QuestionI have an '88 ford taurus and recently I started to get a steam rising up from the defrost vent on the passenger side of the car. It smelled like antifreeze so I talked to my friend, who said it was a leak in the heater core. He started to see what needed to be done to fix the problem and it looked like he was going to have to remove the entire dashboard to repair the leak. Is that what I would need to do to repair/replace the heater core in this model or is there any easier way? I tried one of those sealants that the autozone said usually does the trick but It didn't do anything to stop the leak. Is there a sealant that I can run through just the heater core that works? Right now the core is bypassed and it's really cold outside. This car is almost undrivable in the winter unless I can fix this, so any help would be greatly appreciated.
AnswerHello and thank you for the question.....I'll try to help.
I wish that I could tell you about a "quick fix", but there isn't one. Your friend is correct in the thought that the dash board needs to be removed. Along with this, IF the car has AC, it needs to be discharged (by a qualified shop), and then recharged again. The labor times listed for the vehicle W/AC is 8.8 hours and W/O AC is 7.6 hours.
Here is the removal process W/AC:
It is necessary to remove the evaporator case in order to remove the heater core. Whenever an evaporator case is removed, it will be necessary to replace the suction accumulator/drier.
Disconnect the negative battery cable.
Remove the instrument panel on 1986-89 vehicles as follows:
Remove the four screws retaining the steering column opening cover and remove the cover.
Remove the sound insulator under the glove compartment by removing the two push nuts securing the insulator to the studs on the climate control case.
Remove the steering column trim shrouds and disconnect all electrical connections from the steering column switches.
Remove the four screws at the steering column bracket to remove the steering column.
Remove the screws retaining the lower left and radio finish panels and remove the panels by snapping out.
Remove the cluster opening finish panel retaining screws. On Taurus remove jam nut behind the headlight switch and screw behind the clock or clock cover. Remove the finish panel by rocking the upper edge toward the driver.
Disconnect the speedometer cable by reaching up under the instrument panel and pressing on the flat surface of the plastic connector. The panel can be removed with the cluster installed.
Release the glove compartment assembly by depressing the side of the glove compartment bin and swinging the door/bin down.
Using the steering column, cluster and glove compartment openings and by reaching under the instrument panel, tag and disconnect all electrical connections, vacuum hoses, heater/air conditioner control cables and the radio antenna cable.
Disconnect all underhood electrical connectors of the main wire loom. Disengage the rubber grommet from the dash panel and push the wire and connectors into the instrument panel area.
Remove the right and left speaker opening covers by snapping out.
Remove the two lower instrument panel-to-cowl side retaining screws from the right and left side. Remove the instrument panel brace retaining screw from under the radio area. On Sable, remove the defroster grille by snapping out.
Remove the three instrument panel upper retaining screws and remove the instrument panel.
Remove the instrument panel on 1990-95 vehicles as follows:
Position the front wheels in the straight-ahead position.
Remove the ignition lock cylinder and, if equipped, remove the tilt lever.
Remove the steering column trim shrouds. Disconnect all electrical connections from the steering column switches.
Remove the four bolts and opening cover and the two bolts and reinforcement from under the steering column.
Disengage the insulator retainer and remove the insulator. Remove the four nuts and reinforcement from under the steering column.
Do not rotate the steering column shaft.
Remove the four nuts retaining the steering column to the instrument panel, disconnect the shift indicator cable and lower the column on the front seat. Install the lock cylinder to make sure the steering column shaft does not turn.
Remove bolt at the steering column opening attaching the instrument panel to the brace. Remove instrument panel brace retaining bolt from under the radio area.
Remove the sound insulator under the glove compartment by removing the two push nuts that secure the insulator to the studs on the climate control case.
Disconnect the wires of the main wire loom in the engine compartment. Disengage the rubber grommet from the dash panel, then feed the wiring through the hole in the dash panel into the passenger compartment.
Remove the right and left cowl side trim panels. Disconnect the wires from the instrument panel at the right and left cowl sides.
Remove one screw from each the left and right side retaining the instrument panel. Pull up to unsnap the right and left speaker opening covers and remove.
Release the glove compartment assembly by depressing the side of the glove compartment bin and swinging the door/bin down.
Using the steering column and glove compartment openings and by reaching under the instrument panel, tag and disconnect all electrical connections, vacuum hoses, heater/air conditioner control cables, speedometer cable and radio antenna cable.
Close the glove compartment door, support the panel and remove the three screws attaching the top of the instrument panel to the cowl top and disconnect any remaining wires. Remove the panel from the vehicle.
Drain the coolant from the radiator. Properly discharge the air conditioning system.
Be sure to consult the laws in your area before beginning any procedure which requires servicing the air conditioning system. In some states, it is illegal to perform repairs involving refrigerant unless the work is done by a certified technician.
Disconnect and plug the heater hoses at the heater core. Plug the heater core tubes.
Disconnect the vacuum supply hose from the inline vacuum check valve in the engine compartment.
Disconnect the air conditioning lines from the evaporator core at the dash panel. Cap the lines and the core to prevent entrance of dirt and moisture.
Remove the screw holding the instrument panel shake brace to the evaporator case and remove the shake brace.
Remove the two screws attaching the floor register and rear seat duct to the bottom of the evaporator case. Remove the three nuts attaching the evaporator case to the dash panel in the engine compartment.
Remove the two screws attaching the support brackets to the cowl top panel. Carefully pull the evaporator assembly away from the dash panel and remove the evaporator case from the vehicle.
Remove the vacuum source line from the heater core tube seal and remove the seal from the heater core tubes.
If equipped with automatic temperature control, remove the three screws attaching the blend door actuator to the evaporator case and remove the actuator.
Remove the four heater core access cover attaching screws and remove the access cover and seal from the evaporator case. Lift the heater core and seals from the evaporator case.
To install:
Transfer the seal to the new heater core, then install the heater core into the evaporator case.
Position the heater core access cover on the evaporator case and install the four attaching screws. If equipped with automatic temperature control, position the blend door actuator to the blend door shaft and install the three attaching screws.
Install the seal on the heater core tubes and install the vacuum source line through the seal.
Position the evaporator case assembly to the dash panel and cowl top panel at the air inlet opening. Install the two screws attaching the support brackets to the cowl top panel.
Install the three nuts in the engine compartment attaching the evaporator case to the dash panel. Install the floor register and rear seat duct to the evaporator case and tighten the two attaching screws.
Install the instrument panel shake brace and screw to the evaporator case. Install the instrument panel in the reverse order of removal.
Connect the air conditioning lines to the evaporator core and the heater hoses to the heater core.
Connect the black vacuum supply hose to the vacuum check valve in the engine compartment.
Fill and bleed the cooling system. Connect the negative battery cable.
Leak test, evacuate and charge the air conditioning system. Observe all safety precautions.
Some 1992-93 and all 1994-95 vehicles covered by this information are equipped with R-134a NOT R-12 refrigerant. These two refrigerants are NOT compatible. Using the incorrect refrigerant in an R-134a system will lead to compressor failure, refrigerant oil sludge and/or poor air conditioning system performance.
Check the system for proper operation.
If there is anything I can do to help, let me know,
Erik
