick" disconnects to be installed.I had to trim about 3/16" off both to make it fit .

 

did heater core on my 83 thunderbird severa years ago,
sopunds like same rigamarole as EEohep with his 85 LTD

took me 3 days to do it all, had to drop steering column, remove center console and unscrew avery screw in the dash and pull it back on the passenger side all the way to the seat back
Then I could drain the a/c & pull the heater box out and put it on the floor af the garage and change the $30.00 heater core

When Ford built this car, they started with the heater box and built the car around it.

Some Ford engineer deserves a severe beating for designing this

 

Ive done both the foxes and the taurus. they arent THAt bad! Not as easy as a Escort without air which is like taking a piece of toast out of a toaster but its only about 6 -10 screws. took me about an hour to do it myself. but thanks for the warning on the aerostar. I think I remember my brother saying the same thing about the length of the fittings being to short to get too. he said it was a B%#@*!!!!!!

 

when I did it I yanked on the hoses really hard to break the damn connectors. once they exploded i got the core out of the hosing as stated above.I cut the hose ends off, and used small hose clamps to get them back on. I used a small socket, and a right-angle drill adapter and my cordless drill. took a few tries and a lot of cuss words, but I got it.

BIG TIP{{{

all years use the same shaped core, though some years use an aluminum core to save on weight at the expense of durability. I got a brass replacement. you should too!

 

Just to sum it up:
Changing the heater core is not the worst of tasks if you use the available knowledge. Worst thing about the job is to get the old one out by opening the "quick connectors" in the tightest of spaces... So don't. Posters WeGoShop and koalamazed has the right attitude and I agree totally from my own experience.

(First: Remove the lower part of the dash with glove comp. to gain better access to the heater core. 6-7screws, that's all.)
1: Tear the defective old heater core out from the inside of the car by breaking off the tubes.....(or: cut the hoses and go for ordinary hose clamps).
2: Pull the hoses out and disconnect the connectors by hand or whatever tools available. Not that bad when you have a little room around them!
3: Put in the new one. Better be a brass heater, you don1t want to do this too often, do you?
4: Get a girlfriend. She will help you holding the heater while u put the hoses back on. And she'll be specially nice to you in the winter with working heat in the van.....

...been there...done that.....

 

i have not replaced the heater core on my aerostar yet but i have replaced the heater hoses. they are not that hard to remove, if you buy the new ones first you will see how they work. i took a long chisel and broke the black plastic on the hose , one shot on each side and the hoses pulled right off. then when the hoses were off you can remove the lock and the 2 o rings anmd hard plastic ring. the new ones just push on until they click no problem at all. maybe i just got lucky but i never have any luck so i think it was real easy.i did put a little grease on the quick connects so they would push on easier.