Heater Core - AGAIN!

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Sep 14, 2005 | 06:55 PM

banjopicker66

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From: Coal country

Heater Core - AGAIN!

I had the heater core replaced in my '98 F-150 with a 4.6 last October. The original one lasted 6 years and 110K miles, and now the replacement has gone bad again! The dealer in Augusta, GA did all the work, including a system power flush.
I moved from SC to MD last December, and the MD dealer tells me that the warranty is 12K miles or 12 months - and I have driven over 15K miles, so it is out of waranty.
Help! I cannot afford to spend $800 evey year for heater cores! I don't have time to fix my truck, as I am on the road now.
Any answers? Any suggestions?

Sep 14, 2005 | 08:17 PM

triton_2002

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From: South Texas

Did it rust out? I've heard that additional grounding of the heater core can prevent electrolysis, but it's too late for that now.

Sep 14, 2005 | 09:24 PM

Smaug

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From: Appling, GA

Hate to hear it. I replaced mine in about 10 hrs. I wasn't about to pay a dealership $700-800 to put in $50 worth of parts. Which dealer did yours?

Sep 14, 2005 | 10:24 PM

banjopicker66

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From: Coal country

Bobby Jones Ford did it, and they did a really good job. It just doesn't seem right that the replacement lasted less than a year!
By the way I am working on getting another job in Augusta. I wanna go home!
PS: Deo Vindice, TOO!

Sep 14, 2005 | 11:41 PM

preppypyro

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From: North Central Rural Sask.

If that was me I would be really mad it only lasted a year, but I also would have spent whatever time it took to put it in myself, just cause I am a little cheap that way.

Sep 15, 2005 | 12:18 AM

Smaug

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From: Appling, GA

I usually take mine to Fairway (recalls), never heard anything bad about Bobby Jones, Fairway is just a lot closer. I bought a factory replacement from Fairway last December and put it in. No problems so far (knock on wood). Hope you can get back down here b4 winter hits. There's something up there they call snow, supposed to be some slippery stuff

Sep 15, 2005 | 08:02 AM

ccoram

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Ive had a lot of problems with the Fords eating heater cores. Theres a TSB about electrloysis eating the heater cores. Basically just need to add grounds as mentioned before in this post. I would also put an additive in your coolant to prevent it as well.

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Sep 15, 2005 | 09:16 AM

lancekilgore

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Joined: Jun 2005

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I agree with the electroisis, if you just want to get home to fix it your self loop the two hoses together and bypass the heater core, then fix when you get home.

Lance