North American Turbocoupe Organization



Heater Core
Gregg Offline
Senior Member
#1
Ok, I suspect my heater core is going south, can anyone confirm based on the following?

It's the ECC, not manual. Every now and then, the heat will blow out cold air, even if I have it on 90...recently, within the past 2 days, the car has been overheating..if I cycle through the temperatures, i.e go from 90 down to 60, and back up, it will start blowing hot air again. Also, I can hear noises coming from passenger side, underneath dash, as if something is in the compressor (or whatever is down there) Also, today, I noticed, when it blows cold air, I can smell antifreeze. It gets bad enough that I can't stand the smell and i have to shut it off.

If it's the heater core, can anyone give tips on how to replace it quicker? I am not going to cut the firewall, I will do it right. Right now I am in finals, and will not be able to really take a look at it until winter break, which starts in about a week. Anything would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Gregg

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1987 TC 5 Speed
K&N Cone mounted on the VAM, soon to be front mounted, Disconnectd BCS
Gregg
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tylerport Offline
Senior Member
#2
If you can smell anti-freeze in the car, then your heater core is leaking. The problem with the ECC (blowing cool then warm air) wouldn't have anything to do with a leaking core. In my opinion, that points toward a plugged core (but maybe not). It could also be a problem with the ECC.

Do a search on this board for "heater core" and you'll find alot of threads on the subject.

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Jim Portteus
86 Turbo Coupe, 131K Miles, 140MPH Speedo, Gillis Valve, 2 1/2" Downpipe to 2" Duals w/ 18" Glasspacks, 245/50R16's and new paint.
Jim Portteus
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Jeff K Offline
Administrator
#3
Sounds like you have a problem with the electrically operated blend door in the EATC system. If the core is plugged, it is plugged, it wont plug and unplug itself a few times a way. The noise you hear under the dash is the blend door motor operating. The antifreeze smell is strange in that if the core goes bad, it will usually smell much stronger when hot air is coming out than cold air. But any antifreeze smell thru the vents typically means one thing... bad core. You could try a can of radiator sealer in the system. That MIGHT fix or at least slow the leak until you can get to fixing it.

BTW, have you checked to be sure you arent low on antifreeze?

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Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 20 psi, forced air intercooler, water injection, bypass valve, Ranger roller cam, subframes, etc., etc.. // 86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP nitrous, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.... // 91 Escort: Bone stock winter car // 00 Windstar (wifes vehicle)
Jeff Korn

88 Turbo Coupe: Intake and exhaust mods, T3 turbo at 24 psi, forced air IC, water injection, BPV, Ranger cam, subframes, etc., etc.
86 Tbird 5.0 (original owner): intake, exhaust, valvetrain mods, 100 HP N2O, ignition, gears, suspension, etc., etc.
11 Crown Vic Interceptor
14 Toyota Camry (wifes car)
95 Taurus GL Vulcan winter beater
67 Honda 450 Super Sport - completely customized
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#4
Like Tyler said it sounds like you have two problems and one of them is definitely the heater core leaking. There is no short cut to doing the job without cutting the fire wall, which wouldn't let yo clean up the already spilled coolant anyhow, something yo wwill probably want to do.
If the car is over heating you may be low on coolant.

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NATO Member
88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, Main TC with K&N, 3"DP to 2.5"duals through Dynamax, Ric valve at 17+ and disconnected KS.
Elite Bodega 16" chrome wheels. Autometer pod w/ A/F and Vac/boost gauges.140 mph Motorsports Speedo New engine: Total Seal rings and TRW pistons, ported and polished head w/ cc'd chambers,1.59"exhausts, SS valves, gutted upper, knife edged lower, A-230 cam, Race Engineering Adj Cam Sprocket, Crowlers, ARP head studs, and rod bolts. Walbro 255 HP pump and Kirban adj FPR, T-3. Centerforce II, KB subs and jack rails.
Pete Dunham


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Gregg Offline
Senior Member
#5
Quote:Originally posted by Pete D:
Like Tyler said it sounds like you have two problems and one of them is definitely the heater core leaking. There is no short cut to doing the job without cutting the fire wall, which wouldn't let yo clean up the already spilled coolant anyhow, something yo wwill probably want to do.
If the car is over heating you may be low on coolant.

I checked the coolant and it is low...however I am at school, and i am unable to get coolant to mix....can I used water to get me home in a pinch? Home is about an hour away... roughly 49 miles....

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1987 TC 5 Speed
K&N Cone mounted on the VAM, soon to be front mounted, Disconnectd BCS
Gregg
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#6
You can use water. But if its freezing cold when you shut the engine off you need to get antifreeze into the system before your let it sit

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NATO Member
88 TC X 2, 86 SVO, Main TC with K&N, 3"DP to 2.5"duals through Dynamax, Ric valve at 17+ and disconnected KS.
Elite Bodega 16" chrome wheels. Autometer pod w/ A/F and Vac/boost gauges.140 mph Motorsports Speedo New engine: Total Seal rings and TRW pistons, ported and polished head w/ cc'd chambers,1.59"exhausts, SS valves, gutted upper, knife edged lower, A-230 cam, Race Engineering Adj Cam Sprocket, Crowlers, ARP head studs, and rod bolts. Walbro 255 HP pump and Kirban adj FPR, T-3. Centerforce II, KB subs and jack rails.
Pete Dunham


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