New Heater Core for 1998 Ford Ranger

[Scout1]

We did the deed this afternoon and it took about 4 hours with my son doing most of the work (It's his truck after all!) We did the trick of leaving the steering column hooked up while pulling the dash back just far enough to get the core out. Overall, not as bad a job as I had feared.

The core sprang a leak last year due to some neglected coolant and resulting corrosion (trust me, get that antifreeze changed when you're supposed to!) He used some stop leak and that worked on the leak but unfortunately also plugged up the core so very little heat was coming out. He tried a mild flush to help the heat but that opened the leak back up again.

At any rate, all back together now with great heat! Working with dash boards is never fun, but I've had worse jobs!

 

[oilboy123]

Good on you. You saved at least a few hundred on that I'm sure.

Mine was not leaking per se, but I was just starting to smell coolant fumes in the HVAC vent. I've had coolant start leaking on the carpet before, and it's not an easy mess to clean up.
I got about 16 years out of mine. So I can't complain. Did it on my 98 Taurus about a year ago. My brother pulled out the core while I pulled the dash away. It was an ordeal.

Not something I want to do very often. Then again, I'm up for challenges when it comes to saving money, and learning new things.

 

[michaelluscher]

On several Ford products of that vintage (Ranger, Taurus, Expedition, F-x50) there are shortcuts and tricks to make it a job that won't make you want to kill yourself

Good on you for saving some $$$

 

[Lubener]

I always wondered when cars are assembled if everything is built around the heater core.

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted By: Lubener
I always wondered when cars are assembled if everything is built around the heater core.
Heh Heh, The joke on the E28 board is that the first part coming down the assembly line is the heater core.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

On the mid 90s Rangers and Explorers, isn't it super easy*?


* for a heater core

 

[01rangerxl]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
On the mid 90s Rangers and Explorers, isn't it super easy*?


* for a heater core


Up to 1994. The 1989-1994 dash had an access panel for the HC. When the dash was redesigned in 1995, they got rid of the access panel.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: andyd
Originally Posted By: Lubener
I always wondered when cars are assembled if everything is built around the heater core.
Heh Heh, The joke on the E28 board is that the first part coming down the assembly line is the heater core.

That is when at I tell most of my customers.

 

[Scout1]

Originally Posted By: michaelluscher
On several Ford products of that vintage (Ranger, Taurus, Expedition, F-x50) there are shortcuts and tricks to make it a job that won't make you want to kill yourself


There was a video of a guy who cut the duct behind the airbag to allow removal without pulling the dash back. He cautioned you to make sure you cut at just the right depth to avoid cutting stuff behind the duct (Yeah, right!) Looking at the support that duct gave the airbag, I feel it could well compromise the airbag function to have the duct weakened. Last thing you want to do is create an unsafe condition for you or the next owner!

Ha ha... that's right. Heater core goes on the line first and the rest of the car is built up around it!

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: 01rangerxl
Originally Posted By: Miller88
On the mid 90s Rangers and Explorers, isn't it super easy*?


* for a heater core


Up to 1994. The 1989-1994 dash had an access panel for the HC. When the dash was redesigned in 1995, they got rid of the access panel.


Of course they did, because they are Ford. The only real question is, how did the original easy access slip by Ford's non-maintainability engineers?

 

[Kruse]

Some early Cadillacs and even Chevettes had a heater core that could be replaced in a few minutes just by popping the hood and pulling it through the firewall. Yet, now we have "progressed" to a job that might take 8+ hours. (I''ve got a '97 F250. I'm well aware of how long it takes) Why is the factory allowed to do this? Oh, wait. In the 50s, 90% of the manufacturer's profits were from the sale of a new car. Now 90% (give or take) of the profit is from the repairs of cars. I'm not sure how they were allowed to do this without major criticism.

 

[Scout1]

Thought I'd post a couple of pics showing the dash out and going back in...

 

[HangFire]

Originally Posted By: Kruse
Some early Cadillacs and even Chevettes had a heater core that could be replaced in a few minutes just by popping the hood and pulling it through the firewall. Yet, now we have "progressed" to a job that might take 8+ hours. (I''ve got a '97 F250. I'm well aware of how long it takes) Why is the factory allowed to do this? Oh, wait. In the 50s, 90% of the manufacturer's profits were from the sale of a new car. Now 90% (give or take) of the profit is from the repairs of cars. I'm not sure how they were allowed to do this without major criticism.


Because it is only the second owners and the long-term owners that are impacted. Many new car buyers trade-in a vehicle once the first major out of warranty repair hits, often with that repair undone.

 

[Whimsey]

Regular change of coolant would keep the heater core and coolant system in good shape and free from corrosion. It would not help with mechanical problems such as blend door motors though. And of course if you're not the original owner and don't have the service records then this is a moot point, buyer beware then applies.

Whimsey

 

[artificialist]

Replacing an AC evaporator core can be just as annoying as replacing a heater core.