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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 02:17 PM
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Leaking coolant



Anyone know what this is and why it's leaking coolant?
Under the passenger side fender well.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 02:22 PM
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It's the condensate trap for your A/C.... looks like you are gonna be replacing a heater core soon. You have an A/C box under the hood where you HVAC system resides... the heater core has sprung a leak and is filling the area where the condensate from the A/C usually drips out. Kind of a suck job, but not the worse thing.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 02:24 PM
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Its the drain for the hvac/heater box under the dash and heater core is most likely leaking. Under the hood there are 2 coolant hoses that go to the passengers side firewall, they supply engine coolant to the heater core which provides heat in the cab.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 02:25 PM
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Originally Posted by symonds86
Its the drain for the hvac/heater box under the dash and heater core is most likely leaking. Under the hood there are 2 coolant hoses that go to the passengers side firewall, they supply engine coolant to the heater core which provides heat in the cab.

Yip... just loop the hoses for now and isolate the heater core to stop the leak.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 02:32 PM
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It's a very time consuming job to replace that heater core. I know lots just cut the box to save time. Not my method but it works.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 02:36 PM
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Great info! Thanks everyone!!
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 06:38 PM
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 07:06 PM
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How bad is the job for basic heater cores? Pulled up my passenger carpet and it was soaked in coolant.
 
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Old Apr 29, 2021 | 09:40 PM
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Without a/c fairly easy, just pull the box, open it up and replace the core.
 
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Old Apr 30, 2021 | 12:23 AM
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Originally Posted by ford390gashog
It's a very time consuming job to replace that heater core. I know lots just cut the box to save time. Not my method but it works.
I've seen in the forums a few times and I believe I've also seen a warning on my A/C box that you shouldn't open the box to access anything. Does anyone know why? It seems as though that would be a MUCH easier way to get at the motor. Work smarter, not harder kind of deal. I've been wondering for quite some time and I haven't opened up the A/C box from the motor side because I thought I would screw something up.
 
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Old Apr 30, 2021 | 07:29 AM
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Heater core replacement on non AC f250 took less than 20min. Try one on a modern Dodge pickup and you will happily do these old Ford ones all day.
 
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Old Apr 30, 2021 | 07:47 AM
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Originally Posted by MrGGermany
I've seen in the forums a few times and I believe I've also seen a warning on my A/C box that you shouldn't open the box to access anything. Does anyone know why? It seems as though that would be a MUCH easier way to get at the motor. Work smarter, not harder kind of deal. I've been wondering for quite some time and I haven't opened up the A/C box from the motor side because I thought I would screw something up.
You do have to drain the a/c system to remove the large black box that the heater core is inside of. The short cut of opening a part of the box from the engine compartment and then replacing the blower motor is just people do not want to drain the a/c and remove the box.
Freshly removed from a 79 Bronco. This is the side that faces inside the truck cab.

The cover off and the 2 main components that have to come out to get to the blower motor the normal way. The heater core is still inside the box.

The part that faces in the engine compartment, people take the metal cover off to get to the blower motor. They leave the box installed in the truck. Once the metal cover is off you have the squirrel cage to remove 1st. Then the blower motor.

One one side of the inner circle (inside) is where the "squirrel cage" fan, then the blower motor itself mounts to the larger more open side of the circle.


 
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Old Apr 30, 2021 | 11:43 PM
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Originally Posted by 77&79F250
You do have to drain the a/c system to remove the large black box that the heater core is inside of. The short cut of opening a part of the box from the engine compartment and then replacing the blower motor is just people do not want to drain the a/c and remove the box.

The part that faces in the engine compartment, people take the metal cover off to get to the blower motor. They leave the box installed in the truck. Once the metal cover is off you have the squirrel cage to remove 1st. Then the blower motor.
My AC is already empty and I have weak air flow. I wanted to open it all up to clean any debris out and check the fan. Can I damage anything if I open up the metal plate and close it back up when I'm done? Also does the AC core help hold the heater core in place? If I were to remove it, would the heater core rattle around in there?
 
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Old May 1, 2021 | 06:52 AM
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MrGGermany yes you can open it up, most you might have to do is replace a seal. Once that metal plate is off of there, all you will be able to see and only have access to is the squirrel cage. If you remove the squirrel cage from the blower motor shaft, then you can access the blower motor. Read thru the threads I link, they explain how.

No the a/c core part #19860 (I can't remember the actual name, but I know what you are referring to) is secured separately, just like the heater core part # 18476 is. So if you remove the a/c core, the heater core is not going to rattle around. Actually they no not even touch each other.



 
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Old May 1, 2021 | 01:42 PM
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Originally Posted by 77&79F250
MrGGermany yes you can open it up, most you might have to do is replace a seal. Once that metal plate is off of there, all you will be able to see and only have access to is the squirrel cage. If you remove the squirrel cage from the blower motor shaft, then you can access the blower motor. Read thru the threads I link, they explain how.

No the a/c core part #19860 (I can't remember the actual name, but I know what you are referring to) is secured separately, just like the heater core part # 18476 is. So if you remove the a/c core, the heater core is not going to rattle around. Actually they no not even touch each other
great! Thanks for the info.

 
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