spriitdream

1997 Ford F150, automatic, with A/C. ? horsepower 2WD Upon searching the net I have come up with a diagnosis that I need a new heater core. Truck blowing white smoke from heat vents and smells like anti-freeze. Question - Heater Core replacement is it something anyone can change or do you have to take it into a mechanic? What would be the normal amount of time to install a new heater core. Plus exactly where is the heater core located. I read one post saying it is behind the dashboard inside the truck. Any help would be greatly appreciated. We are litterly counting pennies around here, so I need to figure out roughly how much this will cost. Everything seems to be $500 or more to fix.

torkum

The heater core is behind the dash and is a all day job of labor. My advise would be if you could find one of the techs at the Ford dealerships that might want to do it on the side or take it to a local college that has mechanic training to save you some money.

spriitdream

Thanks for your reply, it was greatly appreciated. I will look into the info you have gave me.

Good old Bill

Hey torkum, where do you get these pictures that you post, they are great. Also when did you change the logo info? Have read to much good stuff about the later models to believe the 97-03 thing, OK, now I get it, body style preference. Daah!

notredame2191

my heater core went out on me last week. i took it to ford and it was 600 bucks to get it fixed, but from what all i have read its a lot easier to get it done at ford or some other mechanic to do it than yourself because its a real pain in the a**. now if you are real tight for change and cant afford to have it fixed i have read that you can bypass the heater core in all, but i would only suggest this if you live in a warm enough climate were you can go without heat. now dont get me wrong changing the heater core yourself can be done, in fact quite a few people do do it themselves, but you had better have the good part of a weekend set aside for you to do it..... good luck

F-150 King Ranch

Oh Cookininam! thank you torkum, I have now seen mah first dash.

hsv_mikej

That's insane, I replaced the heater core in my 95 C1500 in about 45 minutes, but is was in a box below the dash.

torkum

Man Bill, can't get anything by you. If you notice I don't post anything about 04 and up or 96 and down, just ain't what I study.

chuckcowan

Do a search for Heater Core Replacement. There is a PDF file that gives EXCELLENT step by step procedures. Start to finish it took me 7 hours. Without those instructions it would have easily taken me two complete days to figure out everything.

spriitdream

This is a re-entry of my original question, which was: Is an aluminum heater core just a cheaper core, and the best core would be a copper and brass heater core? The question was answered in the following threads.