3rd Heater Core Plugged In 6 Months...

[slo town]

It would be interesting to find out what the material that's plugging things looks like. Is it "goo"? What color? Does it smell like petroleum? Is there sand in it?

You may even want to buy a gallon each of the potentially incompatible coolants and mix them together to see what happens. Dilute with distilled water and heat in a pan on a stove. Imagine if you saw it gel up right before your eyes. If so, there's your answer.

At any rate, a bizarre problem for sure.

Scott

Edit: Did you buy the truck new? If not, maybe the previous owner R&R'd with something incompatible that's having a lasting effect somehow.

 

[JWC86]

The only conclusion that I can think of is coolant incompatibility to react so quickly or copious amounts of stop leak.
Since you used the correct coolant and nothing else, I would suspect the dealer screwing this up by either using wrong coolant or stop leak.

I went in last week and talked to the service manager, I was surprised to fine he actually seems like a strait shooter and seemed like he was being honest with me. He doesn't think the tech did much of a flush despite what he wrote in his notes. He wants to ensure it gets a very good flush next time. It didn't sound like hes been impressed with the quality of work from this tech recently so I showed him some pictures I tool of the interior and trim pieces that he messed up putting it back together, it doesn't sound like this guy will be employed there much longer if he even still is.

We agreed that when I have a chance to bring it in again we will schedule it in with his most senior tech and ensure I good job is done flushing the system. Hopefully it will be the last time.

 

[Sumboodie]

VC-13 is the FMC coolant

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

What OEM coolant? Premium Orange is prone to plugging, Premium Yellow (Prestone) is better, IMO.

yellow is what is in the vehicle. ford has been putting that since 2019

 

[JWC86]

VC-13 is the FMC coolant

That is what was used as per post 5

 

[bullwinkle]

yellow is what is in the vehicle. ford has been putting that since 2019

Something unusual is going on with the OP’s truck, we have at least 25 Transits & F-150s running Yellow & I haven’t heard of any coolant issues. Unlike the Orange.

 

[Fahrvergnügen]

Something unusual is going on with the OP’s truck, we have at least 25 Transits & F-150s running Yellow & I haven’t heard of any coolant issues. Unlike the Orange.

Sounds like the yellow p-oat was mixed with maybe another.

 

[Jetronic]

Do you need the heater core right now? I'd get it out of the loop and a filter in it's place, something easily changed or cleaned. And this until the filter stops clogging

 

[Sumboodie]

That is what was used as per post 5

Yes. Was replying to post 24, which is below mine for some off reason.

Orange is VC-3 and Gold is VC-7.

We only sell VC-13 now, it's supposed to be compatible with the older VC-7 and 3 per FMC, though I'm not expert on that.

 

[dlundblad]

Have you seen the plugged heater core? Is it plugged with antifreeze sludge, rust, or something else?

 

[21_6.7f450]

I would ask for your old heater core back. I'd like to see it. Sand, scale, sludge what is plugging it. That will tell you what to do next.

 

[JWC86]

I would ask for your old heater core back. I'd like to see it. Sand, scale, sludge what is plugging it. That will tell you what to do next.

I’ve asked every time

 

[21_6.7f450]

What do they look like inside?

 

[JWC86]

What do they look like inside?

No idea, they won’t give them to me. Warranty

 

[21_6.7f450]

Maybe they are just replacing a heater control valve and calling it a "heater core" to drive up the repair cost but in reality it is only a 15 minute fix and $70.

 

[bdcardinal]

No idea, they won’t give them to me. Warranty

If you ask the parts department nicely, they can give them to you once Ford says to scrap the part. We have to wait until we are given disposition by Ford to either scrap or return for inspection.

 

[JWC86]

If you ask the parts department nicely, they can give them to you once Ford says to scrap the part. We have to wait until we are given disposition by Ford to either scrap or return for inspection.

They got returned from what I was told.

 

[JWC86]

Maybe they are just replacing a heater control valve and calling it a "heater core" to drive up the repair cost but in reality it is only a 15 minute fix and $70.

There is no way they could have faked pulling the dash and putting it back in so poorly as they did this last time.

 

[21_6.7f450]

Yea, if a dash on a newer vehicle gets pulled, clips break and rattles start.

 

[NashNative]

2020 Ford F350 7.3L Gas
Truck is under warranty, repairs done at dealer.

Some history:
May 2023, 86,000 km / 3200hrs, drain and fill cooling system with OEM coolant/distilled water(Done by me)

Jan 9 2024, 108,000 km / 3850hrs Heater Core plugged, replaced by dealer.

May 29 2024, 119,775 km / 4180hrs Heater Core plugged, replaced by dealer, removed thermostat and flushed block, removed rad and flushed. Filled with new coolant.

June 2 2024, 119,900 km / 4182hrs Heater Core appears to be plugged again, lost heat on drivers side first, now little heat at all even from passenger side.

I've never seen or heard of this before, heater core becoming plugged almost immediately after a complete flush.

I would like to install a filter before the inlet on the heater hose to prevent this as it's getting old fast but have warranty concerns. If I did go the filter route does anyone have a suggestion as to what a good filter/housing setup would be?

Any ideas on what is causing this?

I asked them to cut the core open last time so we could see what is plugging them but they declined.

Scroll to page 6; we have some coolant filters + heads: https://cms.fleetguard.com/en_NA/literature/coolant-products/lt15108