Bear with me here... questions regarding heater core replacement *pics* (of course)

Myco

Myco

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I've been scouring the web looking for a walk through on how to replace the heater core and haven't found much.

I talked to GMAN and somehow got the impression there were hoses I needed to take off from under the car... but ... I don't see any documentation on that.

Now... there is a commonality in all threads I've seen bitching about 'taking the hoses off'. My question is: Are these the hoses?

My plan is to pull the dash back 5-6 inches, take the hoses off, then take the heater core out, put heater core back in (make sure the ground is good), then re-assemble. (blend door has been done already)

Also looks like I might need to make some room under the hood... might take the EGR off if I need to (I'll take the cowl off for sure).


2012-01-09003033.jpg
 
My guess is the best way to do this is cut those ***n hoses off and wiggle the leftover off with a flat-head. Then replace with new hoses?

Tell me I'm right. :D
 
You don't need to remove the EGR or anything like that. You need a pair of needle nose pliers with a 45 degree angle on the end. This is what I was explaining to you that is a bitch to do. You can't get access from the bottom. What you need to do is somehow get them turned around so you can pinch them or cut them. Replacement preformed hoses can be purchased at O'Reilley's.

Here's my thread.
 
White Lithium Greese is a godsend... wiggle wiggle wiggle... 2 hrs of wiggling... once the lines were off had to cut the hoses off but that's fine as the hoses were trash.

I still can't find any pictures of a heater core removal. Greg... does a gen2 come out the way a gen 1 comes out? Anyone know of pictures?
 
How do you pop that damn thing out? Push from the front?

All I did was take the blend door off, then took off the backing. I see foam and pushing from the front it wiggles. there's nothing else to take off right? It should just push right out?

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There seems to be a gasket that's holding it in. Do I need to drop the box?
 
Tony, now you know why heater cores are a b!tch to do. The heater core has fom around the edges that take up the gaps aroung the rectangular box. It makes it fit in there snugly. What I did was take two flat head screwdrivers and nudge it from side to side. It will slowly inch out. The problem is that the two lines that the hoses in the firewall clamp on to have a bit of an angle to it. It'll take some time, but you can do it.
 
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I pry a good flat head screwdriver in between the heater core and the housing around it, and pry it out. Usually screws up the old heater core pretty badly, but it's bad anyway...

I hope you got the new one from Ford. I bought a cheap one to replace mine, and the brass where the tubes to into the "end bell" of the heater core was really weak and cracked. I could wiggle them really easily.

Last thing you want to do is put in the new one and find it leaking also...
 
98lincmk7lsc said:
I pry a good flat head screwdriver in between the heater core and the housing around it, and pry it out. Usually screws up the old heater core pretty badly, but it's bad anyway...

I hope you got the new one from Ford. I bought a cheap one to replace mine, and the brass where the tubes to into the "end bell" of the heater core was really weak and cracked. I could wiggle them really easily.

Last thing you want to do is put in the new one and find it leaking also...
Click to expand...

Ford dealership said they were discontinued ... guy said they are under a new part number... looked it up and said it's not made by ford anymore.:confused: Am I missing something? I got it from Oreilly for 30$.
 
GMAN said:
Tony, now you know why heater cores are a b!tch to do. The heater core has fom around the edges that take up the gaps aroung the rectangular box. It makes it fit in there snugly. What I did was take two flat head screwdrivers and nudge it from sid to side. It will slowly inch out. The problem is that the two lines that the hoses in the firewall clamp on to have a bit of an angle to it. It'll take some time, but you can do it.
Click to expand...

Ok, but I was pulling from one side with a wrench while my friend was pushing from the other side with screwdrivers and it did NOT want to budge. Got it a little farther out than the pictures but after that it seemed like the rubber gasket in the firewall kept it in there.

I'll keep playing with it.
 
Part number is F7LZ-18476-AA for what it's worth. Max was able to get them back in March of last year but you'll need to contact him to see if they're still available. Retail was around $95.

Oh, and the foam seal is F7LZ-18658-AA, same situation as heater core. Price is around $4.
 
I played with it for another 1.5 hrs and couldn't get it to budge but another 1/4 inch. I'll have help tomorrow, but if we can't get it I"m going to have to pull the dash completely.

Could someone give me some instructions on how to disconnect the transmission in case I need to do that tomorrow?
 
Ok, guys. Ran into a problem with this aftermarket heater core I haven't heard about.
2012-01-10131112.jpg

This is the two of them lined up. The silver one is the factory core. You can see that they are toward the opposite side of the heater core and hit a piece of plastic trying to go through.

So you would have to either 1. turn the core in the opposite direction (which max at 5 star ford said his drawing showed... but then the hoses wouldn't work) Or buy the stock heater core which I've found.

Anyone have any opinions on this? Basically having the heater core hoses turn toward the drivers side door instead of the passenger side door.

Plus... this HAS TO come out!!
2012-01-10130545.jpg
 
I wanted to update this thread.

When I returned the heater core in the pictures to Orielly they were a bit dumbstruck at what it looked like and in doing some research found that it was the wrong heater core in the right box.

Soo... there you go for the guys doing this in the future. Stock motorcraft heater cores are out there but you will need to call a dealership and find the nearest location. They are scattered throughout the country.
 
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