Heater fix experiment

[dddcccmack]

97 taurus 3.0. Heater problem. I back flushed the heater core on three different occations but it still pluged up with junk. So im doing an experiment . . . First i have very good flow thru the core (after back flush) then I bought a black plastic high volume filter which has a 6"x1" cleanable round cartrige screen filter. (Home depot $10 in the water drip system department) each end of the filter has 3/4" male pipe, bought two brass fitings 3/4" female X 5/8" hose. Cut the hose open at the engine side removed about 3" of hose and installed the filter (between the engine out and the T bypass). It fits by moving the T behind the trans dip stick. Before I did the install . . . I tested the filter screen in 215 degree water on the stove to be sure it could take the high temp . . it worked. The filter box states it holds 100psi so im good on temp and presure. Last i made a sadle clamp to pinch the flow in the bypass hose (Home depot electrical ground clamp) So fare its working very good. O . . that 3/4" brass fiting couldn't find a 3/4" female to 5/8" hose so I used a 3/4" female pipe to a 1/2" flar then machined the flar down to a 5/8" hose (machine . . 12"x42" metel lath at Harbor Freight $2,000) If it false Ill post what happen.

[medicmandan]

Sounds like an interesting approach. I have also had to flush my heater core a couple of times in the last 2 months to keep the heat going in my 99 Taurus 3.0. Let us know how it works out.

[dddcccmack]

Follow up 10 days later and 250 miles the heater works better than ever. Here is another suggestion to others. In the event you install a filter as I did, try reversing the core in and out at the core to push any junk back out the core throught the engine and into the filter. If theres a half pluged core over time with the in our reversed it might clear the core 100%. Forgot. . . I removed the bypass hose sadle clamp I talked about my original post . . . heater works perfect. will post any changes.
1/8/07 small leak at the filter inlet, need to tighten . . . . still blows hot.

[dddcccmack]

1/9/07 Update on heater experiment with filter. Heater is working perfect its hot hot hot. I took the filter apart for the first time since intall. I had lots of junk in it some big chunks 3/16" many small chunks. Did have a problem . . . when I removed the fillter bottom to clean it I lost some anitfreeze which flooded the connect to the O2 sencer (bank1 sencer1) which caused a "slow responce" & CEL Im hoping if I clean the connector that will fix it, maybe? Anybody that tries my filter fix . . . move or cover the O2 sencer plug and after a day of running the brass to plastic fiting will have to be retighen because they can leak on the O2 sencer plug unless you move it.