'88 E150 cargo van, EFI six, AOD replaced with C6, 8.8" axle. Evidently there's a small leak in the heater core, because I can smell the coolant, and because the defroster setting is fogging the windshield on cool mornings rather than the opposite (tho' so far I am not seeing any liquid under the heater box. Checking RockAuto, there seem to be two sizes of heater/heater-core. As this was a pretty basic van, and not sold in real cold country, I'm guessing that the heater is the small/standard unit. But is there any way to tell, any measurement, before I order a new core? (Actually, I'll probably look at it first and see if I can solder it).

 

Here's the two you mention:
high output
E3UZ-18476-B




here is the one called standard or standard high output
Standard high output
E8UZ-18476-A and E9UZ18476B



My 88 E150 with front only heat/as uses the high output one. I think you have to remove the air filter housing to see where the hoses connect to the core. If I remember correctly you can see the difference. I was going to take a small wire or something and stick it in around the tube where they go int the heater core housing and see if I could feel the back of the heater core or not. The one with the longer tubes, you wouldn't feel the heater core where the tubes connect.

 

I had to go before I cold finish the last post.. It is pretty simply to remove the cover from inside the van and actually.y look and see which heater core you have.
Here is the instructions for our 88 vans..
https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post17926926

 

Wow, "Ask-uh, and yew shall RECIEVE-uh!!" You da man, Annaleigh!! Umm, no that's not it, anyway muchisimas gracias for the most helpful response, bless you!! Umm, no, I'm authorized to confer blessings, but THANKS, and I'll check it out.

 

I hadn't posted here in a long time, but I remember you as one of the stars, Annaleigh. I know you gave me some good tips in the past, so I'll have to see if I can find what they were . . .

 

Well it is good to see you back..You should stop by sometimes when you don't have a problem though!
Well I already had the info handy because I am going to replace mine one day. I am not sure if mine is leaking or not but it is 30 years old.. I still have the heater hoses to replace and the two little hoses that go to the throttle body heater. I am loosing about a pint of coolant every 6 to 10 months and not sure where it is going to.

I don't know how your ac works but mine is just not as cool as it should be. I stopped by a old AC shop that still does R12 and the guy there told me to add a cut off valve in the inlet line of the heater core. Our 88 vans with a 5.0 don't have them. I think the 5.8 might. He said that the gasket on the door that swaps from heat to cool goes bad sometimes allowing air from the heater core to mix with the evaporator air.
HE said since the recirculate door is closed when the control is in the MAX AC position, install the heater core coolant valve and tee off the vacuum line that goes to the recirculate door to activate the heater valve. I am going to try that and see if I can get the ac to cool down a few more degrees... I will probably change the heater core at the same time... My vent temp is about 55 to 60F depending on how hot the van is inside.

 

This vehicle has no AC, and I'm glad of it. I'll offer an old man's perspective on "new" (I just turned 72, and anything from the mid-'80s on is new in my book).

The layout of these bent-nose Ford vans, with the engine in the worst possible location (stuck directly beneath the dash bulkhead) for doing any work on it, calls for the LEAST complexity of engine-related systems, not the MOST complexity, which is what we have in our 1988s. For the maybe one and a half mpg increase we get with the EFI, the previous simple, easy-to-work-on carb and air cleaner are replaced with a massive crossover manifold, and ducts to an airbox which entirely hides the engine. Again, fine while it works, and mine is working, but every time I drive it, it makes me nervous as I listen for sounds of coming troubles.

When I have time, I'm getting rid of this van for an older one . . . which I will simplify even further, dang it!!

 

..... and here I thought I was alone in being an old, crotchety, simplify everything type of guy ... glad there are others out there .... LOL

 

You know the 1st Gen Econolines had alot in their favor even if you discount the low power and marginal floor space. Those pug nosed vans had a "rain or shine" engine repair bay included at no extra charge plus a free " 3rd passenger jump seat"! Sometimes there is no substitute for simplicity.

 

Agreed!! i had a '66 Supervan Heavy Duty that I should never have sold. Yeah, the wheelbase was a little short for what I wanted to tow, but it sure was a nice SIMPLE machine. And the 240 six was surprisingly accessible inside the doghouse.