Heater core questions

[Frankenstein57]

After I noticed coolant leaking from mine, I bypassed it for a couple years, finally took it apart. Noticed the leak was from the gasket where the valve attaches to the core, I cleaned it thoroughly and used a high quality silicone, no problems since.

[KULTULZ]

I realize this thread is older but brings out an important point. If one has a HIGH REV PERF ENG, the coolant speed and temp may rise causing this type of damage. That is why FORD released coolant flow restrictors on much later HP cars.

The restrictor(s) were used in two ways, one to slow coolant flow before the heater core and the other to increase coolant hang time installed after the core to draw more heat from the coolant.

I followed this post with interest but never seen the problem.  This winter's Raunch Wagon upgrades include Vintage Air so I removed the heater to be surprised to see the heater core bulged very close to bursting.  My first impression was that it had frozen but I always run 60/40 coolant and the car is stored in a heated garage.  Then I remembered this post.  The pictures show the outer two tubes are bowed and nearly three times their original size.  About five years ago, I upgraded the wagon from dealer installed heater (which didn't work and the core was toast).  The core, regulator and valve were all new pieces when installed.  When the new stuff was installed, the wagon had the original 292 but two years ago was swapped to 351w.  During warm weather, I shut the water valve off.  But in early spring and fall, the water valve is open and I occassionally rev the motor past 5k.  Either I didn't pack the backing material in tightly enough or the Windsor puts out too much coolant flow/pressure.

The wagon does run a 16# radiator cap to raise the boiling point.

Another trick is to put a flow restrictor in the pressure line to slow down coolant pressure/flow. FORD did this on POLICE and late HP.

[59meteor]

May be related or not, but the heater core in my 59 never leaked before, but the first time I ran the new 428 thru the gears, coolant starter running out of the heater box. I just assumed that having a 60 year old part fail was not terribly uncommon. Are these heater hose restrictors available from Ford still, a junkyard item or.....? Do you install one in both hoses, or just one?

[KULTULZ]

They were designed purposely for the situation you found yourself in.

They are still available, one 5/8in and the other 3/4in. They are plastic and must be secured with a hose clamp on the outside heater hose where you place them. FORD wants them placed nearest the engine hose outlet (pressure).

There are also available aluminum restrictors that may be more reliable.

GOOGLE FORD HEATER CORE INLET RESTRICTORS and it should give you needed info. If not, get back.

[RICH MUISE]

KULTULZ...........Just wanted to say thanks for all the input you've been adding to our forum lately. It is much appreciated. I know you've been a long time member......two years before me........but previously just an occasional poster. I'm sure everyone appreciates your input, many times you've made me wish we had a "like" button. Like we tell Joe and Dave on their pics postings, most of the time a lot of us avoid adding posts to say thank you because we don't want to add unnecessary "clutter" to a thread.
Rich

[geraldchainsaw]

don
't now what you guys will say about this,  but,  i've worked on a few an i'm tired of gong under the dash or under the hood to fix a leaking heater valve,  so i just unhooked it ,  don't use the heater any way,  if need be,  easly to hook back up

[KULTULZ]

KULTULZ...........Just wanted to say thanks for all the input you've been adding to our forum lately. It is much appreciated.

THANX!

I am just a car-nut like everyone else here. A 57 FORD has always been my favorite although it has been quite a while since I had one.

[lalessi1]

Man it is great to learn something new (everyday)! I have never heard of a heater restrictor but that explains my heater issue that I fought for a couple of years. To solve the problem I simply removed the heater but I live where a car heater is not truly needed very often. That was NOT my first choice but since heaters were optional it gave me a little more to talk about in "show and tell". Thanks for the info!

[59meteor]

Lynn, I live in Canada, my first 63 years in British Columbia on the Pacific Ocean, in October we moved to Nova Scotia, on the Atlantic, so it does get cold up here in the winter. However, my 59 is a fair weather car, it`s been parked in the garage since mid November, and likely won`t leave the garage until March at the earliest, depending on weather. But even still, some evenings it can get a bit chilly, or the windshield fogs up, so having a functional heater is a plus. I know 57 & 58 heaters use a vacuum operated valve on the heater core, but in 59 the vacuum valve disappeared. So I guess on a 57/8 the heater core can stay full of non moving coolant with the heater off, but on a 59, it is flowing thru the core whenever the engine is running? I have seen some Fords with a manual valve on the intake manifold fitting to close of flow to the heater, and on some later vehicles, a cable operated valve to do the same function. I don`t recall my original 332 having either, so I guess it was constantly circulating thru the core.      And Kultulz, I remember you from the old FE Forum, this is Rory with the Fairmont drag car that ran with 427 & 428 FE power for over 30 years. You may remember from there.

[lalessi1]

My heater originally had a valve with a filled capillary tube that was coiled up in front of the heater core. It had no vacuum valve. I bought a new valve that was vacuum operated so I had to buy the vacuum actuator. The heater still leaked. I bought another heater core and pressure tested it, but it leaked too... Ford had (2) designs for heater control valves but my heater still got hot when the valve (either design) was supposed to be closed. So my heater stayed hot and always leaked. I disconnected the hoses but left it installed. Finally when I was putting my A/C in I removed it (that made the A/C install easier). I bought the block off plates and the heater delete plate for the dash. I might put in a dealer installed heater if I can find one and I would use a manual valve under the hood.

[RICH MUISE]

Lynn.........I have a dealer installed unit if you want it. I had packed it up to ship to Jeff Norwell, but he decided to go another direction. It wasn't leaking when I used the car as a dd in '03. That's all I can tell you about it. You can have it for shipping costs only. 40ish??
You got room for it? where did you put your A/C evaporator, and why on earth didn't you get an A/C with heat?

[KULTULZ]

And Kultulz, I remember you from the old FE Forum, this is Rory with the Fairmont drag car that ran with 427 & 428 FE power for over 30 years. You may remember from there.

Yes, I remember. FE FORUM participation was quite a while ago.

Did you find the info you needed?

ADDENDUM (Fr. For I Forgot) BTW - Are you still racing? I bet a 428CJ is a treat in a '57 ... 

[hiball3985]

My heater originally had a valve with a filled capillary tube that was coiled up in front of the heater core. It had no vacuum valve. I bought a new valve that was vacuum operated so I had to buy the vacuum actuator. The heater still leaked. I bought another heater core and pressure tested it, but it leaked too... Ford had (2) designs for heater control valves but my heater still got hot when the valve (either design) was supposed to be closed. So my heater stayed hot and always leaked. I disconnected the hoses but left it installed. Finally when I was putting my A/C in I removed it (that made the A/C install easier). I bought the block off plates and the heater delete plate for the dash. I might put in a dealer installed heater if I can find one and I would use a manual valve under the hood.

I use the same valve Lynn described, no vacuum. Most of the time when people experience heat still coming out or leaking problems with either type of valve being used is because they have attached the heater hoses incorrectly. The heater has to fill from the bottom not the top like a radiator. If filled from the top hot water can still enter and it also causes air pockets and the heated air pockets expand and build high pressure.

[lalessi1]

Jim, I am pretty sure I had mine hooked up correctly, BUT.....

Rich, I sent you a PM. I wanted a vintage looking under dash A/C. I actually bought components separately and built my own.

[hiball3985]

Jim, I am pretty sure I had mine hooked up correctly, BUT.....

You probably did. I just added as general info for anyone reading while it was on my mind