72 F100 - Coolant smell in cab and heat always on

[SammyFramson]

Hi - I’m a newbie to the forum and the bumpsides. My sweet wife recently bought me a 72 f100 as a project. I don’t know much but want to learn and dig in...

I am hoping for any help anyone can give - I’m getting constant heat in my cab from the floor vents and smell coolant in the cab. I took out the radio and saw that the heating cables won’t move and one just bound up and snapped off at the top. I’ve searched around and Guessing a heater core leak is the culprit for the smell, but I don’t know this system and can’t find images or videos with what the heating system “should” look like so I can tell if I’m missing parts, etc. I also have no idea how to fix the broken / bound up cables and if that’s a difficult fix or something a DYIer can tackle? Just formed over a fortune to get the truck running at the mechanic and hoping I can avoid seeing them anytime again soon, so any help, pics or guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks - Kory

[basketcase0302]

Kory,

Welcome to Fordification, when you get a chance stop by the welcome mat and say hi to everybody. And it's also a lot easier and you'll get quicker and more accurate answers to your questions if you create a "signature" of your truck and what it has engine / transmission / year wise.
If it doesn't have AC here's the drawing on the heater assembly with all the associated hoses. And yes that's the clasic symptons of a hole in the heater core, (the coolant smell inside the cab). You can get by in a pinch by bypassing the heater core, (but realize this also makes your defroster non-effective) by bypassing the hoses under the hood. Give yourself an entire day, (once you order/source the heater core) as it usually a mess inside of it and needs a lot...of cleaning. This is also a good time to upgrade the unit to a dent style, (73-79') which pushed a lot...more air to your defrost and heat.
Here's the image of the heater core / plenum / defrost hoses / cables and all the other parts:



And her's links for both Dennis Carpenter and NPD that both have almost any part you could need for it:

https://www.dennis-carpenter.com/truckhome

https://www.npdlink.com/1948-1979-ford-truck

[390FE1972]

Here are some threads on rebuilding your heater, cable placement etc. they have some great pictures to help you get familiar with the heater box on our trucks: http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =6&t=44760
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =6&t=78295
http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... =8&t=36731

Hope this helps!

[sargentrs]

Here's a thread on rebuilding one. http://www.fordification.com/forum/view ... hp?t=73960. Easy to do. Your shut-off valve on the heater hose in the engine compartment is probably stuck open.
If the cables aren't working, it's not stopping the flow of coolant into the heater core, hence, the constant heat.

[markguiver]

Also, to free up the cables, you can put a little bit of light oil on the outer cable sheaths (which aren't sealed) to lube them as well as to free them up. 3-in-1 oil works pretty good and, the little tip makes it easier to run the bead all the way along the sheath. In the hard to reach spots, a small art paint brush dipped in the oil helps place it where you want it. The oil soaks through the spirals on the sheath and lubes the wire inside, eliminating having to push and pull so hard the wire breaks. It makes the controls work like butter on my truck and my Bronco.
Mark.