Heater Core Leaking?

That is not a FORD PN, it is a variation as using the FORD PN on vendor parts is a copyright violation.

You have to be very careful of outside parts suppliers, especially those parts coming from over the big pond.

Yeah, I just pulled that part # from the Concours Parts website.
 
Before paying more to have yours re-cored, you might ask the shop where the new core was made. In my case, if the shop thought their more expensive core was superior and justified the added cost, I don't think they would have suggested that I could probably buy a new heater core for less. I don't know where mine was made, but going by appearance alone, I can't fault the quality.

Thanks blacktie. I'll probably be purchasing one from Concours.
 
Glad to help!

Replacing the heater core isn't the easiest, nor the hardest job. If you had a Fox Mustang, you'd have to remove the dash. Pick a spot in the shade, on a cool day, work when you feel like it, walk away when you don't.
 
Glad to help!

Replacing the heater core isn't the easiest, nor the hardest job. If you had a Fox Mustang, you'd have to remove the dash. Pick a spot in the shade, on a cool day, work when you feel like it, walk away when you don't.

Just called Concours and Jerry's Classic Cars & Parts and neither had any heater cores in stock. Both companies told me that there's a shortage of them and they don't expect to have any in stock for at least 4-6 weeks and Jerry's told me maybe not even until November.

So it looks like I'll see if the local radiator shop can re-core it. As of now it's just a couple small drops each time I drive the car. Is it a problem to still drive it on short trips...I don't want the engine to overheat and there's been no indicantion that it wants to overheat on my recent drives.

I live in MN and I don't drive the car in the winter so there's no need for the heater anyways. If the radiator shop can't repair the original is there a way to bypass the heatercore and keep driving the car untiil new cores are back in stock?
 
well you can bypass it for now. but some people use the heat to let some heat dissipate from the engine. Thus a cheap cure for running hot.

to bypass- a coupe ways
You get remove one hose and connect the other hose to the spot you removed the from. it might make a kink.
Or you add a valve that shuts off along the hose. and keep both hoses, the valve would be on the inlet side of the heater hoses.
 
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31, I hadn't thought about the new cores being out-of-stock. I think that was also the case with my 55 Tbird heater core. I checked back regularly and managed to buy one during Concours' 10%-off sale.

Like it has been suggested, you might want to bypass it for now (you don't need it during the summer months).
 
well you can bypass it for now. but some people use the heat to let some heat dissipate from the engine. Thus a cheap cure for running hot.

to bypass- a coupe ways
You get remove one hose and connect the other hose to the spot you removed the from. it might make a kink.
Or you add a valve that shuts off along the hose. and keep both hoses, the valve would be on the inlet side of the heater hoses.

Yeah, good point...I actually had to use the heater during the Back to the Fifites car show when sitting in line because I didn't want it to overheat. And that's actually when the heater core first started to leak.

I'll just get it out and take it to the radiator shop and hopefully they can fix it. Any concerns/issues driving it when it's leaking as little as it is?
 

Cool...that could work too so I could still drive the car if my core can't be reapired and I need a wait until a new core is back in stock. The inlet hose would be the bottom one...not the top one by the intake manifold? Would that be correct?
 

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If you want to drive the car while awaiting a core or core repair, you simply loop one heater hose from the outlet fitting (intake manifold) to the inlet fitting (water pump), or replace the heater hose fittings with block-off pipe plugs/fittings.

Even if you did put a shut-off valve in the supply side, the system pressure would enter the heater core from the water pump side as the system is pressurized.

The problem with keeping operating the car without by-passing the core will most likely result in a burst core and a floor full of coolant.

During these years, the heater was an option. Many came through with heater delete.
 
If you want to drive the car while awaiting a core or core repair, you simply loop one heater hose from the outlet fitting (intake manifold) to the inlet fitting (water pump), or replace the heater hose fittings with block-off pipe plugs/fittings.

Even if you did put a shut-off valve in the supply side, the system pressure would enter the heater core from the water pump side as the system is pressurized.

The problem with keeping operating the car without by-passing the core will most likely result in a burst core and a floor full of coolant.

During these years, the heater was an option. Many came through with heater delete.

So just to confrim... all I need to do is disconnect one of the heater hoses from the heater core and use that one hose and connect one end of it to the engine inlet and the other end of it to the engine outlet? Then for the short term just pull the other hose completely out until i get the new/fixed core? Thanks for the help!
 
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Yeah, good point...I actually had to use the heater during the Back to the Fifites car show when sitting in line because I didn't want it to overheat. And that's actually when the heater core first started to leak.

I'll just get it out and take it to the radiator shop and hopefully they can fix it. Any concerns/issues driving it when it's leaking as little as it is?

Just put a towel and change. New cars leak all the time when it going out. You
Night smell coolant if you have 50/50
 
So just to confrim... all I need to do is disconnect one of the heater hoses from the heater core and use that one hose and connect one end of it to the inlet and the other end of it to the outlet? Then for the short term just pull the other hose completely out until i get the new/fixed core? Thanks for the help!

Yep a 3rd way. Just get a male barbed fitting from Home Depot or hardware.
 
Update…so I started the process of removing the core and I noticed that it looks like the valve attached to the core is leaking? Looks like a bad seal? Could it just be leaking through the valve seal and it’s not the core that’s leaking? The core is still in the car but it looks completely dry. The wet part, where it’s leaking, is where that valve seal is?

Should I still remove the core and bring it in or start with a new valve seal? How do I remove the valve that’s attached to the heater core?
 

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And when I wipe away the fluid from the seal I can see the fluid slowly starting to ooze from the seal. Also, when I move the lever that the temp control cable connects to water comes pouring out of that seal.
 
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You still need to remove it all to replace that seal. I used a seal and the "good stuff" sealant all over it to make sure it didn't leak again. Careful with that little vacuum tube. It usually britttle.

I don't see how you carefully remove the cover and left the heater core on? I guess it easier for me to take the whole unit off and work on it outside of the car.
 
I did remove the entire core. What is the part that’s attached to the core…where my finger is pointing? Is that the valve? Can I replace that too or can I just get a new seal where it looks to be leaking? I’ll still bring the core in and see if the rad shop can look at it and repair if need be. For now I've bypassed the core so I can still drive the car.
 

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