Time for a heater core?!
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 25
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From: Kirtland,Ohio
Time for a heater core?!
Just got done having my transmission rebuilt. Now I have a smell a lot like coolant fluid coming from my heater vents when the fan is on. No dripping yet. I've done heater cores in foreign cars (just went in through the firewall to fetch the core) , but the location for this one baffels me (maybe behind the glove compartment). I'm a shade tree mechanic so i don't have access to fany tools. First is this a job that can be done w/o pulling the entire dash? Secondly, can't I use a pinhole stop-leak product (like pepper) to stop the leak?
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,516
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From: SoCal
Yeah. the old pinch of pepper trick will work temporarily.
I had the core on my 87 Ranger sealed up this way & had planned to replace it in a couple of weeks. I forgot all about it until about two months later when the core burst & the cab was instantly filled with steam.
Not good when this happens at 60 MPH.
I bypassed the core & ordered a new one & replaced it a week later.
If you use the pepper, be sure it's only a short term temporary fix.
I had the core on my 87 Ranger sealed up this way & had planned to replace it in a couple of weeks. I forgot all about it until about two months later when the core burst & the cab was instantly filled with steam.
Not good when this happens at 60 MPH.
I bypassed the core & ordered a new one & replaced it a week later.
If you use the pepper, be sure it's only a short term temporary fix.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,516
Likes: 1
From: SoCal
Replacing the heater core on my 87 Ranger was a simple 30 minute job.
Somewhere around the early 90's the geniuses at Ford decided to bury the heat & evap cores in the center section of the dash.
Don't know what you are driving, but if it's set up this way the dash will need to come out.
Somewhere around the early 90's the geniuses at Ford decided to bury the heat & evap cores in the center section of the dash.
Don't know what you are driving, but if it's set up this way the dash will need to come out.
Postmaster
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 3,742
Likes: 2
From: UT
What year Explorer? I know the heater core on the 1st gens (up to '94) is easy to change, and the instructions in Hayne's/Chiltons are adequate. The 2nd gen ('95-'01) might be similar to the 1st gen, but I'm not sure. I have no idea how to get at the heater core on the 3rd gen. Tell us what year Explorer, and then I'm sure someone can help with how to change it.
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 25
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From: Kirtland,Ohio
Excellent!
I was hopefull for 20 seconds....and then saw the 95-99 and read about removing the dashboard...ouch.
Thanks for the confirmation.
I was hopefull for 20 seconds....and then saw the 95-99 and read about removing the dashboard...ouch.
Thanks for the confirmation.
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Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
From: Kirtland,Ohio
Are the hose connections inside the heater cowling? All the odor is coming from when I first turn on the heat , then the fan appears to dry it up. Figured the air moving dried it up. But, I'll check the engine firewall side of things.Thanks, man.