Heater core
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Senior User
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Heater core
Last few times I've driven my project truck I've noticed that air from the vents has that acrid sweet coolant smell. The coolant level in the expansion tank drops, but very very slowly. Maybe a quarter of an inch every 100-150 miles. Exhaust is clear even when cold, oil is clean, doesn't leak anything onto the ground. I'm thinking there might be a pin hole leak.
Does anyone know the procedure to get to the core?
How hard are they to swap out on these trucks?
Thanks!
Does anyone know the procedure to get to the core?
How hard are they to swap out on these trucks?
Thanks!
i ain't rite
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 65,446
Likes: 5,517
From: Marlboro Mental Hospital.
yup. and you don't even have to drain the radiator.
open the hood, and remove the heater hoses from the core.
stick them in the hood hinge to keep them above the radiator.
open passenger door, and open the glove box. remove the 4 screws holding the glove box door to the dash.
remove the glove box liner.
look straight in and you will see the heater core cover. remove the 6 screws, and remove the cover.
pull the heater core out. clean inside the plenum, and put everything back together.
open the hood, and remove the heater hoses from the core.
stick them in the hood hinge to keep them above the radiator.
open passenger door, and open the glove box. remove the 4 screws holding the glove box door to the dash.
remove the glove box liner.
look straight in and you will see the heater core cover. remove the 6 screws, and remove the cover.
pull the heater core out. clean inside the plenum, and put everything back together.
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Joined: Jan 2011
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Trick is to make sure the heater core is sealed to the heater box really well. Usually the new core will come with a long foam strip that you stick to the outside of the core. If you don't do this a lot of the cold air will bypass the heater core and dilute the warm air and your heat will suck. When I first got my truck the PO must have changed the core and didn't put in the foam. Took me a while to figure out why my heater hoses were hot, my blend door was closed, and my heat still sucked.
Last edited by Super Mech; Nov 12, 2013 at 05:07 AM. Reason: Misspelled word
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I am so glad to here that, because I've seen other trucks where the whole dash has to come off, and people end up having to cut and reseal ducts just to get at it.
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Lead Driver
Joined: May 2011
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yep, ive been there done that too. heater cores can be a huge pain, and when i did the one in my ford i was amazed at the ease.
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Heater core from carquest did not fit. The lines were too short. My truck does not have air conditioning but oddly enough the pictures of the HC-7 core which was the core for the trucks that had it looks to have the correct pipes.
Old core looks like this.
Is it still possible to find them in brass?
Part number on the core I have now is 826H6294
Old core looks like this.
Is it still possible to find them in brass?
Part number on the core I have now is 826H6294
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2009
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I guess I need to do mine too. I was accelerating pretty hard the other day with my defroster on and my windows fogged up, got a strong smell of antifreeze, and I could hear gurgling coming from somewhere on the passenger side dash.
Post Fiend
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 7,437
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From: Charles Town, W bygod Va
I don't think you can get them in brass. The aftermarket ones have been very prone to failure. I'd consider taking your old one to a radiator shop and seeing if they can solder it or do it yourself.
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That looks like a old Everco brand H6294 heater core. You would be lucky to find one made in the USA anymore. Parts house may be able to interchange that number to get a replacement. Aluminum aftermarket ones aren't that bad. Make sure you don't have any voltage in your cooling system, Fords are known for that, leading to heater core failure.
