how do you get to the heater core ??

[MailManMike]

my heater core is bad on my 89' and i can't find the core . i took off the glove box and i think i see a back box that it might be in . can anyone tell me the steps to replacing one of these bad mama jama's thanks-

 

[Mr Anonymous]

You have to detach and (at least partially) remove the dash. frown

 

[projectSHO89]

Remove dash.

Remove heater box, including disconnecting all the AC lines.

Kick car.

Put back together.

First, get a service manual, you will need it.

Steve

 

[oh_SHO]

You forgot to mention that you need to kick the car again after its put back together. You know put it in it's place.

 

[DHMag]

after kicking the car the second time, remind yourself about all the crap you had to remove (either entirely or partially) just to replace the $20 heater core.

this same reminder goes for the $5 crank seal.

 

[SHO Thang]

And after youve reminded yourself what a bitch it was to replace these inexpensive things...kick it again for causing you a headache

 

[MailManMike]

damn

 

[Freak SHO]

I'm doing the core on my '89 over the long holiday weekend...when you say manual is the Chiltons/Haynes good enough? I have the helms for the car, but only the 2nd, (SHO specific one). Will the lesser manual SHOw me what I need to know?

Any last minute advice?

MY PLAN: (simplified, obviously)

-Remove center console and Driver's seat (I'm replacing anyway)

-Drop steering column

-Detach/disconnect speedo cable/gague senders

-De-pressurize A/C system

-Get dash out of my way (meaning remove or hang by oh **** handles)

-Everything again in reverse

Did I miss anything?

 

[BigCaney]

Freak SHO:
I'm doing the core on my '89 over the long holiday weekend...when you say manual is the Chiltons/Haynes good enough? I have the helms for the car, but only the 2nd, (SHO specific one). Will the lesser manual SHOw me what I need to know?

Any last minute advice?

It must be that time of the year. I am also doing the heater core job now. I actually started removing my dash this morning.

The dash in my '91 SHO Plus had a few big cracks in it and I have been waiting on cooler weather to replace it. I figure that I would be a fool to replace the dash in an 12 year old car and not replace the heater core also while I had it apart.

I am also relocating my EATC to below the radio and adding a couple of AutoMeter gauges into the old EATC location while I have the dash apart. thumb

I guess that I had better get back to work now. headbang

Wish me luck,
Mike

 

[projectSHO89]

Freaksho: Nope, the "lesser" manual won't give you the details. You either need the "Full" manual or a copy of the procedure.

Here is an online site with instructions: http://www.denniswolfe.com/Taurus/Heater_Core.htm

I have not read them step by step, so I cannot offer comments on the instructions themselves.

Steve

<small>[ November 24, 2003, 03:16 PM: Message edited by: projectSHO89 ]</small>

 

[SHOPWR]

yes you did miss somthing drain anti-freeze first and when you pull the heater core out there will be some antifreeze in the core still not much but some. and make sure the stearing column is locked before you unbolt and drop !

 

[rangerj]

MMM,

Remove the heater hoses at the firewall. You could blow compressed air through the heater core to get most of the anti freeze out of the core to minimize spillage in the cabin. Remove the A/C line at the firewall also. This would be a good time to clean out the evaporator core.

If you get any black crap out of the evaporator core it is time to change the filter/dryer (accumulator/dryer per Ford). rangerj

 

[BigCaney]

Mission complete, new heater core and my mint replacement dash have been installed in my '91 Plus.

Someone at Ford needs their A$$ kicked for designing the heater box in the Taurus. madflame I believe that I could pull the engine out of the car quicker than the time it took to remove the heater core.

I have not yet kicked my car, but I did have a couple of moments when that did cross my mind.

Good luck to all who do this job in the future.

Later,
Mike

<small>[ November 25, 2003, 06:14 PM: Message edited by: BigCaney ]</small>

 

[SHO4CY]

yeah, it is that time of year. I just got done replacing mine in the 89. Note to self, next time have someone at a garage disconnect the a/c lines (pain in the *ss). After that it is cake, or at least should be, till you realize after you've put the dash back on that your defrost doesn't work now. Then you go look at one of the spare dashes laying around (thanks dad) and luckily you are able to reach the flap unit that has become disconnected by dropping the glove box down. Everything else but the a/c lines are straight forward. This is the second time I've had problems disconnecting them. A note to you all out there, you do not need to completely take the dash off on both sides. You can leave the main wiring harnesses connected on the drivers side and then if you drop the steering column down, will have enough room to swing the dash out on the passenger side to get at the 'black box'. Then there are those fun three nuts that you have to take off on the engine bay side that hold the 'black box' in. Tons of fun here folks headbang

 

[DHMag]

took me 6 hours to do the complete job, and that included fumbling with an A/C line which refused to disconnect for an hour. didnt have to drain the coolant, as the heater core had already been bypassed.