Heater Core Replacement - confused
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Heater Core Replacement - confused
Ok confused - I have an '04 Ford Ranger Edge 4x4 4.0 v6 needs a new heater core -
1. I read that it can be changed by an access panel under the glove box area,
2. but have been told it will take 10 hrs and $900 and have to have the dash taken apart. Sooo, which is it?
Thank you for any help,
Christine
1. I read that it can be changed by an access panel under the glove box area,
2. but have been told it will take 10 hrs and $900 and have to have the dash taken apart. Sooo, which is it?
Thank you for any help,
Christine
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From: Connecticut
What kind of symptoms are you experiencing? Is the heater core leaking? Lack of heat?
I believe that's true with some of the older Rangers, but not for your '04.
I read that it can be changed by an access panel under the glove box area.
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It's blowing out a bunch of dust crap, fogging my windshield up and there is an odor. No leakage yet, put tape over my control so I dont use it and make a bigger problem. I was hoping it wouldnt be a difficult fix. No money to get it done now - glad its spring!
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From: Connecticut
If you smell coolant and the windshield is fogging up, then it probably is the heater core like you suspect.
This video will give you an idea as to what the job entails. The instrument panel has to be pulled back, at a minimum.
This video will give you an idea as to what the job entails. The instrument panel has to be pulled back, at a minimum.
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I'd love to know that too - why go from easy access to ripping your truck apart. That I find depressing knowing my truck has to basically be gutted just to replace that small part. I love my truck but will not be a witness to her bareness for this - I think I may cry lol.
Thanks for the video
Thanks for the video
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Joined: Nov 2013
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That amount of work for a heater core replacement is pretty typical for most vehicles. The older trucks with the easy to change cores were the exception, not the rule.
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The 80's and 90's were just as bad
I worked on many Ford cars back then and the Mustang, Cougar, T-Bird, and Lincolns all had to have the a/c discharged, steering columns dropped,and the dash removed to get the heater box out of the car to split it open to get to the core. My charge back then was $700 plus parts and it would take about 10 hours to get the job done. I hated them because every nut and screw was a different size and by the time you got the thing out you had nearly your whole tool box in the floor of the car.
The kicker was that these were the worst to service but they had failures more common than any other cars. I wondered if the guy that designed this system and spec.ed out the cores got his bonus for the great planning he did.
The Ranger without a/c back then, the core could be changed faster than the amount of time it took to get the heater hoses off.
The kicker was that these were the worst to service but they had failures more common than any other cars. I wondered if the guy that designed this system and spec.ed out the cores got his bonus for the great planning he did.
The Ranger without a/c back then, the core could be changed faster than the amount of time it took to get the heater hoses off.
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