Heater Core Replacement

I am currently trying to replace my heater core as it developed a leak. I don't want to bypass it so I've got to replace it. So far, I have the entire dash apart, the coolant drained, and the hoses removed. Just one problem, I can't get at the top two nuts to pull the shroud that surrounds it.

Does anyone know how to get at those nuts??? Any help would be appreciated as I'm stuck...

Dave

Are you talking about the ones by the windsheild? if those are the ones i think i used a socket with a pair of vise-grips clamped to it. Its a big job with a lot of #@$#@ ouchs to it. It took me like 4 hours to change mine, you have to rip the whole thing apart to change it. Good luck.

Thanks for the help, I'll let you know how it goes. I'm just worried that I won't be able to get my needle nose vice grips in there (its a really tight spot).

I can't even get the dash out. I have the bottom bolts in front of the center console out, then the bolts on either side of the dash. What else is holding the dash to the cowl?

under the black defroster cover where the windshield meets the dash, is the remaining 3 bolts. remove the screw (in the center), pop out the black cover. there is a great thread with step by steps on this. Good luck

Hey Spider,

DO you have a link to that thread with the steps? I've tried searching the escort forums for "heater core" and can't come up with anything.

Step 1....Remove the radio and ashtray. Do this prior to removing the steering column because you may have to move the gear shift to get them out. If you remove the steering first you may have to contend with the ignition linkage that allows you to move the automatic gearshifter. (depends on year, 92 does not have it, 96 does)
Step 2....Remove the upper and lower plastic covers that are on the steering wheel.
Step 3....Remove the steering column. There are four bolts that hold it up to the dashboard. There is also a bracket way under the dash just above where your feet go that needs to be loosened. Remove the bolt that attaches the steering column at the universal joint up against the firewall. Disconnect all the connectors and get the steering assembly clear, it will make life so much easier. Also, take a quick glance at the connectors, there are subtle clues regarding colors and shapes that will help for reassembly.
Step 4....Remove trim underneath the steering column. You will have to remove the triangular pop-out panel that are on both the left and right sides of the dashboard. They are covered up completely when the doors are closed. Removing these exposes two bolts that are need for glove compartment and under steering column trim. It also exposes four of the 11 large bolts needed to remove the dashboard.
Step 5....Remove trim around the instrument cluster
Step 6....Disconnect the speedometer cable from inside the engine compartment. There is a cotter pin type piece that keeps the cable in the transmission and it is very hard to get out. I had to pry it out with a screwdriver. As you do this, make sure not to disconnect any vaccuum hoses, or be mindful. That was the source of my hissing/chugging problem. Keep the little cotter pin piece. You will have to bend it back to straight and then reinsert and bend again after it is re-inserterd.
Step 7....Remove the instrument cluster. It helps if you push the speedometer cable through the firewall a little bit as you remove the cluster. Disconnect while paying attention to connector location.
Step 8....Remove the glove compartment. Don't forget about the triangular pop-out pieces that are on both ends of the dashboard and completely covered when the doors are closed.
Step 9....Remove the AC/heater controls. Be very careful because there is a lot of cheap plastic that breaks easily in there. A new control assembly costs about $275.00 from Ford.
Step 10...Remove kick panels from either side of the center console where the radio and AC controls are.
Step 11...Remove the center console.
Step 12...Remove the defroster grill. This is a pain-in-the.... There is a torx bolt directly in the center that must be taken out first. Problem is due to the angle of the windshield, it is impossible to get a torx screwdriver in there to get to it. I had to use a torx drill bit and a small wrench to slowly work it out. After you get that bolt out, the defroster grill pops out and three of the 11 main dashboard bolts will be exposed. They aren't easy to get out either. I am pretty sure ford puts the dashboard in before the windshield during factory assembly.
Step 13...Remove all dashboard bolts....there should be eleven of them....3 underneath the defroster grill, 4 behind the triangular pop-out panels on both ends of the dashboard and then 4 bolts in the center console. Don't worry about the dashboard titlting over and falling or slipping. The two pins in the center console and all the connections keep it in place.
Step 14....Sit in the drivers seat and slowly tilt the dashboard towareds you. There approximately 5 or 6 connectors that have to be disconnected, plus the dash has to separate from the defroster ducts. Once the dash is tilted forward and free and clear, remove it from the vehicle.
Step 15...There lies the heater assembly and the rest is self explanatory. Keep in mind that you have to remove the hoses from within the engine compartment.

*****MOST IMPORTANT*****......DO NOT PURCHASE AN AFTERMARKET HEATER CORE....THEY ARE SUBSTANDARD AND WILL BLOW IN WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME ON MY 1992 ESCORT. PAY THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE OEM PART FROM FORD.

Little hints and tricks.....Make darn sure that you "click" all the connectors when you put that dashboard back in, If you don't things like the AC and speakers may not work. Apparently the AC compressor and speaker wires run in the same connector, while all other wires for the AC and radio controls run elsewhere. It was blowing my mind that the radio would turn on and light up but no sould. Further more, I could see the little blue AC light and the fan speed selector worked fine.

Chances are your EEC module is fine....it is a sealed unit and very unlikely that any anti-freeze would get in there.

If you are getting wacky chugging/clicking noises and the check engine light comes on for a moment, it is probably a vaccuum hose problem that you created when trying to pry off that speedometer retainer clip. At first I thought I had inserted the speedometer cable into the transmission improperly because it sounded more like a clicking that chugging.

GOOD LUCK.....I've had two escorts, a 92 and 96. Both of them had heater cores blow at 100K. The first time I replace one the 92, I went to Pep Boys and got the part. A year later it blew and I went to Ford for the part. That car still has the one I should have gotten in the first place.

I don't know why ford would put a piece of *&@! part that apparently only lasts 100K in a place that is so hard to get to....I hate heater cores.

Have fun.

Troy

The first thing you should do is buy a Haynes manuel for a job this
big. I got mine at autozone for $11 and it's totally worth it.

Quote" *****MOST IMPORTANT*****......DO NOT PURCHASE AN AFTERMARKET HEATER CORE....THEY ARE SUBSTANDARD AND WILL BLOW IN WITHIN A YEAR OR TWO. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE IT HAPPENED TO ME ON MY 1992 ESCORT. PAY THE EXTRA MONEY FOR THE OEM PART FROM FORD."

How good can the OEM part be if they have a huge failure rate?
I got mine at autozone and it's still holding out 3 years later.
I did notice that the replacement does not extract as much heat
as the original because it has fewer(but thicker) fins on it. This is
not much of an issue with me as I live in FL but might be if you
live in colder climes. The job took me 11-12 hrs to complete but
you save a ton by doing it yourself as the local ford dealer wanted
$500 to do it. If mine blew again I would seriously consider sawing
through the firewall with a dremmel and takeing it out thatway.

"Sawing through the firewall"..Are you joking? I haven't taken one out and don't know the actual dimensions/layout/WHERE to cut.BUT!!! IF I did..I would do this in a HEARBEAT! Doesn't seem unreasonable..piece of galvanized/or f/glass patch plate..some s.metal screws or pop rivets.I do know that in REAL NIGHTMARISH heater cores.A la..YES remove the windshield.OR other WICKED ones..that some guys backyard it..and do a damn fine quick,cheap job by getting another type of housing..core and blower motor..mouting it..some hoses controls for heat/defr., 12 volts and a switch..2 heater hoses.
I was at probablly the largest swap meet in the world.I took some stuff to sell.AND my g/f AND my old Chevette..for a heater core.NO manual.Figgered it would take a day/two out in the sun.I wasn't there a minute and noticed a 67 Lincoln suicide(I used to have one)across from me.Dirt cheap.Needed a heater core.This was YEARS ago..$2500Cdn.to do the heater core.This guy starts LAUGHING at me doing the Chevette.Says it will take 1/2 hr.It did.I had an 83 Chev Police unit.No a/c.Heater core..about 15/20 minutes.His bud didn't want to lay out $1500 to do his Grand Marquis heater core.WISHED he did.He said there were some Chrysler fwd's in the 80's.NO QUESTION..heater core goes=JUNK the car. In the 60's we had a friend with a 63 Riv. combined heat/def.,/a.c.Heater core $800 OUCH!

Gimee an old Beetle.

I had a 67 suicide cont.! great ride but boy the 462 4bbl would
REALLY suck gas..Back to the heater core, the 2 bolts that hold
the core in the blower box would be accessable if you cut out the
firewall around the inlet and outlet pipes and like you said a $5
peice of sheet metal, a few pop rivets, some spray paint, it could
work, i guess it would depend on the skill of the dremmell operator.
I did mine by the book and there is a LOT of stuff to come off, 12 hrs.
and my hands looked like i put them in a meat grinder.

Has anyone out there actually cut through the firewall to replace the heater core? The repair to the firewall would be worth the trouble. A few rivits or mig weld...... Are there some bolts under the dash that you would need to remove? If not -- go through the firewall??

I thought about the firewall method when I was putting everything together. It looks like it is way too tight in there to get the core out as it will run into the intake manifold. It's hard enough to get my hands in there to loosen the heater hose clamps, imagine trying to wiggle the heater core out. Then you've got the speedo cable, vacuum lines, etc etc all in the way.

If you had the room, cutting a patch panel out would be a piece of cake as the core is only held in with 2 screws. I wouldn't attempt it if you've never removed the core before as you may cut into something else. If ours goes bad again while we still own the car maybe I'll look into it.