changing the heater core

Topic: changing the heater core (Read 2732 times) previous topic - next topic

changing the heater core

October 10, 2006, 08:07:45 PM

my 87 tbird heater does not work, in fact the it was bypassed and i would like to fix it, how do i go about removing the old one from the car

changing the heater core

Reply #1 – October 10, 2006, 08:46:02 PM

take a demo saw and carefully cut a squair hole in the dash, and extract the core, then replace and reinstall dash piece. lol

there is a very good walk through on hear

changing the heater core

Reply #2 – October 11, 2006, 08:53:41 AM

take the advice in the coolcat page that Nate posted and buy a ford oem core. I bought a cheapy and had to do it all over again 2 years later

changing the heater core

Reply #3 – October 11, 2006, 09:11:45 AM

Um....just a word of advice...it may be possible that Ford discontinued the heater cores for our cars. I've had a few people report that although I haven't confirmed it personally. So take that for what it's worth...

changing the heater core

Reply #4 – October 11, 2006, 08:50:59 PM

i was told that the core was unavailable, but they have one for a mustang of the same year, will it fit into the tbird

changing the heater core

Reply #5 – October 12, 2006, 09:30:08 AM

A quick check on Rockauto.com shows the same part numbers for 87 T-birds (4,6,8) and 87 Mustangs (4,8). Could be wrong, so don't quote me.

changing the heater core

Reply #6 – October 12, 2006, 09:38:33 AM

Mustangs and T-Birds/Cougars did share most heater cores, yes. But if you have ATC it's a unique core (probably shared with a Mark VII).

changing the heater core

Reply #7 – October 12, 2006, 05:01:42 PM

Quote from: EricCoolCats;108127

Mustangs and T-Birds/Cougars did share most heater cores, yes. But if you have ATC it's a unique core (probably shared with a Mark VII).

. Stupid ECC.:disappoin

changing the heater core

Reply #8 – October 13, 2006, 01:01:58 AM

As per Rockauto for a 1988 Thunderbird LX 5.0: Four seasons part # 94621. Same part # for a 1988 LSC. Also the same for a 5.0 equipped 1988 Mustang.

I've changed the heater core in my ATC equipped car twice (9 years......starting to change a FEW things the second time around:rolleyes: ) and neither time when ordering the core was I asked if the car was ATC or not. I simply told them it was for an 87 cougar V8. I've posted this diagram of the heater system in the past. It was pulled from the Ford parts counter when I changed my blower motor (about 1 week before the heater core went......in February.....) The diagram came up for an 87 Cougar. Note the lower left corner where it shows a part for Mustangs only.

changing the heater core

Reply #9 – October 13, 2006, 09:53:24 AM

I was referring to the dealership....there are (or at least there were) different part numbers for ATC and non-ATC. Whether or not they were truly physically different from each other, I can't say. But every time I've ordered one from the dealer they've asked me if I had ATC. It looks like pretty much all aftermarket cores carry the same part number for Fox cars with A/C.

changing the heater core

Reply #10 – October 13, 2006, 10:36:54 AM

Physically, the 2 I have put in look the same as the original factory installed on I pulled out. Not sure why the different part #'s from Ford. There are a couple of parts that are different of course.....the blower motor and the blower motor resistor.

Be wary of the blower motor for ATC cars. They are discontinued from Ford (or so I was told) and the aftermarket one requires some *ahem* massaging to work (read: you'll need a set of good tinsnips)

changing the heater core

Reply #11 – October 13, 2006, 10:50:23 AM

OK, I just called my hookup at the Ford dealer parts counter. Here is the news:

- Genuine Ford heater cores ARE still available new, in plentiful supply. List price is around $75 US. P/N E9LY-18476-A
- That is the only core P/N that Ford lists for the 1980-88 Cougar/T-Bird, and the Fox Mustang, because it supercedes all previous ones (that is a 1989 part number).

Now I don't know why, but when Zach replaced the heater core in his '86 XR7 a few months ago, he was told they were not available at the dealer anymore and he ended up getting "the last one" from Green Sales. This confused me. I'd like to know why his was so different...

changing the heater core

Reply #12 – October 13, 2006, 01:05:06 PM

^ That's the one I got when I did mine 1 1/2 years ago. $75 from Plaza Ford.
They never asked if I had ATC or not.

changing the heater core

Reply #13 – October 13, 2006, 08:07:24 PM

Wow. I'm amazed!
I was told by several independant dealerships that the heater cores were no longer available. I could hear 'em typing over the phone with the part number/car info, then I would get, "Nah... they discontinued it. Try aftermarket."
Even a Ford parts website told me the same thing (after I had placed an order for one).
Was there a giant "drop of the ball" with Ford/Motorcraft parts information?

changing the heater core

Reply #14 – October 14, 2006, 10:37:02 AM

You got me, Zach. That is pretty strange. According to my parts guy there are well over 100 of those cores in storage at the Ford warehouse in Detroit. So I don't know what to say, other than I can easily get one. What was the part number on yours?