Hello everyone, got a problem I'm hoping y'all can help with. I recently swapped an intake manifold in my wife's Crown Vic, then within a month the heater core started to leak. I read somewhere here of some sort of flow control? Is this something I missed when I installed the intake? Which by the way was the suckiest intake I've ever swapped! Anyhoo I bypassed the heater core for the summer and now that it's getting cold I need to fix this and I don't want to rip the dash apart twice because I didn't check on this flow control thingy. Any help would be massively appreciated!!!

There is a flow restrictor (essentially a metal tube that is inserted in the rubber hose to restrict flow) that is sometimes installed when a heater core is replaced to reduce the pressure within the core. AFIK, there wasn't anything like that from the factory on these cars though.

Is this an aftermarket thing then? If so where can I get one? I wonder why the heater core decided to take a dump when i swapped the intake? It's not like I manhandled it, just pulled the heater hoses out of the way some. Thanks for the response!!

Why would you ever want to restrict the flow through the heater core without atleast creating a bypass hose/valve?

The engine coolant flows through the heater core at all times. If the heater core is restricted, the engine coolant flow is restricted throughout the engine. AND the pressure increases in other places (i.e. the plastic intake manifold) as a result of that restriction.

Just replace the heater core with a new Motorcraft one and enjoy your heat.

If you dont want to replace it now, seeing you live in Texas, just bypass it. Its a big job, i been thru it 4 times in my old 94. When it took a dump in my 99, i just threw in Cayenne pepper and that surprisingly fixed it.

Cayenne Pepper ??? powder form ?? how much did you use ? signed..Heatless in new york

I did bypass it in July when it was 105, actually the air conditioning worked kick azz after. Now though it's in the 20's-30's at night, and when you wake up in the morning or go out later at night it's just too cold for my wife and kids. It has to be done and I'm REALLY not looking forward to it, just want to make sure I don't do this twice. Four times in your old 94'?!

It broke four times, the last time i just left it as is, haha.
Its a pain to replace, cause the whole dash has to come apart. set aside a day to do it, its not something that can be done in an hour.

Is there a link here to a heater core replacement write up?

I have done mine twice. My suggestion is to set aside at least 2 days for the first time. My second time around was fast like a few hours. If you can afford it do yourself a favor and buy a Genuine Ford Heater Core and skip the auto part chain's junk cores.

Here are some good links:

http://www.p71interceptor.com/heatercore/replace/pictures/

https://www.crownvic.net/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1588408#Post1588408

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/6098/29780

AWESOME!!!! That's exactly what I was looking for! I just bought the O'Reilly's heater core for $30, these ones really are crap? Wonder how much the Ford core costs.....

I got a NAPA in mine now & only cause the other one was under warranty yet.......I will go geniune Ford next time just cause of the headache it is and the crap core I got from NAPA the first time. I wanna say Fords is like $60-$70???

If you don't want to replace the heater core 4 times, I really suggest you get a Ford heater core. Checking in on our good friends TascaFord a heater core for a 98 Crown Vic is $95.71 but there price is $73.70. You did not specify what year your car is.