Is it the heater core?

90dpscoupe · 07-25-2001, 10:49 PM

someone said they smell coolant in my car, and also, i noticed the other day, my carpet was a bit damp, on the drivers side? not bad though, i know this job is a $#@tch, so what should i do? what did you guys do? can i cap it off? it does get cold though in the winter.

Fox Body · 07-25-2001, 11:05 PM

*snickering*

Oh man, I know how it is. Had to do it twice to my own car and expect that I'll have to do it some more. Sucks, but gets easier each time and not taking it to a shop saves around $400 dollars.

If you're smell coolant in the car and it's leaking inside it probably is the core. Does your windshield ever fog up on the inside with some liquid that won't just wipe off easily (actually being coolant)? Try turning up your heat or defrost and see if it does it.

Just make sure it really is your heater core b4 you start pulling everything.

Now, you can just bypass the heater core in less than 10 minutes by going under the hood. Could just bypass it for now and change it a month b4 it gets cold in your side of the world.

And if you do buy a new heater core MAKE SURE YOU INSPECT IT AND THAT IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION.

-----------------------------------------
351W-powered 1979 Ford Mustang notchback
Stock 5.8L under 4" cowl, C4 w/ shift kit
Holley 750 cfm, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake
1 5/8" MAC shorty headers, Al driveshaft
2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters
Front: 225/60/15, Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II
Weld wheels (15x6;15x8), 8.8" Rear w/ 3.55s
14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup someday)

"Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

joe4speed · 07-26-2001, 12:57 AM

sounds like it is, my man! Good luck what a #@$@%@$@#@$@# pain in the a$$ it is....

when mine went, I called around and places basically laughed at me then quoted an enormous amount of $$ for the job, then I let it sit with no heat for 3 years. Now I have to get in there again,. because the a/c coil has to be changed.! GRRRR

so it's been 3 years with no a/c! Fun, huh???

although you said it was damp on the drivers side, that's odd... turn on the heat and see if it smells like coolant.

------------------
Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.58@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com
99 Ninja ZX-6R:10.32@135mph!
1993 Olds Eighty Eight LSS 16.40@88.8mph

HiFlow5 0 · 07-26-2001, 10:35 AM

yup sounds like a heater core! have fun replacing it. like foxbody said, inspect it real well! i didn't do that when i changed mine, and the new one leaked worse then the original one! but i tell u taking the dash apart the second time was a snap cause i already knew what to do, took me like 45 minutes instead of over 2 hours the first time.

------------------
89 GT AOD w/ shift kit, B&M rachet shifter, Trickflow intake, Crane (E-type) cam, 70Tb, 75MAF, 1.6 Rockers, Pulleys, MAC headers and H-pipe, Dynomax mufflers, K&N, 3 core radiator, white face gauges, custom interior, cobra R rims
MY89GT

90dpscoupe · 07-27-2001, 12:04 AM

Thanx guys, but if i do cap it off, will it affect me A/C? i want my air, today it was like 102, anyway let me know something....

------------------
90 lx coupe: 175k miles, steeda water pump pully, hurst shifter, Mac cold air fenderwell, accel supercoil, ADS chip, aluminum D/S, Black magic fan, 3.27grs.
Best time: 13.9116(on 225/60/15 firehawks)
Best mph: 98.17
Best 60': 1.9607

next mods: subframes, mac h-pipe

joe4speed · 07-27-2001, 02:25 AM

It won't affect your a/c at all... you just won't have any heat...

------------------
Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.58@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com
99 Ninja ZX-6R:10.32@135mph!
1993 Olds Eighty Eight LSS 16.40@88.8mph

07-25-2001, 10:49 PM	#1
90dpscoupe Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: sanantonio, Tx, usa Posts: 1,407	Is it the heater core? someone said they smell coolant in my car, and also, i noticed the other day, my carpet was a bit damp, on the drivers side? not bad though, i know this job is a $#@tch, so what should i do? what did you guys do? can i cap it off? it does get cold though in the winter.

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07-25-2001, 11:05 PM	#2
Fox Body Mustang Maniac Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: GA, U.S.A Posts: 2,266	snickering Oh man, I know how it is. Had to do it twice to my own car and expect that I'll have to do it some more. Sucks, but gets easier each time and not taking it to a shop saves around $400 dollars. If you're smell coolant in the car and it's leaking inside it probably is the core. Does your windshield ever fog up on the inside with some liquid that won't just wipe off easily (actually being coolant)? Try turning up your heat or defrost and see if it does it. Just make sure it really is your heater core b4 you start pulling everything. Now, you can just bypass the heater core in less than 10 minutes by going under the hood. Could just bypass it for now and change it a month b4 it gets cold in your side of the world. And if you do buy a new heater core MAKE SURE YOU INSPECT IT AND THAT IT IS IN GREAT CONDITION. ----------------------------------------- 351W-powered 1979 Ford Mustang notchback Stock 5.8L under 4" cowl, C4 w/ shift kit Holley 750 cfm, Edelbrock Performer RPM intake 1 5/8" MAC shorty headers, Al driveshaft 2.5" Off road H-pipe, 2-chamber Flowmasters Front: 225/60/15, Rear: 255/60/15 Eagle GT II Weld wheels (15x6;15x8), 8.8" Rear w/ 3.55s 14 x 4” K&N air filter (getting the Xtreme setup someday) "Red, thou art my companion. Hasten now your quickened metamorphosis to Green that I may conquer all who dare abide there beside me. May they be left thither behind burnt black." ---Fox Body

07-26-2001, 12:57 AM	#3
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	sounds like it is, my man! Good luck what a #@$@%@$@#@$@# pain in the a$$ it is.... when mine went, I called around and places basically laughed at me then quoted an enormous amount of $$ for the job, then I let it sit with no heat for 3 years. Now I have to get in there again,. because the a/c coil has to be changed.! GRRRR so it's been 3 years with no a/c! Fun, huh??? although you said it was damp on the drivers side, that's odd... turn on the heat and see if it smells like coolant. ------------------ Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.58@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com 99 Ninja ZX-6R:10.32@135mph! 1993 Olds Eighty Eight LSS 16.40@88.8mph

07-26-2001, 10:35 AM	#4
HiFlow5 0 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Springfield, Ma, usa Posts: 706	yup sounds like a heater core! have fun replacing it. like foxbody said, inspect it real well! i didn't do that when i changed mine, and the new one leaked worse then the original one! but i tell u taking the dash apart the second time was a snap cause i already knew what to do, took me like 45 minutes instead of over 2 hours the first time. ------------------ 89 GT AOD w/ shift kit, B&M rachet shifter, Trickflow intake, Crane (E-type) cam, 70Tb, 75MAF, 1.6 Rockers, Pulleys, MAC headers and H-pipe, Dynomax mufflers, K&N, 3 core radiator, white face gauges, custom interior, cobra R rims MY89GT

07-27-2001, 12:04 AM	#5
90dpscoupe Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2000 Location: sanantonio, Tx, usa Posts: 1,407	Thanx guys, but if i do cap it off, will it affect me A/C? i want my air, today it was like 102, anyway let me know something.... ------------------ 90 lx coupe: 175k miles, steeda water pump pully, hurst shifter, Mac cold air fenderwell, accel supercoil, ADS chip, aluminum D/S, Black magic fan, 3.27grs. Best time: 13.9116(on 225/60/15 firehawks) Best mph: 98.17 Best 60': 1.9607 next mods: subframes, mac h-pipe

07-27-2001, 02:25 AM	#6
joe4speed He said Member...heh, heh Join Date: Sep 1999 Location: Jupiter, Florida U.S.A. Posts: 3,718	It won't affect your a/c at all... you just won't have any heat... ------------------ Joe! 1988 GT, 167,000 miles!!! 13.58@105mph Check out my listing! Click here! Or my website:www.joe4speed.com 99 Ninja ZX-6R:10.32@135mph! 1993 Olds Eighty Eight LSS 16.40@88.8mph