MrXLT

Upon examining things under my truck one day I noticed water dripping from the passenger side over the exhaust heat shield. Investigating it further I found it was coming from one of two holes in the firewall. My first thought was "heater core leak" since that's around where it was and I have a coolant leak somewhere anyway.

I don't know if it was this forum or another one but I ran upon a thread of someone who posted about the same thing and everyone but one guy told him it was the heater core. The one guy who didn't say it was the heater core explained there is another hole for condensation to drain for the air conditioning. OK I questioned that in my mind but no one else seemed to care, I did have a coolant leak, so I purchased all the parts necessary to change the heater core. Air conditioner was still in the back of my mind but I paid no attention.

Here's the thing. For your further education. There are two holes in your firewall water will possibly drip from, and upper and lower. Heater core leakage will be dripping from the TOP HOLE. A/C condensation will be dripping from the BOTTOM HOLE.

Mine was dripping from the bottom.

I know which is the bottom and top now because I am still putting my dash back together after having taken the whole thing out to remove the heater core and replacing it, only to find the top drain went to the heater core and the A/C the bottom. You could even see where the A/C condensation had been draining out, while the (already replaced once and still fairly new) heater core and its hole were BONE DRY.

On the bright side, I had already purchased the Dorman upgraded blend door because I had no heat, only to discover it was the motor that turned it and so had to replace that instead. This gave me the chance to put yet a more fresh heater core in plus the upgraded Dorman blend door I had purchased.

Please learn from my mistake. If something even just SEEMS like it might need further investigation and questioning on something so important, then DO IT!

OhioLariat

Sorry you had to go through that, but thanks for sharing your experience. Maybe it will save someone the same headache.

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MrXLT

It's all back together now. Yea that's what I'm hoping. I wouldn't wish what I went through today on anyone!

smoothbored

What's the labor time on this job?

MrXLT

That would depend on the individual. I found detailed instructions and found them to be utterly ridiculous (from removing your antennae to removing your fuse panel, 12 hr job), seeings how there's a couple guys on Youtube doing this job from start to finish within 1 hour (I'm not kidding).

So what I did was make my own instructions hybridizing those instructions and what those two guys did. I started at 9 AM and would have been finished around 2 PM but I was under a car port that sits in such a way the hot sun started beaming down into the side right into the truck so I had to stop and cool off, in more ways than one, til it passed over again. That's when I was inside posted this.

Doing it my way it wouldn't take very long at all if I didn't have to bag and tag every single nut and bolt which I had to do.

If you are doing this for the first time plan on this being an all day job, at least.

Wolvee

If you have to replace it once, you'll have to replace it twice. Guaranteed.

white89gt

Murphy's law, or Chinese parts?

jethat

I can say from experience there is no mistaking a heater core leak. The antifreeze smell is overwhelming and if you turn it to defrost it dose exactly the opposite. Dripping water ifs totally normal the Ac is on in all position except dash. probably would have had to replace it anyway.

jethat

Gawd I hope that isnt true. What a beyetch job! I spent extra on a motor craft so hoping it lasts as long as the original did. By then I'll probably be dead.

MrXLT

Mine had pure water in it from the previous owners just refilling a coolant leak before they finally sold it due to its many other problems I'm fixing. So I didn't have that to go on.

The heater core I took out had been replaced and looked brand new, as well as the stock plastic blend door that should've been showing at least some kind of age/wear.