Verification
Salvage Yard Pro
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 129
From: Keithville, La
3 things to remember. First the heater core costs about $13 at oreilly auto parts. Second, it takes about 15 minutes to change it if it is bad. Third, it takes about the same amount of time to check it for a leak or serious corrosion. Pull the heater hoses off of the heater core, grab an old piece of hose and attach to either side of the core and flush it into an empty clear jug. I found rust scale coming out of my core before it blew. If your inventive, you can pressure test it. I used a radiator pressure testing kit and a some redneck ingenuity to pressure test another one while still mounted in the truck and found it to have a slow leak. Nothing to the heater core on our trucks. I was blown away at how easy Ford made this. It took 14 hours on my old Chevy Blazer to pull the dash board out and replace the heater core. It took literally 30 minutes to change it on my F150 and that was with a smoke and coffee break. Don't assume anything with these 17 year old and older trucks. The heater core is one of the simplest issues possible on our trucks. If the heater core does blow, pull the lines off of it, fold the lines over and clamp them down with hose clamps until you can make it to the parts store. I have to say that because my 19 year old would be calling a tow truck. Some folks just don't know how to get by.
Last edited by unit505; Oct 7, 2013 at 08:27 AM.
Thread Starter
Drive like you stole it
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 884
Likes: 70
From: Where the snow/salt is
3 things to remember. First the heater core costs about $13 at oreilly auto parts. Second, it takes about 15 minutes to change it if it is bad. Third, it takes about the same amount of time to check it for a leak or serious corrosion. Pull the heater hoses off of the heater core, grab an old piece of hose and attach to either side of the core and flush it into an empty clear jug. I found rust scale coming out of my core before it blew. If your inventive, you can pressure test it. I used a radiator pressure testing kit and a some redneck ingenuity to pressure test another one while still mounted in the truck and found it to have a slow leak. Nothing to the heater core on our trucks. I was blown away at how easy Ford made this. It took 14 hours on my old Chevy Blazer to pull the dash board out and replace the heater core. It took literally 30 minutes to change it on my F150 and that was with a smoke and coffee break. Don't assume anything with these 17 year old and older trucks. The heater core is one of the simplest issues possible on our trucks. If the heater core does blow, pull the lines off of it, fold the lines over and clamp them down with hose clamps until you can make it to the parts store. I have to say that because my 19 year old would be calling a tow truck. Some folks just don't know how to get by.
and that was only because the fuel pump said good night, cant really limp something home that wont start.
Salvage Yard Pro
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 2,543
Likes: 129
From: Keithville, La
I've asked allot of questions. There's always somebody that needs an answer or that does not realize that all vehicles are not created equal. I was getting ready to set my '95 on fire when I found the pool of green blood in the floor board. I don't remember who, but someone on the forum set me straight. Might have been Sean that explained just how easy a fix this was. Most folks are like I was......."Heater Core! Holy ......! Lol
Thread Starter
Drive like you stole it
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 884
Likes: 70
From: Where the snow/salt is
That's what make these forums so awesome. In my experience with vehicles if I'm having a problem, somebody else already had that problem. I'm an aircraft mechanic so I know my way around a toolbox but that doesn't mean I know everything about vehicles (they are quite a bit different than planes). The way I look at it.... The only stupid question is the one you don't ask!