Ford F150 Heater Core Swap, Part 2
By Chuck Cage
I posted yesterday regarding my, um, surprise when I discovered that I’d have to remove the entire dash to get at the heater core in my good ‘ole ‘97 F150 pickup. Well, the job’s part way done, and we finally exposed the heater core. The above picture shows what it looks like right now.
I always liked my F150, but this job has taught me a few things about Ford pickups. First, you obviously don’t want to own one long enough to have to replace the heater core. People aren’t kidding when they say it’s a big job. It requires removing the dash, the HVAC vent system (that’s as big as the dash), and — if you beleve the manual — the steering column. As you can see, we managed to leave the steering column in, but that’s not really all that much help. We’re currently 12+ hours into the job, and the hard part is yet to come. And this is a couple of guys who’ve done their share of car work sitting in a shop chock-ass full of tools.
Secondly, Ford wiring harnesses — at least the ones in this year model — look like crap. Whereas we’re used to seeing tubing-loomed harnesses with labels in other vehicles, the Ford’s harness appears to be just bundles of wire haphazardly taped together with electrical tape. Hell, it looks like somehting your kid would make in crafts class.
If you’re just leasing one for two years, or if your completely sure you’re gonna dump it before it runs out of warranty, I guess you won’t really care about this kind of thing. You’ll be more worried about what sound system’s available and whether or not there’s a passenger side makeup mirror. But if you keep your trucks for the long term, you might want to think twice about buying one of these.
How ‘come they never tell you about things like this before you buy? I think from now on, I’m going to have a look at the repair manual before I shell out for a new truck.
February 9th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
Rumor is that when Ford builds a car, they start by hanging the heater core on the assembly line. They then proceed to build the remainder of the car around it. I did the same job on a 1981 T-Bird about 15 years ago. It was just as hard to do then as it is now. It took me over 16 hrs to complete the job. A friend had the same repair done by a garage about a year later and it cost him over $600.00.
I have also heard that on some Fords you can use a cutoff wheel to cut the firewall around the heater core and then remove it from the engine compartment. When installing the new one you just weld the panel back in. Never tried this so I can’t it will work. However if your F-150 is anything like my 97 Expedition, there is no easy way to cut out the firewall.
I know that sooner or later I will be doing the same job on my Expedition and cursing the fact that I was too cheap to pay someone to do it for me.
February 9th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
It’s not just Fords… I imagine at some point I’ll be doing it on my old bimmer. But it’s not to much a matter of being too cheap to pay someone to do it. It’s a matter of not knowing anyone who I trust to be as thorough as I in disassembly and assembly. I’ve experienced and heard of too many horror stories of mechanics taking shortcuts, and hacking where they should have used some finesse.. and done it right. But chose to do it the quick and dirty way, emphasis on dirty. At least I know I’ll take my time putting stuff back together so I don’t end up with a million squeaks that weren’t there before the job. Maybe even take some extra time, get some felt tape and address some of the squeaks that are already there.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Well I have an ‘86 F150 and know that up until the body change in ‘97 they were less insane & put the heater core behind the glovebox. So I guess the solution is to own older trucks? As for the Ford tape wrap wiring that has been on all the cars I have ever seen made by Ford or any other carmaker.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
I bet that 7 hour labor charge for having a shop replace the heater core doesn’t look too expensive now?
February 9th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Just to let you know that Dodge ram heater cores are only a little less painful to do (you can angle the dash instead or removing it) and newer GM pick ups are not much easier. My work has a large mostly ford fleet and the only way we have extended heater core life is to change the coolant annually.
No manufacturer tells a person what it’s like to have to fix their product. Hell, people only think about the monthly payment and maybe the cost of insurance. Few people consider or plan maintenance costs in their car purchases.
The wiring harnesses look klike crap because they’re buried under the dash and not exposed. Ford can save pennies per unit and ounces in vehicle weight by doing this. Every little bit helps.
February 9th, 2007 at 9:36 pm
Wow, that looks worse than I imagined. At what point does it become worthwhile to pay to have something like that done? Obviously you’re already half pregnant, but in retrospect would you have paid to have it done professionally??
February 10th, 2007 at 9:50 am
Is that an LCD in the center of the dash there, or what is that?
February 10th, 2007 at 10:58 am
kythri: I wish. The dash is long gone in that photo. That’s the mix door for the HVAC — the one Harry indicated in my last post is so fragile. (Thanks, Harry; you saved me some $$!)
February 10th, 2007 at 11:48 am
I think it was a 2-3 hour job just to replace a burned out bulb in the dash of our 2000 Taurus Wagon. We had to replace a speedo cable and speedometer on our 95 Taurus wagon and it cost upwards of $800 due to the labor of ripping apart the dash and column.
(Why two Taurii? Because they are so sexy…)
Our 84 econoline van was a pleasure to work on, but with 300K miles it required too much work to get running anywhere near safely. I wish I could buy a modern van that was as easy to work on though. I could practically curl up and sleep in the engine compartment.
February 10th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Just cut through the firewall to it and put in a fiberglass patch afterwards.
March 14th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Just got back from the Found On Road Dead dealer with $900 less than when I started the day. This was spent to repair my heater core that seized yesterday. Called a couple of independent places and they were even more expensive which I think was more a reluctance to take on the work.
I have a 2000 Navigator with 130k miles. The service folks confirmed the story that the heater core is the first (or at least one of the first) things they hang when assembling.
After looking at the above picture, it’s no wonder some of the shops were reluctant! Good luck to you guys that have the know-how to tackle such a job!
July 13th, 2007 at 8:22 pm
You guys act surprised. The only vehicle I’ve owned in the last 40 years that didn’t require a song & dance to get at the heater core is my Chevy Astro, (inside the car, passenger side foot well). Someone above opined Ford built cars around the heater core. That’s exactly what they did with my 90 Taurus. They were nice enough to outline where you had to cut the firewall to access it.
September 10th, 2007 at 9:16 pm
HELP…..2000 F150 I can’t get past the airbag. Any quick tips?
September 10th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
my apoligies i’m trying to do the heater core myself on a 2000 F150 and the airbag is proving to be a problem. Any suggestions would be welcome.
September 11th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
k brody: Mishandling an airbag can cause serious bodily harm. Get a factory manual and follow the instructions precisely, and if you don’t understand ‘em all or feel comfortable with ‘em — let the dealer do it.
October 14th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
It only takes 4 hours to replace the heater core guys. Stop wining and taking breaks and keep busy. It really is not that bad. f150 trucks are the best. Regular coolant service with anti static additive will ensure no problems. Good luck. 15yr ASE Cert. tech
October 26th, 2007 at 11:59 am
On a 99 F250 you can simply get to it by taking the glove box out so it only took a couple hours to do the whole job. However, you do need special clips from Ford to reattach the lines on the engine side of the firewall since the old ones break when you take them off. So, at least on the F250 it is a breeze. My 96 Ram 2500 is looking to be touch though…having to take the whole dash off that is.
November 15th, 2007 at 4:13 pm
We have a dodge cummins 3500 that the fuel gage ouit working ,could it be the sending unit,or is there a relay that i’m not aware of? thanks
January 15th, 2008 at 6:43 am
I had a ‘68 Ford Galaxie that I had to remove the right front fender in order to change heater hoses, so this is nothing new.
February 23rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Knock!Knock!Knock! Hey 4 hour William are you out there ! Some of the other forums say you don’t have to remove the dash to change the 97-03 F150 heater cores just pull the dash out on the passenger side without unplugging alot of electrical connectors ! Is that what makes it quicker or are you just that good ! Chuck Cage what do you know about this and how about electrolosys destroying the aluminum cores ? In some other forums the guys are talking about 8 core replacements and link it to electolosys and that might be why 4 hour William said to use anti static additive ! William any comment !
February 24th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Just bought a 200 F 150 thinking a little heater core issu is no sweat. No im scared to death. I love the truck but I am in the middle of MY wife’s new room addition so time is money. if the 4 hour is possible great. The dash air bags and wiring I can handle, but I know absolutly nothing about connecting or diconnecting AC lines any tool requirements, tips, or advice would help this Marine and maybe even my marriage.
Adam in Jacksonville NC
April 19th, 2008 at 5:18 am
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