I have noticed a smell of antifreeze in the cab of my 1998 Ford F-150 truck. 8 cylinder 4.6 litre triton engine. Some friends say the heater core has a leak. The windshield fogs up when running the defroster. How difficult is it to replace the heater core?
If you don’t intend repairing that problem immediately I would strongly advise that you bypass the heater core. Breathing coolant vapor can be a problem.
Sure sounds like the heater core is bad. It can be bypassed if you don’t need heat.
Google " replace heater core in 1998 Ford 150 ". You will find a 3 part youtube video. After you watch it, grab a bottle of barsleak for your radiator and pray it works.
@Pete-101 I’ve replaced heater cores on your body style Ford already. There is no shortcut or secret access panel. You need to remove the dash (or at least move it back SEVERAL inches).
Plan on making a full day out of it. If not a weekend.
replacing the heater core in a 2000 F150, is a 2-3 day event, you have to remove the complete dash, there is approx. 40 #6 screws/bolts and 6 8mill nuts, along with the dash airbag (BE CAREFULL) dropping the steering column, pulling the wire harness loose from the bulk head, and all the ground bolts and locations, then taking the evap housing off, some of those screws are by feel only, now once you did that and looking at you heater core, I strongly recommend replacing the blend door actuator, especially if any fluid has touched it. You don’t wanna do this again
Thanks everyone for the comments. The job may be too big for me. I think I’ll try the barsleak. if it doesn’t work I’ll probably take it to a mechanic. Maybe I can get by with a bill for $500.00. The bad thing is I only bought the truck a few months ago
@Pete-101 if someone offers to do the repair for $500, fork over the cash immediately, before he changes his mind.