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  1. #1
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    HELP!!!! Truck Problems

    So I went outside this morning to warm up my work truck. ABout 15 minutes later I went back out to head to the job site and was greeted by the smell of antifreeze when I opened the door. Smoke/ antifreeze was coming out of the heater vent and all my windows where fogged up with a thin film of antifreeze. I think this means my heater core is shot, am I right?

  2. #2
    BLOODSWEATSTEEL Guest
    Yes, you are correct.

  3. #3
    Join Date
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    so cal
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    It is the heater core. I just hope yours is easier to get to then mine. Replaceing it is easy but getting to it could be a chore as I had to tear half of my dash apart to get to it. Good luck.

  4. #4
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    1983 F350. I'm pretty sure its going to be one of those rip out the whole dash jobs. I think its behind the glove box but I'm going ot go buy the Haynes book for the truck before I start.

  5. #5
    BLOODSWEATSTEEL Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by two_planks
    1983 F350. I'm pretty sure its going to be one of those rip out the whole dash jobs. I think its behind the glove box but I'm going ot go buy the Haynes book for the truck before I start.
    I had an 84 Bronco and it was a 20 minute job. Dash should be exactly the same. It's in the black box behind/under the pass. side dash. There are 4 or 5 screws holding it shut and one control cable to disconnect. Should be easy $.

  6. #6
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    I had a 78 cj and determined that new gloves and one of those fake fur seat covers was a better bet. I agree, core.

    good luck.

  7. #7
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    Most likely heater core. If you're really lucky, it's just a hose leading to/from the heater core that sprung a leak.

    You may be able to cobble together a patch job that bypasses the heater core, leaving everything else functioning normally, without tearing apart the dashboard. There's usually a 4-way valve under the hood that is in-line with the heater hoses. Remove this valve and run a male-to-male fitting to connect the heater hose back to itself (difficult to describe this in words, easy once someone shows it to you).

    You won't have any heat though. Depends on whether you care... it might be cheaper for you to do this, and buy a small electric heater to use in the truck (cig lighter plug-in?) instead.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  8. #8
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    Well. it would have been extremely easy if it wasn't for one ^^(*&^*&%$% rusty bolt. Take off the glove box, undo three nuts, everything else is under the hood and easy to get to. On a good note I got pissed off at my socket set that has slowly dwindled down to a very incomplete set, so I went and got a new one. $300 set on clearance for $90, almost made it all worth while.

  9. #9
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    Man, I hate when shit breaks. But if it's a justification for new tools. RIGHT ON!!!
    Vommit inducing vertigo....

  10. #10
    Join Date
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    Well it seems your ^^ problem is fixed, so technically, this isn't a thread hijack. Hell, perhaps it will be a collective thread to pass on advice.

    '89 F250, 5.8L Auto - dog heavy (prolly over 8k lbs). Engine purrs like a kitty (2nd engine, say 50k on it) when idling, no major engine noise under operation. Exhaust clean, quiet, and no holes.

    But it's been really experiencing major power loss. It's never been a hot-rod, but it has gotten to the point where I can't maintain 55 on the hwy under any grade (except downhill) even in 2. Gas milage is 5-8 mpg, normal operating altitude is 8-10k.

    I'm thinking plugs and wires, check compression. Any other suggestions? At this point I'm in L going 15 mph up Vail pass and that is if the hubs aren't locked.
    Is it radix panax notoginseng? - splat
    This is like hanging yourself but the rope breaks. - DTM
    Dude Listen to mtm. He's a marriage counselor at burning man. - subtle plague

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark
    Well it seems your ^^ problem is fixed, so technically, this isn't a thread hijack. Hell, perhaps it will be a collective thread to pass on advice.

    '89 F250, 5.8L Auto - dog heavy (prolly over 8k lbs). Engine purrs like a kitty (2nd engine, say 50k on it) when idling, no major engine noise under operation. Exhaust clean, quiet, and no holes.

    But it's been really experiencing major power loss. It's never been a hot-rod, but it has gotten to the point where I can't maintain 55 on the hwy under any grade (except downhill) even in 2. Gas milage is 5-8 mpg, normal operating altitude is 8-10k.

    I'm thinking plugs and wires, check compression. Any other suggestions? At this point I'm in L going 15 mph up Vail pass and that is if the hubs aren't locked.

    ideas...ford....should've expected it.....j/k

    check all the basic shit that can rob an engine of simple juice. Start cheap. Air fliter, plugs(use champion or ac, not some "fancy shit") wires, fuel filter, new distributor, coil etc, that's an older engine buy vac lines will fumble up an engine, throttle body, clean the shit out of it..... If it has no aspiration doesn't matter the engine size. My 02 cents, start cheap, move up from there. You can fck with most of this stuff with zero mechanical knowledge and a simple diagram, most of it is plug and play. don't cross the wires and that sort of normal sense type of stuff and you'll be fine.

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark
    Well it seems your ^^ problem is fixed, so technically, this isn't a thread hijack. Hell, perhaps it will be a collective thread to pass on advice.

    '89 F250, 5.8L Auto - dog heavy (prolly over 8k lbs). Engine purrs like a kitty (2nd engine, say 50k on it) when idling, no major engine noise under operation. Exhaust clean, quiet, and no holes.

    But it's been really experiencing major power loss. It's never been a hot-rod, but it has gotten to the point where I can't maintain 55 on the hwy under any grade (except downhill) even in 2. Gas milage is 5-8 mpg, normal operating altitude is 8-10k.

    I'm thinking plugs and wires, check compression. Any other suggestions? At this point I'm in L going 15 mph up Vail pass and that is if the hubs aren't locked.
    Vacuum leak(s) is my guess. Pain to diagnose though.

    Change plugs, wires, distrib. cap, if not done anytime recently -- won't hurt, might help. Check air intake & filter for any restrictions, clean throttle body. If you try these and still no improvement, start hunting for vacuum leaks. Spray WD40 on vacuum lines while idling, listen for idle speed increase (if there's a crack, it'll suck the WD40 into the intake; safer than starting fluid); if you hear the engine rev up slightly, replace that line.
    Quote Originally Posted by powder11 View Post
    if you have to resort to taking advice from the nitwits on this forum, then you're doomed.

  13. #13
    BLOODSWEATSTEEL Guest
    I'd seafoam to clean everything out real well before changing the plugs also.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Feb 2005
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    Thanks, didn't think about the vacuum leak. I'll start with the simpler ones and move on from there.
    Is it radix panax notoginseng? - splat
    This is like hanging yourself but the rope breaks. - DTM
    Dude Listen to mtm. He's a marriage counselor at burning man. - subtle plague

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Idaho
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    710
    check engine light on?

    EGR Valve
    O2 Sensor

    Also, look at your exhaust manifolds with a flashlight. Look for a crack, especially on the passenger's side.

  16. #16
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    Feb 2005
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    Figured it was worth a bump b/c I hate searching for car repair threads on the net that don't actually show the resolution.

    Did a complete tune-up last week when it got so bad that the beast's top speed was 20 mph on the flats. Wires, plugs, distributor cap, rotor, all filters, yada yada. Took about an hour and a hundie. No improvement whatsoever. Had just gone through a couple cans of BG44K with no help either.

    Turns out the cataylitic converter was internally shredding sending crap down the exaust to the 2nd cat which was also a mess.

    Basically the bananna in the tailpipe syndrome. I didn't detect it myself as it idled like a champ, I could see and feel hot exhaust coming out of the tailpipe, and a swift bang on the cat yielded no rattling.

    Damage was new exaust manifold and cats + an o2 sensor.
    Is it radix panax notoginseng? - splat
    This is like hanging yourself but the rope breaks. - DTM
    Dude Listen to mtm. He's a marriage counselor at burning man. - subtle plague

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