Heater core

[Guest]

I got in my Bird the other morning and turned on the heat. The windshield got a little foggy. As i drove on it cleared up. does this mean I have a problem? The carpet is not wet. should I be concerned? it has good heat

[Dan Leavens]

Birdbrain What you are describing is exactly what happened to a buddy of mine's 70 Lincoln ( very similar ) and it was their heater core that when replaced solved this issue.Note they also had the rad inspected at the same time.

[simplyconnected]

"A little foggy" is an understatement when your heater core springs a leak. The ultra-fine mist of glycol and water will nearly drive you out of the car, or you will have your windows open.

Usually, the high humidity will cloud your windshield. If you put the defrosters on, droplets will form on the windshield. Glycol sticks to glass like grease and will not come off with a plain paper towel.

So, I'm on a long trip and it's Michigan-cold out... I need heat, but I can't stop until I get to Detroit. I open the windows to let the mist out (so I can breathe) and the windows don't fog because fresh cold air is blasting the inside glass surface. This is misery, but do-able. By the time I got home, I didn't care how much it cost for a new heater core. Oh, BTW, the coolant level wasn't down very much at all. If I could have run with the radiator cap off, I would have, but, nope. I need all the coolant volume I can get and it gushes out way too much with the cap loose.

I hope your heater core is not the culprit, but if it is, our classic cars had copper/brass cores which are easily re-soldered IF you decide to fix it yourself. Hope this helps. - Dave

[Guest]

heater

It's a very fine steam that comes out and sfter a while (10 min) it's gone and I have heat pure and sumple. I have replaced the heater core not long ago. It's like I have some antifreeze wasted on it and it burns off. I hate to tear into this thing and it's a loose hose or something. I do remember the heater valve I replaced that too. Oh well.

[simplyconnected]

Does it smell real sweet?

Residual glycol evaporates kinda like water only a little slower.

I too, hope you don't need to pull it apart.

[jax]

Heater Core

I had a problem like this on my old 58 F100. It wasn't the heater core, but I had a bad spot in my heater hose to the core. It was leaking(when warm) just so it would drip inside the plenum, drip down my heater core, and when I flipped the fan on, it would mist it on my windshield. Not fun to find out AFTER I pulled it and put it back in twice!!!! Live and learn......

[JohnG]

there is a heater switch inserted into the heater - mechanical - turns flow on/off. It has a gasket or Oring to seal things up. That could have developed a leak over the many years (the gasket, that is).

[tbird430]

Did you replace the rubber seal between the heater core & heater control valve- or is your the new design heater core with a seperate (cable operated) control valve?

[Anders]

When I took my old out, as it sometimes leaked inside the car, I found out it have frooze and was very rusty. Thatīs why mine was leaking. Bought a new one.