Kinda a dumb question, is there a way to find out if the magic air heater works before putting the engine into the car? i would rather pull it out now if it doesnt work.
Plug one heater hose. Clamp an air fitting on the other hose and inflate to no more than 10 psi. and see if it leaks down. Hook power to the heater motor and see if it works.
You're that far apart, I would take it the rest of the way down. If car has sat a long time especially. Mice love to build nests in heaters. Great time to take heater core into a old school radiator shop and have checked also.
When I was working on my '50 I had it that far apart and couldn't imagine not getting the heater ***y. out and completely apart to check things out. I pressure tested the core and cleaned everything up and painted everything. I made sure all the controls and doors worked. With the heater out I could see that the air door in the RH side duct needed new rubber so I fixed that at the same time. Where I'm from a heater is important. I can't tell where you are from so maybe it isn't as important to you.
I’d do like others say and tear it down. I went in and cleaned the one I used, then put it on the shelf until I got ready to put it in. I didn’t cover it, my mistake. Dirt daubers built on the fan cage, when I turned it on it vibrated like hell. I should have checked it again, but didn’t think about it.
Somewhere in that time frame Ford started using the Ranco heater control valve. The rebuilt kit for the internal valve is still available from NAPA, but that does not include the capillary tube, so be careful not to kink it. Yours may not have it.
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