replacing heater core

i have a '90 e-350 and noticed the other day coolant dripping onto the floor in front of the passenger seat.

i'm guessing this is from the heater core and that i will need to replace it.

anybody done this and is there anything troublesome i should be preapred for?

the other thing (and i don't know if this could have been related to the core's demise), is that the ac doesn't work anymore because the compressor went bad. i was on a road trip and there was the threat that the bad compressor could lead to a belt busting, so i replaced the compressor with a pulley wheel from a junkyard to take its place in the belt path. the hoses that went into the compressor are now tied up to keep them out of the way, but do the ends need to be covered somehow to prevent contamination to the rest of the system?

really appreciate any help. thanks.

You really need a good manual showing you what has to be removed. Buy a factory manual or a Chiltons professional manual. They show pictures and where connections are located. If in a hurry buy a subscription from
http://www.alldata.com/ cost $25.00 for a years subscription. Well worth the cost and a big time saver. The more particular you are and how the inside of the vehicle looks like makes a difference in time.
You will need a set of torx,phillips and regular screw drivers and a 1/4 inch socket set. You can figure it out without a manual but it a lot harder.
Make sure you use duck tape and cover all lines for the air conditioning.

hey thanks a lot for the quick response.

i am having a heck of a time disengaging the heater core hoses. do you have to have a special tool for this?

thanks.

Does this look like what you need? This is a Ford tool.
http://www.autopart.com/TOOLS/TOOLSMAIN/Tool/T_A374.htm
You can cut them and install new hoses if a tool isn't available locally.

I put a link with a picture of the tool in a previous post I have one made by OTC and it cost more at least 10 years ago. It looks identical.

wow. the shop whose link you passed along is just about a ten minute drive from where i live.

That is real luck they have decent warranted tools for a reasonable price.

hey thanks again, that tool was exactly what i needed.