Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

PS - Forgot to say - the Hot-Cold lever is opening and closing air to the floor, vent or windshield properly.

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message ...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
PS - Forgot to say - the Hot-Cold lever is opening and closing air to
the floor, vent or windshield properly.

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney"
wrote in message
...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is
nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off
and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short
blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat
until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before
and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center
for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a
leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

Just because there is restricted flow does not mean it's in the core -
though it may be . So start off with the hose just cracked on a little , and
don't use any clamps so it can blow off at low pressure . I'm having a
similar blockage problem with our '99 4Runner , but it's apparently caused
by deposits in the water jackets/cooling system that have flaked off . I
used some CLR to flush the cooling system after a thorough rinse to remove
the A/F , which has helped but not cured the problem . Yours could also be
caused by a hose with a degraded lining , a flap blocking the hose - that is
often accompanied by a bulged hose .

--
Snag

Terry Coombs wrote:
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
PS - Forgot to say - the Hot-Cold lever is opening and closing air to
the floor, vent or windshield properly.

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney"
wrote in message
...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is
nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off
and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short
blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat
until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before
and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center
for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a
leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

Just because there is restricted flow does not mean it's in the core -
though it may be . So start off with the hose just cracked on a little , and
don't use any clamps so it can blow off at low pressure . I'm having a
similar blockage problem with our '99 4Runner , but it's apparently caused
by deposits in the water jackets/cooling system that have flaked off . I
used some CLR to flush the cooling system after a thorough rinse to remove
the A/F , which has helped but not cured the problem . Yours could also be
caused by a hose with a degraded lining , a flap blocking the hose - that is
often accompanied by a bulged hose .

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 13:37:07 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

Terry Coombs wrote:
Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
PS - Forgot to say - the Hot-Cold lever is opening and closing air to
the floor, vent or windshield properly.

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney"
wrote in message
...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is
nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off
and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short
blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat
until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before
and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center
for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a
leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

Just because there is restricted flow does not mean it's in the core -
though it may be . So start off with the hose just cracked on a little , and
don't use any clamps so it can blow off at low pressure . I'm having a
similar blockage problem with our '99 4Runner , but it's apparently caused
by deposits in the water jackets/cooling system that have flaked off . I
used some CLR to flush the cooling system after a thorough rinse to remove
the A/F , which has helped but not cured the problem . Yours could also be
caused by a hose with a degraded lining , a flap blocking the hose - that is
often accompanied by a bulged hose .

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

Using air or water, keep core pressure less that 10 psi, reverse
flush. CLR soaks for a short while. Then thoroughly flushed out.

(first to videos)

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=flush+heater+core

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 14:19:35 -0600, "Terry Coombs"
wrote:

Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
PS - Forgot to say - the Hot-Cold lever is opening and closing air to
the floor, vent or windshield properly.

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney"
wrote in message
...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is
nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off
and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short
blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat
until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before
and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center
for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a
leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

Just because there is restricted flow does not mean it's in the core -
though it may be . So start off with the hose just cracked on a little , and
don't use any clamps so it can blow off at low pressure . I'm having a
similar blockage problem with our '99 4Runner , but it's apparently caused
by deposits in the water jackets/cooling system that have flaked off . I
used some CLR to flush the cooling system after a thorough rinse to remove
the A/F , which has helped but not cured the problem . Yours could also be
caused by a hose with a degraded lining , a flap blocking the hose - that is
often accompanied by a bulged hose .
Kinda hard to do with the quick-connect hose system Ford uses on the
heater cores - - - - No clamps.

On Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 1:54:17 PM UTC-5, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

I havehad dodge caravans since 1990. picked up this procedure from a local radiator shop.

its best to notonly flush the heater core but change all the coolant.


flush the heater core with both water and air. pulse the air on and off while putting water thru the core.

it generally lasts a couple years, and while you at it replace the thermostat. it might be stuck open or running the engine cold, so the heater never really gets hot.

never ever!! never ever! use radator stop leak, unlessyou really want to replace the heater core and perhaps even the radiator

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 14:36:05 -0800 (PST), bob haller
wrote:

never ever!! never ever! use radator stop leak, unlessyou really want to replace the heater core and perhaps even the radiator

You might be amazed at a tablespoon of black pepper -- will seal a
small radiator leak.

-- Swamp Billy

bob haller wrote:
On Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 1:54:17 PM UTC-5, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

I havehad dodge caravans since 1990. picked up this procedure from a local radiator shop.

its best to notonly flush the heater core but change all the coolant.


flush the heater core with both water and air. pulse the air on and off while putting water thru the core.

it generally lasts a couple years, and while you at it replace the thermostat. it might be stuck open or running the engine cold, so the heater never really gets hot.

never ever!! never ever! use radator stop leak, unlessyou really want to replace the heater core and perhaps even the radiator

Flushing is rocket science? Add chemical flush agent, drive around until
engine reaches operating temp. Wait until cools down, reverse flush
until clear water comes out. If once is not enough, repeat.
Fill with 50-50 compatible coolant. While at it replace rad. cap and
thermostat as well. Check serpentine belt too.
Periodic routine maintenance is always good idea. Neglect and laziness
creates more difficult problems.

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 14:36:05 -0800 (PST), bob haller
wrote:

On Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 1:54:17 PM UTC-5, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

I havehad dodge caravans since 1990. picked up this procedure from a local radiator shop.

its best to notonly flush the heater core but change all the coolant.


flush the heater core with both water and air. pulse the air on and off while putting water thru the core.

it generally lasts a couple years, and while you at it replace the thermostat. it might be stuck open or running the engine cold, so the heater never really gets hot.

never ever!! never ever! use radator stop leak, unlessyou really want to replace the heater core and perhaps even the radiator

I'll dissagree on one point. A "proper" rad sealer can be used with
almost total safety if the instructions are followed.
As an automotive professional I have used numerous "rad sealer"
products MANY times over the last 40+ years without any problems.

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 15:56:43 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

bob haller wrote:
On Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 1:54:17 PM UTC-5, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

I havehad dodge caravans since 1990. picked up this procedure from a local radiator shop.

its best to notonly flush the heater core but change all the coolant.


flush the heater core with both water and air. pulse the air on and off while putting water thru the core.

it generally lasts a couple years, and while you at it replace the thermostat. it might be stuck open or running the engine cold, so the heater never really gets hot.

never ever!! never ever! use radator stop leak, unlessyou really want to replace the heater core and perhaps even the radiator

Flushing is rocket science? Add chemical flush agent, drive around until
engine reaches operating temp. Wait until cools down, reverse flush
until clear water comes out. If once is not enough, repeat.
Fill with 50-50 compatible coolant. While at it replace rad. cap and
thermostat as well. Check serpentine belt too.
Periodic routine maintenance is always good idea. Neglect and laziness
creates more difficult problems.
The most important thing is to check and maintain the pH level of the
coolant - when replacing the coolant and every year. Too low a pH will
corrode the system. Too high a pH will cause scale and plug the
system.

Having the coolant filtered and the pH adjusted annually, or every 2
years will prevent almost all cooling system problems except those
caused by exterior elements - like salt, rocks, etc.

wrote:
On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 15:56:43 -0700, Tony Hwang
wrote:

bob haller wrote:
On Sunday, December 27, 2015 at 1:54:17 PM UTC-5, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

I havehad dodge caravans since 1990. picked up this procedure from a local radiator shop.

its best to notonly flush the heater core but change all the coolant.


flush the heater core with both water and air. pulse the air on and off while putting water thru the core.

it generally lasts a couple years, and while you at it replace the thermostat. it might be stuck open or running the engine cold, so the heater never really gets hot.

never ever!! never ever! use radator stop leak, unlessyou really want to replace the heater core and perhaps even the radiator

Flushing is rocket science? Add chemical flush agent, drive around until
engine reaches operating temp. Wait until cools down, reverse flush
until clear water comes out. If once is not enough, repeat.
Fill with 50-50 compatible coolant. While at it replace rad. cap and
thermostat as well. Check serpentine belt too.
Periodic routine maintenance is always good idea. Neglect and laziness
creates more difficult problems.
The most important thing is to check and maintain the pH level of the
coolant - when replacing the coolant and every year. Too low a pH will
corrode the system. Too high a pH will cause scale and plug the
system.

Having the coolant filtered and the pH adjusted annually, or every 2
years will prevent almost all cooling system problems except those
caused by exterior elements - like salt, rocks, etc.

I don't hesitate tasting it with my tongue, LOL!

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 18:31:37 -0500, wrote:

The most important thing is to check and maintain the pH level of the
coolant - when replacing the coolant and every year. Too low a pH will
corrode the system. Too high a pH will cause scale and plug the
system.

Having the coolant filtered and the pH adjusted annually, or every 2
years will prevent almost all cooling system problems except those
caused by exterior elements - like salt, rocks, etc.

http://tomdwyer.com/2010/car-information/coolant-ph/

On 12/27/2015 3:37 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

I've found that if I leave the ten minute rad
flush in for two days, the water pump seals
leak. And then I have to replace the water
pump.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 12/27/2015 5:56 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:
Flushing is rocket science? Add chemical flush agent, drive around until
engine reaches operating temp. Wait until cools down, reverse flush
until clear water comes out. If once is not enough, repeat.
Fill with 50-50 compatible coolant. While at it replace rad. cap and
thermostat as well. Check serpentine belt too.
Periodic routine maintenance is always good idea. Neglect and laziness
creates more difficult problems.

I've found to look up the system capacity.
Put in half that volume of pure antifreeze.
If you refill with 50%, you end up with
about 20% when it mixes with the fluid that
stays in the system.

--
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 12/27/2015 12:54 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:

I did the garden hose thing on a old Mercruy Comet I once had, I let
the water run through the core and into a 5 gallon bucket just to see
what and how much came out. A lot of rust, actually a whole lot of
rust. I suppose that heater core was the low part of the cooling system.
I hooked the hoses back up and the heater worked liked new after that.
Prestone makes a kit you can cut the hoses and do the same thing which
might or not be a good thing. This one is on ebay but the auto parts
stores have them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-Ant...-/221978480521

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:25:16 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 3:37 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

I've found that if I leave the ten minute rad
flush in for two days, the water pump seals
leak. And then I have to replace the water
pump.
When using ANY automotive chemical it is VERY important to follow the
instructions to the letter.
Actually not just automotive chemicals.. It is generally unsafe to use
any chemicals (or medications) in ways other than those recommended by
the manufacturer.

On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 18:34:38 -0600, My 2 Cents wrote:

On 12/27/2015 12:54 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:

I did the garden hose thing on a old Mercruy Comet I once had, I let
the water run through the core and into a 5 gallon bucket just to see
what and how much came out. A lot of rust, actually a whole lot of
rust. I suppose that heater core was the low part of the cooling system.
I hooked the hoses back up and the heater worked liked new after that.
Prestone makes a kit you can cut the hoses and do the same thing which
might or not be a good thing. This one is on ebay but the auto parts
stores have them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-Ant...-/221978480521
Proerly installed and used the "prestone" flushing "T" is a good
tool. At the dealership we had a cooling system flushing and coolant
recycling machines - which both used the flushing "T" as an access
point.

On 12/27/2015 8:03 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:25:16 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 3:37 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

I've found that if I leave the ten minute rad
flush in for two days, the water pump seals
leak. And then I have to replace the water
pump.
When using ANY automotive chemical it is VERY important to follow the
instructions to the letter.
Actually not just automotive chemicals.. It is generally unsafe to use
any chemicals (or medications) in ways other than those recommended by
the manufacturer.


Hello, Captain obvious! I wrote to share an
experience I had, and save others from making
the same mistake. Your reply has all the sound
of a condescending superior being who is stating
the obvious to the ignorant peasants. Must suck
to be surrounded by people who make mistakes,
your royal Lordship.

-
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On 12/27/2015 04:34 PM, My 2 Cents wrote:
On 12/27/2015 12:54 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:

I did the garden hose thing on a old Mercruy Comet I once had, I let
the water run through the core and into a 5 gallon bucket just to see
what and how much came out. A lot of rust, actually a whole lot of
rust. I suppose that heater core was the low part of the cooling system.
I hooked the hoses back up and the heater worked liked new after that.
Prestone makes a kit you can cut the hoses and do the same thing which
might or not be a good thing. This one is on ebay but the auto parts
stores have them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-Ant...-/221978480521

The problem with those kits is that the cap on the fill fitting can
weaken or come loose and end up leaking. It's also not recommended to
flush the entire system from the heater hose; while heater core flushing
is done during a routine flush, it is done seperately from the engine
block and radiator.

Personally, I back-flush the block from the thermostat housing (with the
hose still on), and the radiator from the bottom hose. I just use a
hose gun and pulse the input so I'm not subjecting the system to the
full pressure of a typical residential water system.

Jon

On Mon, 28 Dec 2015 07:33:50 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 8:03 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:25:16 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 3:37 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

I've found that if I leave the ten minute rad
flush in for two days, the water pump seals
leak. And then I have to replace the water
pump.
When using ANY automotive chemical it is VERY important to follow the
instructions to the letter.
Actually not just automotive chemicals.. It is generally unsafe to use
any chemicals (or medications) in ways other than those recommended by
the manufacturer.


Hello, Captain obvious! I wrote to share an
experience I had, and save others from making
the same mistake. Your reply has all the sound
of a condescending superior being who is stating
the obvious to the ignorant peasants. Must suck
to be surrounded by people who make mistakes,
your royal Lordship.

-
.
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
. www.lds.org
.
.
No , Mr Thinskin. I'm just replying , indirectly, to all the guys on
this newsgroup who complain about products like rad sealers plugging
their cooling systems, changing transmission fluid damaging their
transmissions, etc and claiming automotive chemicals are all useless
or worse.

My experience over half a century and more (ouch - that makes me feel
OLD!!!!) is there are many good automotive chemical - or as some call
them "mechanic in a can" products out there that can really save you a
lot of work and money "if used as directed"

I've made my mistakes too, in learning that lesson.

Lesson one - when using a "fast chemical flush" be VERY carefull when
you open the rad cap. I had a combination of chemical burns and
scalding that would have been a lot worse if I hadn't run into the
carwash immediately and hosed myself down - I was 16 and stupid at the
time!!

On 12/27/2015 10:54 AM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:The last thing I
want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.


Why not just buy a new car and give that piece of crap to the homeless
or something?

On Mon, 28 Dec 2015 06:10:14 -0800, Jon Danniken
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 04:34 PM, My 2 Cents wrote:
On 12/27/2015 12:54 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:

I did the garden hose thing on a old Mercruy Comet I once had, I let
the water run through the core and into a 5 gallon bucket just to see
what and how much came out. A lot of rust, actually a whole lot of
rust. I suppose that heater core was the low part of the cooling system.
I hooked the hoses back up and the heater worked liked new after that.
Prestone makes a kit you can cut the hoses and do the same thing which
might or not be a good thing. This one is on ebay but the auto parts
stores have them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-Ant...-/221978480521

The problem with those kits is that the cap on the fill fitting can
weaken or come loose and end up leaking. It's also not recommended to
flush the entire system from the heater hose; while heater core flushing
is done during a routine flush, it is done seperately from the engine
block and radiator.

Personally, I back-flush the block from the thermostat housing (with the
hose still on), and the radiator from the bottom hose. I just use a
hose gun and pulse the input so I'm not subjecting the system to the
full pressure of a typical residential water system.

Jon
The flushing machine does basically the same thing, with regulated
pressure being pulsed through the system. Been a long time since I
last used one so I forget all the details - and yes, sometimes the
caps/"T"s deteriorated with age, but usually only on the cheap "clone"
parts. If flushed every 2 years, as was recommended back in the day,
any mechanic worthy of the name would catch a deteriorarting "T" and
replace it before it caused a problem. Most were good for about 10
years minimum.

posted for all of us...


When using ANY automotive chemical it is VERY important to follow the
instructions to the letter.
Actually not just automotive chemicals.. It is generally unsafe to use
any chemicals (or medications) in ways other than those recommended by
the manufacturer.


You mean I should not double up my meth dose when I get a little twitchy?

--
Tekkie

"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message news
On 12/27/2015 8:03 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:25:16 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 3:37 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

I've found that if I leave the ten minute rad
flush in for two days, the water pump seals
leak. And then I have to replace the water
pump.
When using ANY automotive chemical it is VERY important to follow the
instructions to the letter.
Actually not just automotive chemicals.. It is generally unsafe to use
any chemicals (or medications) in ways other than those recommended by
the manufacturer.


Hello, Captain obvious! I wrote to share an
experience I had, and save others from making
the same mistake. Your reply has all the sound
of a condescending superior being who is stating
the obvious to the ignorant peasants. Must suck
to be surrounded by people who make mistakes,
your royal Lordship.

Oh you boys. LOL!!!!

I generally stay away from any chemical flushing other than adding some liquid laundry detergent, mainly because the same reason - not knowing the condition the parts or what it might do if splashed on my stylish work clothes. Another reason for me is spilling a few drops into the gutter and having some save-the-planet freak call hazmat central. I grew up in a small town and never cease to be amazed at how ignorant the average big city suburban about any kind of do-it-yourself project. Butt I digress....

wrote in message ...
On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 10:55:56 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

PS - Forgot to say - the Hot-Cold lever is opening and closing air to the floor, vent or windshield properly.

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message ...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.
If you are scared of wetting the seat remove the heater core first -
and just buy a new one. They are only about $65 US, You DO need the
special tool to remove the quick-connect hose connectors on the core,
but replacing the core is a pretty simple job as far as aerostar
repairs are concerned.

Good advice. I'm not a big fan of repairing the same part more than once. I'll disconnect it at the valve and if the valve is clear and working properly, I'll squirt the hose into the inlet and outlet a few times without pressurizing it. Then if it doesn't start flowing with a few bursts, I'll swap out the core.

Oh, and I'll be sure to swap the front tires right to left, for good measure. ;O)

"My 2 Cents" wrote in message ...
On 12/27/2015 12:54 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:

I did the garden hose thing on a old Mercruy Comet I once had, I let
the water run through the core and into a 5 gallon bucket just to see
what and how much came out. A lot of rust, actually a whole lot of
rust. I suppose that heater core was the low part of the cooling system.
I hooked the hoses back up and the heater worked liked new after that.
Prestone makes a kit you can cut the hoses and do the same thing which
might or not be a good thing. This one is on ebay but the auto parts
stores have them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-Ant...-/221978480521

That's a good kit. I replaced the radiator 18 months ago and flushed the system in the Aerostar with it fairly easily. Ended up letting the old coolant settle out overnight, then filtered thru a cloth and reused about 80% of it. Flushing only took about 15 gallons of fresh water to get completely clear. We can't dump it here but not a big deal to transfer it to gallon jugs for the recycle place.

"Jon Danniken" wrote in message ...
On 12/27/2015 04:34 PM, My 2 Cents wrote:
On 12/27/2015 12:54 PM, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:

I did the garden hose thing on a old Mercruy Comet I once had, I let
the water run through the core and into a 5 gallon bucket just to see
what and how much came out. A lot of rust, actually a whole lot of
rust. I suppose that heater core was the low part of the cooling system.
I hooked the hoses back up and the heater worked liked new after that.
Prestone makes a kit you can cut the hoses and do the same thing which
might or not be a good thing. This one is on ebay but the auto parts
stores have them.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Prestone-Ant...-/221978480521

The problem with those kits is that the cap on the fill fitting can
weaken or come loose and end up leaking. It's also not recommended to
flush the entire system from the heater hose; while heater core flushing
is done during a routine flush, it is done seperately from the engine
block and radiator.

Personally, I back-flush the block from the thermostat housing (with the
hose still on), and the radiator from the bottom hose. I just use a
hose gun and pulse the input so I'm not subjecting the system to the
full pressure of a typical residential water system.

Jon

Good point about the plastic cap. I have been checking it every time I check the oil and so far it hasn't leaked. After draining the original coolant, I filled it with water with 1/4 cup of liquid laundry detergent, let the engine heat up and drove it around the block a few times, then drained it. Next 2 flushes were water only. Then used the prestone T until it ran clear.

On Monday, December 28, 2015 at 10:10:40 PM UTC-6, Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney wrote:
"Stormin Mormon" wrote in message news
On 12/27/2015 8:03 PM, wrote:
On Sun, 27 Dec 2015 19:25:16 -0500, Stormin Mormon
wrote:

On 12/27/2015 3:37 PM, Tony Hwang wrote:

Do a chemical flushing proper then. Reverse flush too.

I've found that if I leave the ten minute rad
flush in for two days, the water pump seals
leak. And then I have to replace the water
pump.
When using ANY automotive chemical it is VERY important to follow the
instructions to the letter.
Actually not just automotive chemicals.. It is generally unsafe to use
any chemicals (or medications) in ways other than those recommended by
the manufacturer.


Hello, Captain obvious! I wrote to share an
experience I had, and save others from making
the same mistake. Your reply has all the sound
of a condescending superior being who is stating
the obvious to the ignorant peasants. Must suck
to be surrounded by people who make mistakes,
your royal Lordship.

Oh you boys. LOL!!!!

I generally stay away from any chemical flushing other than adding some liquid laundry detergent, mainly because the same reason - not knowing the condition the parts or what it might do if splashed on my stylish work clothes. Another reason for me is spilling a few drops into the gutter and having some save-the-planet freak call hazmat central. I grew up in a small town and never cease to be amazed at how ignorant the average big city suburban about any kind of do-it-yourself project. Butt I digress....

I spent the latter part of my childhood on the family farm and I miss being able to tear something apart, scatter it everywhere, burn trash, shoot guns, build bombs and run around nekid without a nosy neighbor calling the cops. I miss the freedom. \(—¦'Œ£'—¦)/

[8~{} Uncle Farm Monster

On 12/29/2015 5:14 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:

I spent the latter part of my childhood on the family
farm and I miss being able to tear something apart,
scatter it everywhere, burn trash, shoot guns, build
bombs and run around nekid without a nosy neighbor
calling the cops. I miss the freedom. \(—¦'Œ£'—¦)/

[8~{} Uncle Farm Monster


Well, you can still do the naked part. As long
as you have your wheel chair, canes, prosthetic
leg, urinal, bedpan, nurse call button, up to
date pills, diet Mt. Dew, and Depends. Just like
the good old days, eh?

--
..
Christopher A. Young
learn more about Jesus
.. www.lds.org
..
..

On Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 6:30:25 AM UTC-6, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 12/29/2015 5:14 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:

I spent the latter part of my childhood on the family
farm and I miss being able to tear something apart,
scatter it everywhere, burn trash, shoot guns, build
bombs and run around nekid without a nosy neighbor
calling the cops. I miss the freedom. \(—¦'Œ£'—¦)/

[8~{} Uncle Farm Monster


Well, you can still do the naked part. As long
as you have your wheel chair, canes, prosthetic
leg, urinal, bedpan, nurse call button, up to
date pills, diet Mt. Dew, and Depends. Just like
the good old days, eh?
--
.
Hell, I haven't worn a pair of my bluejeans or shoes in over a year. The last trip to the hospital before I was sent here, I was wearing briefs under my gym shorts and had on one of my favorite T shirts. Those garments vanished after I got here because my name wasn't written in them with a laundry marker. Since then, I've inherited a number of T shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, long sleeve shirts and shorts. Now all I need are my shoes to wear instead of those long non slip booties. ヽ(€¢€¿€¢)ノ

[8~{} Uncle Bootie Monster

Uncle Monster posted for all of us...



On Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 6:30:25 AM UTC-6, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 12/29/2015 5:14 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:

I spent the latter part of my childhood on the family
farm and I miss being able to tear something apart,
scatter it everywhere, burn trash, shoot guns, build
bombs and run around nekid without a nosy neighbor
calling the cops. I miss the freedom. \(?'?'?)/

[8~{} Uncle Farm Monster


Well, you can still do the naked part. As long
as you have your wheel chair, canes, prosthetic
leg, urinal, bedpan, nurse call button, up to
date pills, diet Mt. Dew, and Depends. Just like
the good old days, eh?
--
.
Hell, I haven't worn a pair of my bluejeans or shoes in over a year. The last trip to the hospital before I was sent here, I was wearing briefs under my gym shorts and had on one of my favorite T shirts. Those garments vanished after I got here because my name wasn't written in them with a laundry marker. Since then, I've inherited a number of T shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, long sleeve shirts and shorts. Now all I need are my shoes to wear
instead of those long non slip booties. ?(???)?

[8~{} Uncle Bootie Monster

Hey you can get free shoes if you are a diabetic, or on medicaid (I believe)
most the podiatrist that can fix you up.

--
Tekkie

On Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 2:10:25 PM UTC-6, Tekkie® wrote:
Uncle Monster posted for all of us...

On Tuesday, December 29, 2015 at 6:30:25 AM UTC-6, Stormin Mormon wrote:
On 12/29/2015 5:14 AM, Uncle Monster wrote:

I spent the latter part of my childhood on the family
farm and I miss being able to tear something apart,
scatter it everywhere, burn trash, shoot guns, build
bombs and run around nekid without a nosy neighbor
calling the cops. I miss the freedom. \(?'?'?)/

[8~{} Uncle Farm Monster

Well, you can still do the naked part. As long
as you have your wheel chair, canes, prosthetic
leg, urinal, bedpan, nurse call button, up to
date pills, diet Mt. Dew, and Depends. Just like
the good old days, eh?
--
.
Hell, I haven't worn a pair of my bluejeans or shoes in over a year. The last trip to the hospital before I was sent here, I was wearing briefs under my gym shorts and had on one of my favorite T shirts. Those garments vanished after I got here because my name wasn't written in them with a laundry marker. Since then, I've inherited a number of T shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, long sleeve shirts and shorts. Now all I need are my shoes to wear
instead of those long non slip booties. ?(???)?

[8~{} Uncle Bootie Monster

Hey you can get free shoes if you are a diabetic, or on medicaid (I believe)
most the podiatrist that can fix you up.
--
Tekkie

A podiatrist visits the center every few months and uses a Dremel Tool to grind off callouses, corns and toenails. I've never asked about shoes and I was thought to be diabetic but my blood sugar checks normal. Hell, I need two new knees and two new shoulders. I'm in a great deal of pain right now because the weather has changed. Even my hair hurts. Š™.˜‰

[8~{} Uncle Foot Monster

On Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:10:35 -0500, Tekkie®
wrote:

Hey you can get free shoes if you are a diabetic, or on medicaid (I believe)
most the podiatrist that can fix you up.

Why did my wife's new hip cost $192,000 ? Add my medical bill
~$86,000?

I think they are messing with us, man.

Oren posted for all of us...



On Tue, 29 Dec 2015 15:10:35 -0500, Tekkie®
wrote:

Hey you can get free shoes if you are a diabetic, or on medicaid (I believe)
most the podiatrist that can fix you up.

Why did my wife's new hip cost $192,000 ? Add my medical bill
~$86,000?

I think they are messing with us, man.

Because the insurance co's get a discount. My brother used to rant when he
was uninsured. He had to pay full tab on visits and labs. The hospitals or
doctors would not even quote prices then. From articles I have read that is
changing because docs want money that the ins co has sliced out of them.
That is also leading to the surge of stand alone centers springing up.

--
Tekkie

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message ...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

---

I finally got some time to spend on this...

First I check the open/close valve that controls coolant flow valve to heater again and it is working properly. Once the engine was hot and valve open, both hoses between valve and heater core were hot.

Inside, the blower speed control is fine. Diverter control sends air to windshield and panel vents OK, but no air flows to floor. Also, with temp control set to hot, air to both windshield and panel vents is cold.

I found this vacuum control PDF for a 98 Windstar and will start again next time. I was planning to dig into this today, but rain's a coming and I have to climb up the pole here at the old Haney place and replace a few shingles that sailed off last week.

This link forwards to vacuum pages of a Windstar manual....
http://www.fordforumsonline.com/atta...acuum-pdf.122/

If that link doesn't work, search for 98 Windstar HVAC Vacuum.pdf

On Sat, 2 Jan 2016 11:57:04 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message ...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

---

I finally got some time to spend on this...

First I check the open/close valve that controls coolant flow valve to heater again and it is working properly. Once the engine was hot and valve open, both hoses between valve and heater core were hot.

Inside, the blower speed control is fine. Diverter control sends air to windshield and panel vents OK, but no air flows to floor. Also, with temp control set to hot, air to both windshield and panel vents is cold.

I found this vacuum control PDF for a 98 Windstar and will start again next time. I was planning to dig into this today, but rain's a coming and I have to climb up the pole here at the old Haney place and replace a few shingles that sailed off last week.

This link forwards to vacuum pages of a Windstar manual....
http://www.fordforumsonline.com/atta...acuum-pdf.122/

If that link doesn't work, search for 98 Windstar HVAC Vacuum.pdf
Why the heck are you using a Windstar manual to diagnosw an
Aerostar???
TOTALLY different animals.
Get the right manual, or get someone who knows what the heck is going
on to fix it!!!!!

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message
...

Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly
plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and
connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of
from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows
free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and
been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some
(good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core
and hose down the front seat.





Heater Core Back-Flushing

All engine cooling system flushing and back-flushing procedures must include
a separate back-flushing of the heater or air conditioning system heater
core (18476), after the flushing or back-flushing of the engine cooling
system.

The correct back-flushing procedure for heater core is as follows:

Disconnect the heater core outlet hose from the water pump fitting and
install a female garden hose-end fitting adapter in the end of the outlet
heater hose. Secure with a hose clamp.

Connect the female garden hose end of the outlet heater hose to the male end
of a water supply garden hose.

Disconnect the heater core inlet hose from the engine block fitting and
allow to drain into an appropriate container.

Check to be certain the water valve is open (no vacuum) if a water valve is
installed in the heater core inlet hose.

Turn the water supply valve on and off several times so that the surge
action helps to dislodge larger stubborn particles from the heater core
tubes. Allow full water pressure to flow for approximately five minutes.

Apply vacuum to the water valve vacuum motor, if a water valve is installed
in the heater core inlet heater hose, to ensure proper operation of the
water valve and proper closure with no water leakage. Replace the water
valve if required.

Remove the hose clamp and female garden hose end adapter from the end of the
outlet heater hose and reconnect the outlet heater hose onto the water pump
fitting.

Connect the inlet heater hose onto the engine block fitting.

Fill the cooling system. Refer to the procedure in this section.

Test the system for proper heater performance with the specified engine
cooling system conditions.

Thanks Rick.

"Rick" wrote in message ...


"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message
...

Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly
plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and
connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of
from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows
free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and
been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some
(good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core
and hose down the front seat.





Heater Core Back-Flushing

All engine cooling system flushing and back-flushing procedures must include
a separate back-flushing of the heater or air conditioning system heater
core (18476), after the flushing or back-flushing of the engine cooling
system.

The correct back-flushing procedure for heater core is as follows:

Disconnect the heater core outlet hose from the water pump fitting and
install a female garden hose-end fitting adapter in the end of the outlet
heater hose. Secure with a hose clamp.

Connect the female garden hose end of the outlet heater hose to the male end
of a water supply garden hose.

Disconnect the heater core inlet hose from the engine block fitting and
allow to drain into an appropriate container.

Check to be certain the water valve is open (no vacuum) if a water valve is
installed in the heater core inlet hose.

Turn the water supply valve on and off several times so that the surge
action helps to dislodge larger stubborn particles from the heater core
tubes. Allow full water pressure to flow for approximately five minutes.

Apply vacuum to the water valve vacuum motor, if a water valve is installed
in the heater core inlet heater hose, to ensure proper operation of the
water valve and proper closure with no water leakage. Replace the water
valve if required.

Remove the hose clamp and female garden hose end adapter from the end of the
outlet heater hose and reconnect the outlet heater hose onto the water pump
fitting.

Connect the inlet heater hose onto the engine block fitting.

Fill the cooling system. Refer to the procedure in this section.

Test the system for proper heater performance with the specified engine
cooling system conditions.

wrote in message ...
On Sat, 2 Jan 2016 11:57:04 -0800, "Snuffy \"Hub Cap\" McKinney"
wrote:

"Snuffy "Hub Cap" McKinney" wrote in message ...
Back to the 97 Aerostar again.... It appears that the heater core is nearly plugged. Some heat gets through, but not much.

Heater valve & vacuum work fine. A friend said to pull the valve off and connect a garden hose to the outlet and hit it with some short blasts of from the garden hose. Then connect to the inlet and repeat until it flows free and clean.

But, and this is a big butt, I have done these kind of things before and been sorry later. So I thought I'd ask the online brain center for some (good) advice first. The last thing I want to do is open a leak in the core and hose down the front seat.

---

I finally got some time to spend on this...

First I check the open/close valve that controls coolant flow valve to heater again and it is working properly. Once the engine was hot and valve open, both hoses between valve and heater core were hot.

Inside, the blower speed control is fine. Diverter control sends air to windshield and panel vents OK, but no air flows to floor. Also, with temp control set to hot, air to both windshield and panel vents is cold.

I found this vacuum control PDF for a 98 Windstar and will start again next time. I was planning to dig into this today, but rain's a coming and I have to climb up the pole here at the old Haney place and replace a few shingles that sailed off last week.

This link forwards to vacuum pages of a Windstar manual....
http://www.fordforumsonline.com/atta...acuum-pdf.122/

If that link doesn't work, search for 98 Windstar HVAC Vacuum.pdf
Why the heck are you using a Windstar manual to diagnosw an
Aerostar???
TOTALLY different animals.
Get the right manual, or get someone who knows what the heck is going
on to fix it!!!!!

Thanks!!!! I found the info for 97 Aerostar/Ranger!!!!

http://visualbits.net/Car%20Stuff/Fo...,%20Ranger.pdf
!!!!