Heater core leak ..or not

[Kibokojoe]

Over the past year when ever I turned on the heater I smell coolant. Today I removed the console, dash components and removed the cover on the heater core. Now I can see the heater core but there are no visible leaks. I am running the engine and I have both thermostats set on high. I guess there is a chance it could be leaking on the other side of the core but shouldn't I see coolant dribbling from somewhere. Sure would hate to drop another $200 bucks into fixing something that is not broken. Any suggestions?

[632 Regal]

Over the past year when ever I turned on the heater I smell coolant.

Obvious heater core leak. It dont take much for the smell. On mine it's okay unless I rev the gears out, then it smells very strongly. Defrost doesn't work unless I turn the AC on. I am not going to change mine out until it sprays water on the windshield and my shoes.

[Kibokojoe]

Your gif is great. Are they having a good time on our taxes?

[Tiger]

You really need to search for the leak... it can be outside in the engine compartment. I am in the same boat as you are.

[Jehu]

Could be a pinhole in the core on the back side which you can't see when its in place and mostly evaporates before becoming a dribble.. If Antifreeze is lethal to drink how good can it be to inhale the fumes for a year?

[Tiger]

Gee... I think I have been inhaling this stuff for 9 years.

[Kibokojoe]

And you are normal... right?

[Tiger]

LOL... maybe that's why I am a little bit kooky. Seriously, I do want to get to the bottom of it... I am losing coolant all the time.

[Kibokojoe]

Wonder if there is a drain hole on the bottom of the heater core box?

[Tiger]

Yes, there is.

[angusbn]

My leaked outside. Bypassed the heater core. Lots of info on doing that. No heater though but I don't drive it in the winter.


Yes, there is.

[leicesterboy15]

Just a thought but mine was the Auxiliary blower motor (or something), I could smell coolant when my heater was on but then the car also started loosing coolant at an alarming rate, the leak was from the left side of the bulk head and you could hear it sizzling on the hot exhaust. Turned out it was the blower motor in the engine bay (the one on the left of the engine bay by the bulk head, next to the fuse box - sorry don't know what its called, some of them have a cover on but mine doesn't). The inside of the blower is made of plastic and it had just broken away. Anyway while it was on its way out you could smell coolant but there was no noticeable leak. Maybe someone knows what I'm on about and can add a name to my useless description!

The good news is it was cheap to sort out which is rare! Are you loosing any coolant?

[saluki540i]

FWIW, also check around the heater control box mounted on the firewall with all the coolant lines. I'd had a persistent smell & seep when I bought the car from my dad, and ended up pulling the box apart and fixing several o-rings in and around the impeller for the coolant. It was seeping during operation, and dropping out the bottom. I was hard to detect at the time because the car was also seeping the power steering fluid. Messy.

[Ross]

The o-rings could be weeping a bit.
Like Jeff says, not until something is wet will I go poking around in there.

[Jeff N.]

IIR, the heater box has a drain that exits via the tranny tunnel. You shouldn't see water until its REALLY bad.

I need to do mine. Have all the parts but have put the job off for a long time. Under the dash is not my favorite place to squeeze my 6'1", 195lb frame.

[Claude]

Over the past year when ever I turned on the heater I smell coolant. Today I removed the console, dash components and removed the cover on the heater core. Now I can see the heater core but there are no visible leaks. I am running the engine and I have both thermostats set on high. I guess there is a chance it could be leaking on the other side of the core but shouldn't I see coolant dribbling from somewhere. Sure would hate to drop another $200 bucks into fixing something that is not broken. Any suggestions?

Having the best possible view of the heater box (everything in front removed), could you take for me 1 ou 2 pictures of a particular step motor fixture, the one behind the OBC, located in the right upper part of the heater box just, it is driven by the thumb wheel in the center of the dash. The plastic fixture of mine is broken i improvised a new fixture working under the dash only through the right footwell. What i am seeking is how exactly this set motor is fixe to the plastic heater box. Thanks