really...SERIOUSLY!?!?!?
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Junior User
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 74
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really...SERIOUSLY!?!?!?
If it's not one thing...
So I'm driving, and this...vapor...starts emanating from my vents...a strangely sweet/spicy smelling whitish looking steam...and my carpet is wet on the passenger's side...
I know what it is. I know how to get it out (in theory). So...anyone replaced the heater core on an 88 aero? How hard is it...really? It looks easy, but looks can be decieving, so...any war stories to relate?
So I'm driving, and this...vapor...starts emanating from my vents...a strangely sweet/spicy smelling whitish looking steam...and my carpet is wet on the passenger's side...
I know what it is. I know how to get it out (in theory). So...anyone replaced the heater core on an 88 aero? How hard is it...really? It looks easy, but looks can be decieving, so...any war stories to relate?
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 5,720
Likes: 5
From: Washington state
forget the OEM Ford factory push on hose connectors, junk.
go with push on hose and clamps.
wear gloves or plan on giving blood. lots of sharp metal and plastic edges.
check the operation of your air control doors while in there. the air valves get sticky.
make sure the foam seals around the core and the air doors is in good shape and sealing. they break down. may have to make new ones.
buy a quality not cheap core so you only have to do the job 1 time if you plan on keeping the rig
go with push on hose and clamps.
wear gloves or plan on giving blood. lots of sharp metal and plastic edges.
check the operation of your air control doors while in there. the air valves get sticky.
make sure the foam seals around the core and the air doors is in good shape and sealing. they break down. may have to make new ones.
buy a quality not cheap core so you only have to do the job 1 time if you plan on keeping the rig
Tuned
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 348
Likes: 11
From: Longmont, CO
I did my `88 Aero's last fall and give a difficulty rating of 5-6 out of 10. At that point in time I only planned on using this van through the winter and did not care about longevity. I first went with the cheapest option (brass) from Advance but realized the design was wrong, thankfully before tearing everything apart. I then got the premium aluminum version and the fit was good but not perfect like an OEM Ford piece. I tossed the factory quick connects and heater hoses in the garbage. The factory heater hoses are machine clamped to the quick connects and your only option is to reuse or replace the entire piece(s). After tearing everything apart I was not re-using 23 year old parts. I bought bulk hose and replacement quick connects from NAPA. Everything went together good but some very minor tweaking was needed.
I planned on doing this but for some reason could not, or did not. I cannot remember exactly why but can only think of two reasons. One, there was not enough room to tighten the clamps after sliding the hoses on. Two, the hoses when connected (clamped) to the heater core did not fit through the firewall from the inside. Regardless the quick connects from NAPA fit perfect and worked great.
I planned on doing this but for some reason could not, or did not. I cannot remember exactly why but can only think of two reasons. One, there was not enough room to tighten the clamps after sliding the hoses on. Two, the hoses when connected (clamped) to the heater core did not fit through the firewall from the inside. Regardless the quick connects from NAPA fit perfect and worked great.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,016
Likes: 208
From: SoCal
I broke off the stock quick-connect ends and used bulk hoses and clamped them to the ends of the nipples. I think one problem is the ends of the nipples may be a little short for clamping, so the hose has to be pushed hard to slip other the swaged ridge and clamped tightly. The other problem is the other end of the stock hose may be slightly bigger, liekthe next size, so the bulk hose being uniform size may be a little too small to fit over the coupling. I used a 5/16" ratcheting box-end wrench to tighten the clamps over the nipples; it's the perfect tools for that tight space. The nipples from the heater core has to be pushed through the firewall first, even if you used the stock design quick-connects.
To access the heater core, I removed the trim panel from the bottom of the dash board. If you have a graphics equalizer, that will have to be removed first. It's been a few years since I did this, so I don't remember all the knick kacks that have to be removed, but it will make accessing the heater box a lot easier.
To access the heater core, I removed the trim panel from the bottom of the dash board. If you have a graphics equalizer, that will have to be removed first. It's been a few years since I did this, so I don't remember all the knick kacks that have to be removed, but it will make accessing the heater box a lot easier.
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