- This topic has 5 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 7 months ago by
.
-
Topic
-
Hey Eric, and everyone else that helps out,
I’m having an issue with my 02 Explorer 4.6 where it’s blown 2 heater core hose fittings recently. Now it’s the inlet pipe from the manifold through the heater core flow valve or whatever you’d like to call the piece that controls the flow.
The fittings were brittle as hell, that had to do with it for sure, you could mush it up with your fingers. But at first I was thinking I have a head gasket issue giving me excess coolant system pressure but after i thought about it for awhile, I’m leaning towards a clogging up heater core causing too much resistance in the heatercore loop thus causing too much pressure on the inlet side.
Both times they blew it was on a hill with a trailer so it was dropped down a gear or 2, both pretty high rpm (first time was probably 4500 and second was 3500-4000) but they were long drawn out pulls, So what comes to mind is water pump running at a higher rpm + the load of the trailer and hill just adding to the total heat in the system.
Do you think this is my problem? Just a theory.
A side question, why are these plastic fittings/items so brittle? I’ve heard not flushing coolant often causes it to get acidic, could this be the case? Any other fittings about to blow on me? it’s un-trustable long distances now unfortunately. 343,000kms on it.
Thanks!
P.S. I Probably said it before but your videos are great, straight to business and practical. Keep up the good work
-
Replies
-
How many miles on the vehicle? Take a garden hose and flush
through the heater core.I don’t think a clogged heater core
would cause the heater hoses to burst.If that were the case
the hoses would bust every time the heater flow valve closed.
Put on a new quality set of hoses and see what happens. For me
Hoses should be changed at 60kI don’t think you read my post at all…Thanks for the small amount of general input though.
Bump for someone that wants to read it.
[quote=”Mattv” post=65578] I’m leaning towards a clogging up heater core causing too much resistance in the heater core loop thus causing too much pressure on the inlet side.[/quote]
Good theory and this is not uncommon on other Ford products. You could try to verify this by rigging some extra hoses to a garden hose and just running water through the heater core to see if you are getting full volume flow.Flushing does not always clear these clogs, but Eric has a video on this subject. I believe the “mystery cleaner” is C-L-R and back flushing is the best solution. Although at your vehicles age and mileage is just may be time for a new core.
As for the fittings, heat is more like the cause of them getting brittle. The old brass style always had a ridge that the clamp had to slide over.
[quote=”theoldwizard1″ post=65944][quote=”Mattv” post=65578] I’m leaning towards a clogging up heater core causing too much resistance in the heater core loop thus causing too much pressure on the inlet side.[/quote]
Good theory and this is not uncommon on other Ford products. You could try to verify this by rigging some extra hoses to a garden hose and just running water through the heater core to see if you are getting full volume flow.Flushing does not always clear these clogs, but Eric has a video on this subject. I believe the “mystery cleaner” is C-L-R and back flushing is the best solution. Although at your vehicles age and mileage is just may be time for a new core.
As for the fittings, heat is more like the cause of them getting brittle. The old brass style always had a ridge that the clamp had to slide over.[/quote]
Thanks I’ll do a backflush with the ol garden hose and see what crap comes out of it. I guess I’ll just have to go over the whole cooling system and find all the weak links that will go next.
Any problem with just running the heatercore loop full open, bypassing the (broken) control valve? Other than longer time warming up in the winter but that’s also controllable..
I’d just do this (pic)for the valve like the first one.(metal) Just don’t feel like spending money on a new valve, she’s gettin up there in age and condition, know what I mean.
[quote=”Mattv” post=66193]Any problem with just running the heatercore loop full open, bypassing the (broken) control valve? Other than longer time warming up in the winter but that’s also controllable.. [/quote]
Awful hot in summer !I’d just do this (pic)for the valve like the first one.(metal) Just don’t feel like spending money on a new valve, she’s gettin up there in age and condition, know what I mean.
12 years old ? just broken in ! I just spent $350 to get the A/C working in my 15 year old Club Wagon !
The valve is cheap on eBay, under $20.
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.