So I had another thread started were I was going to keep everything to my radiator replacement but it seems as though that’s might not need to happen.

I got the truck home yesterday and just for fun I put some water in the radiator to see if I could tell were it failed. Well... doesn’t look like the radiator did. There is a leak in the heater hose right where it connects to the water pump. At first I thought it was the water pump but it’s clearly not. I could find no other leaks. I haven’t run the truck yet but that little failure in the hose would explain why it made such a mess all over my engine bay.

Is there anything special I need to know about replacing the heater hose? Type of hose? I assume it would be a good idea to flush the all the coolant?

I could be wrong but it sure as heck seems as though the shop I had it at was ready to basically rob me blind.

 

One thing to worry about; Your heater core. Go ahead and buy enough heater hose to replace both hoses, and when you go to take the heater hoses off at the firewall, take the hose clamps loose, slide them back out of the way, and then take a knife and slice the hoses down to the heater core nipples. Then CAREFULLY peel the hose off the heater core nipples. These hoses like to get stuck. You can wrestle and pry them off the engine, but do not do this on the firewall heater core connections. It's very easy to crack the header on the heater core by twisting and pulling on the hose connections.

 

It is just normal heater hose the only thing you need to know is it 5/8" or 3/4" hose and how long?
I would do a quick measurement of both hoses and pick up some of each size and replace them both.

Note when you go to remove them from the heater core DO NOT PULL ON THEM!
Cut them with a razor and peel them back so they fall off. If you pull on them you can cause a leak on the core that you will need to replace then.

It also looks like the hose has to bend around that air pump bracket is there any way to remove the bracket so it does not bend so sharp.
Dave ----

 

There you have it in this case BE A DAVE!
Dave ----

 

Thanks guys. What’s the best method to flush the system?

Also, should the overflow tank be filled with coolant or doesn’t that stay low?

Last question, one of the heater hoses has **** on it like a hose bib. What’s that all about? Should I retain that? Old Pic below. Thanks once again for all the help.

 

That hose bib thing was added to make flushing easier. If you want to flush the engine, drain the radiator, and then take the large lower heater hose off and let it hang down. Put a garden hose on that hose bib fitting and crack the water hose open a little bit. Watch the water flowing out of the lower radiator hose, and when it's clear, stop. You can then take the water hose off the fitting, put your spray nozzle back on the hose, and then spray directly down the radiator and let that water flow out the large hose till it's clear.

 

Thanks, last dumb questions. Does it matter the type of coolant i use and should the overflow tank have any fluid in it? Any idea what size the heater hoses are? Sometimes the right sizes are hard to find around me and I'd rather not take them off until I'm ready to replace them.

 

On the hose see my post above.
On the tank as far as I know you cant add anything to it the top is sealed. Cleaning it out could be hard because of that sealed top.
You will have to check that bracket to see if it can be removed, it is hard to tell on our end.
Dave ----

 

On coolant, you have two choices, conventional green which is a little hard to find in name brand. Peak makes it still last time I bought some but Prestone opted to stop making the conventional green and lumping it in with global gold so its not as green its more of a weak yellowish green.

Now you have to decide if you have a lot of aluminum IE, heads, intake, timing cover, thermostat housing, ect then you would be better to go with global coolant which is a bit better at protecting aluminum. If all you have is just the OE timing cover then you could get by with conventional green.

I will be flushing my radiator and heater core out till clear myself as my new engine will have more aluminum and I will be running either peak or prestone global coolant.

 

"They" make a dizzying array of different colored coolant these days. Even the green stuff, have to be careful of!

You really want the cheap stuff. "Conventional green". Most house brands should qualify, it's all made by the same folks most likely. Normally, or historically, it is diluted 50/50 with water. This is important, as anti-freeze alone freezes at about +20° F. a 50/50 mixture provides freeze protection to -34° F. below zero. Marketing types decided mixing water with concentrate was too complicated for some folks and sell premix at a higher cost. Be sure to check the label.

Even if it doesn't get cold where you live, the 50/50 ratio mix provides the corrosion package in the right proportions to keep rust scale and sediment at bay. Anti-freeze or coolant doesn't really wear out. That is the freeze protection doesn't. But the corrosion inhibitors do. The coolant turns acidic eventually. Apparently the fancy pants Dex-Cool and the rest of it "extended life" coolants have this built right in from the start.

Don't cheap out on a Thermostat, the el-cheapos are no good anymore. Use the best quality available, usually a Motorcraft. Don't try to outsmart the engineers, use the same temperature rating. 190° F. or so since about 1960. Don't drill holes in it.

 

I got mine at HF 50/50 mix as I needed it and the price was not bad.

If you want to run plain water and don't want it to rust you can get corrosion inhibitors, some water pump lube also has corrosion inhibitors in it, you can run.
Most racing bodies have rules you can only run water so need to add corrosion inhibitors to it. In my drag car that is what I did and at the end of the season drained it to add freeze for winter and I had no rust.
Dave ----

 

Ford usually used 5/8 hose

I buy the cheapest green green/yellow coolant I can find, it's hard to beat Walmart for any fluids, buy the Walmart brand in the blue jugs. I also make sure to buy the concentrate, I do not like spending all that money on 50% water.

When you are doing this job, and are almost wrapping it up and getting ready to put the fluid in, LEAVE ONE OF THE HEATER CORE HOSES OFF AT THE FIREWALL.. Mix your coolant and start pouring it in, and keep going till coolant starts running out of the heater hose that you did not connect at the firewall. When that happens stop and quickly stick it up on the heater core and clamp it down. Then continue to fill the radiator to the top. Leave the radiator cap off, start the engine and let it warm up with the cap off.

It may puke out some coolant as it's burping the air out. Sometimes I can lightly lay the cap on the radiator, and it will force some of the fluid puking out into the overflow reservoir.

Once it finally opens the thermostat, the upper radiator hose will be very hot, you should see coolant flowing in the radiator. Top it off again, and put the radiator cap on tight.

If your overflow reservoir is original, you probably can't get fluid in it. Some people modify them so they can, so any coolant you have left I would fill it half-way.

 

P.S. I just thought about it, if you re-install that flush hose bib, you could go ahead and connect your heater core hoses, and when filling leave the cap off the hose bib till fluid runs out of it. Then quickly put the lid back on the bib. All you are doing is trying to get as much air out of the engine as possible when filling.

 

Thank you all for the help. Got a new temperature sensor and wire on there along with new heater hoses. Followed all the advice here and had no problems. ZERO LEAKS.