hello, I just recently purchased a '99 f150 from the sikeston motors stealership here in southeast missouri. i put about 1000 miles on the truck when i smelled antifreeze, knew what it was cause it fogged the windows and stunk like hot sticky sweet antifreeze. how hard is it gonna be to replace the heater core? can i still drive with the heat off? Is there instructions online somewhere where i could learn how to replace this part?


Also, i was lookin fer a programmer fer 4.6 and 5.4 engines, but i dont wanna pay 300 bux and ideas?



Thanks fer any help yall could give me as i am new to fords and could really use sum help.

 

Yup i feel ya my 99 4.6 f150 did this with about 72,000 miles i live in Florida though and dont really need heat, so i just cut the hoses off and used a fitting to plug them together and basicly bypass the heater core, then i used a wet vac to suck the coolante out. took about a week for the smell to leave but its fine now. I plan to fix it some time just not right now.

and if you want a programmer for cheap keep a look-out for used ones here and at www.fordtruckworld.com there are a few for sale every once in awhile. good luck.

silver bullit99
aka-the 4r70w trasher

 

LOL!! Thats the first thing i thought i should do, but its 15 degrees in the mornin sumtimes!! I love my truck but i hate the folks that sold it to me......cause you can smell the 'stop leak' they used but i did tin the winders and put straighjt pipes on it man it sounds awsome!! thanks fer the tips silver bullet!!





If anybody else has 2 cents to chip in...feel free!! im up fer all suggestions!!!


rock on

and smoke if ya got it

 

If you take it to a dealer, it will cost you about $800.00 to get it replaced. If you have an extra day you can do it yourself for the cost of the heater core, which is about $35.00 - $45.00. If you choose to do it yourself, you will need lots of patience and a FULL day. I have a Haynes brand manual which was very helpful.
Good luck.

 

well, it took two days, but I got er done!! cept now she aint heating/defrosting right... the temp guage is normal where it always is but almost no heat....I think the culprit is the thermostat, cause it can get get stuck open or shut...correct? so.....Im thinkin maybe the thermostat got stuck in the closed position, let the water get too hot, along with presure received from the water pump and blew the heater core....now its stuck open and wont heat....sound right to y'all??? by the way...i used a chiltons.......thats whay it took 2 days instead of 1......word of advice dont invest in a chiltons manual cause they suck!!!

 

Yes, it sounds like the thermostat. It could also be the temp. selector ****. Just replace the one in my neighbors 98 F-150.

 

If your temperature guage reads NORMAL, then the thermostat is probably working.

First thing to check would be to see if the heater hoses both get hot as the engine warms up. If they aren't, there is probably an airlock/bubble in the system that is keeping the heater core from receiving coolant flow. It is also possible that the "Stop-Leak" may have already plugged the new core or something else in the system.

If the t-stat were to be stuck in the open position, the engine would run cold and would not reach operating temp.

Heater cores, unless there is a manufacturing defect, don't fail from excessive pressure. They fail due to corrosion caused by electrolysis. Pressure in the system is regulated by your radiator cap and should be around 16 lbs.

Steve

 

I believe the temp gauge is not a real one and will not clearly indicate a lower than normal coolant temp.

Changing the thermostat is easy and probably not a bad idea given that it has a few miles on it.

Also, make sure you did not affect the vacuum tubing going to the heater door.

Did you get the heater door installed correctly?

Also, some aftermarket heater cores are not as powerful as the stock unit, resulting in less than hot output on cold days.

I just completed the job also, Ford is to be scolded for not providing access to such a typical Ford heater core problem.

Chris

 

well guys, I still cant figure it out... new thermostat just put in and it still aint blowin hot air....only luke warm...and i did put that door back on right, but i cant be positve that i didnt pinch one of those vac hoses......the heat selector **** seems to work cause it does get cold when i turn it to the cool position and ***** the hoses to the core are scalding hot....so i guess im about to yank the dash back out!! i bet i make sure its heatin before i put it all back together this time!!


The second go-around shouldnt be so tough cause their aint quite as many lil bolts to take out!!


.....word of advice......if you live in the southeast missouri area, dont buy from sikeston motors, they will rip ya a new one i tell ya!!

 

update....
was able to check the vac hoses without completly takingthe dash out..... no kinks..... what in the world else could it be??? new Tstat ans core but no heat....had all the heat one man could stand before i took er apart.....guess ill be a busy guy tommorow.....will let ya know how it turns out

 

If you have adequate airflow through the HVAC system and hot coolant circulating through the system, the only thing left is a problem with your blend door.

This is the door that is opened and closed to control the amount of heating the airflow is allowed to receive.

Your's isn't working, it seems.

I'd check the connectors to the electronic blend door motor.

Steve

 

Thanks bud!! I never thought of that!! man its dark and rainy out or i would check that out now....Im almost positive i conectad all wires back....key word almost....I know that t he door was positioned away from the heater core when i removed the cover.
I took er down the road today just to make sure the water would get circulated and i noticed when i got er up around 70-75 mph, that the pannel stopped blowing and it all went to the defrost... and i didnt turn the ****, i had it on pannel and it went to defrost when i got up to speed...sound weird or is that normal??



Thanks projectSHO89, cujet, Yankee7985, and silver bullit99 fer all yalls help!!

I will let yall know how it goes!

 

replaced the blender door motor and the temp control sensor and all is good!!! thanks fer all the advice!!!

 

Very cool! Er, I mean hot!

Chris