Heater Core Blew today!!!
Thread Starter
3rd Gear Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 691
From: RI
Heater Core Blew today!!!
Hi All,
I was on the way home from my transmission shop after just having the tranny fluid & Filter changed and linkage readjusted and BAM, just like Emerill, the heater core began leaking on the passengers side floor. Any suggustions??? I have already wet vaced the rug and dried it out and am going to bypass the lines tomorrow morning. Anyone have pics of the heater plenum in their car. I have a 66 coupe. My plenum looks odd. Does the fres air door open up of sideways?? Mine opens upward which seems odd to me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have been to the faq section and checked out the removal and replacement process.
I was on the way home from my transmission shop after just having the tranny fluid & Filter changed and linkage readjusted and BAM, just like Emerill, the heater core began leaking on the passengers side floor. Any suggustions??? I have already wet vaced the rug and dried it out and am going to bypass the lines tomorrow morning. Anyone have pics of the heater plenum in their car. I have a 66 coupe. My plenum looks odd. Does the fres air door open up of sideways?? Mine opens upward which seems odd to me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I have been to the faq section and checked out the removal and replacement process.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,302
From: Northernish Eastish Central Texas
RE: Heater Core Blew today!!!
Sounds like a good Saturday morning project.
Drop the heater box, change the core. Change the heater hoses while you're at it.
Don't forget to test the core before installing it. Auto parts store units have been known to leak. tape a garden hose to it..fill it with water, plug off the other end... and watch for leaks!
Just a fun 2-3 hour job taking your time.
Drop the heater box, change the core. Change the heater hoses while you're at it.
Don't forget to test the core before installing it. Auto parts store units have been known to leak. tape a garden hose to it..fill it with water, plug off the other end... and watch for leaks!
Just a fun 2-3 hour job taking your time.
5th Gear Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 3,302
From: Northernish Eastish Central Texas
RE: Heater Core Blew today!!!
The FAQ page does a good job of explaining....
However, if you can wait a week, I'd go ahead and order the heater box seal kit from a Mustang supplier for about 10 bucks, and change to a plastic lower plenum while you're at it (if yours is cardboard).
Also, while you're at it, you can install a vacuum operated valve in line with the heater hose. Go to Auto zone and ask to look at mid-70s heater shut off valves. You're looking for a plastic one like this (look just above the PCV valve in the valve cover):
By installing this, you can turn off the hot water going to the heater core (and subsequently your interior) during the summer months. This will help keep your interior cooler. I had this one plumbed into the vacuum line on the carb, so whenever the car started, the vacuum pulled the valve closed, shutting off the flow. In the winter, I'd unhook the vacuum hose and it would operate as normal. Some people go so far as torun thisvacuum line into the interior of the car and install a ball check valve to open and close.
However, if you can wait a week, I'd go ahead and order the heater box seal kit from a Mustang supplier for about 10 bucks, and change to a plastic lower plenum while you're at it (if yours is cardboard).
Also, while you're at it, you can install a vacuum operated valve in line with the heater hose. Go to Auto zone and ask to look at mid-70s heater shut off valves. You're looking for a plastic one like this (look just above the PCV valve in the valve cover):
By installing this, you can turn off the hot water going to the heater core (and subsequently your interior) during the summer months. This will help keep your interior cooler. I had this one plumbed into the vacuum line on the carb, so whenever the car started, the vacuum pulled the valve closed, shutting off the flow. In the winter, I'd unhook the vacuum hose and it would operate as normal. Some people go so far as torun thisvacuum line into the interior of the car and install a ball check valve to open and close.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 5,212
From: Hills of California
RE: Heater Core Blew today!!!
Haha
1) disconnect the heater hoses from engine
2) Just pop the 4 fake nuts off the back of the fan motor that protrude through the firewall (remove from engine side you’ll see the fan motor case)
3) remove the screw on the support bracket its inside the car under the dash youll see it when you look up under the glove box area
4) give it a yank and it should drop down
5) remove the cables (3 of them) from the two doors on the heater box and one on the plenum chamber which is probably now reduced to sand and dust (need that new plastic one)
6) the whole thing should slide out now if you feed the heater hoses through
7) take the unit out and pop it apart its self explanatory from here on out
Gun
1) disconnect the heater hoses from engine
2) Just pop the 4 fake nuts off the back of the fan motor that protrude through the firewall (remove from engine side you’ll see the fan motor case)
3) remove the screw on the support bracket its inside the car under the dash youll see it when you look up under the glove box area
4) give it a yank and it should drop down
5) remove the cables (3 of them) from the two doors on the heater box and one on the plenum chamber which is probably now reduced to sand and dust (need that new plastic one)
6) the whole thing should slide out now if you feed the heater hoses through
7) take the unit out and pop it apart its self explanatory from here on out
Gun
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 423
From:
RE: Heater Core Blew today!!!
Mine went out a few months back but I haven't tackled the project yet...
Since my mustang is mostly a summer cruiser, are there any drawbacks to removing the heater core altogether? Any good walkthroughs for bypassing the coolant lines?
Since my mustang is mostly a summer cruiser, are there any drawbacks to removing the heater core altogether? Any good walkthroughs for bypassing the coolant lines?