Third heater core in 2 years

[whilly]

A few days ago I smelled antifreeze and saw lots of vapor coming from the vents. I have a hard time believing that the problem is yet another heater core, especially since there is no puddle on the floor. It's easy enough to replace that damn thing but I would really like to find the root cause.

About 18 months ago I replaced the radiator without doing a coolant flush and I wonder if years of crud is plugging these heater cores or...?

truck has about 210,000 mi on it now, runs like a champ otherwise. radiator swap was probably about 192,000 mi.

A coworker said that the radiator cap might be malfunctioning... easy to try I guess...

any ideas?

Thanks

W

 

[Plum Ranger XLT]

If it was me, I would go ahead and flush the block and radiator and then put a new heater core in.

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

Check heater hose clamps at the firewall, easy to get a spray that goes into the cab.

All the crud should have been IN the old radiator, like it was IN the old heater core, they both collect the smaller bits, they are both "filters" along with their other duties.

If it is the heater core that's leaking then it may have been bad to start off, made on a Monday or late afternoon on a Friday before long weekend, lol.

When you do next coolant change, max. 2 years, then flush the block

Also on any vehicle, you should reverse heater hoses at the firewall each time you change coolant, that helps them last a bit longer by Back Flushing every two years
And what I usually do is to swap the heater hoses a few days before I am changing coolant, i.e. flush any small bits out they way they came in and then draining them out of the system
So "clean the filter"

 

[4x4junkie]

Are you using the same core each time you replace it? Maybe try another brand or type.

I once ran into this myself (indeed there is some really cheaply-made junk out there)... I used a no-name Autozone part that lasted maybe 3 years because no one had any good ones at the time ("But we can order it!") and I needed to get the truck together for a trip that afternoon. It began leaking at one of it's soldered joints.

1st one I bought (cheap soldered-together junk):
http://www.autozone.com/cooling-heating-and-climate-control/heater-core/pro-source-heater-core/459239_958055_0

This was the 2nd replacement (made of aluminum, I seem to recall their construction is crimped w/epoxy in between it to seal it):
http://www.autozone.com/cooling-heating-and-climate-control/heater-core/spectra-premium-heater-core/846873_0_0

What's odd, they are both now showing the same price Before the cheapy one was like $16 and the Spectra was more around $35. (makes me wonder if that price is now reflecting some sort of cheapened construction and/or offshoring).

If you didn't change the cap when you changed the radiator, I'd say now's a good time to slap a new one on there (my preference is Stant or Motorcraft for thermostats and radiator caps).

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

If you see extended high engine RPM they make a reducer bushing that restricts flow into your heater core so your water pump doesn't over pressurize it and pop it.

Or there is a socket out there that works too, I think it was a 13mm 3/8 drive that I used. Do a google search, fairly common problem with Mustangs and the newer ones have the restrictor from the factory.

I have a 3spd automatic so I run just shy of 3k rpm down the road and had a time going thru cores until I did the socket trick. The factory restrictor is pricey.