Thread: Leaking heater core or much worse?

So my car has been sitting since July 3rd, today I finally got to drive it around the block, and upon getting home there is smoke pouring out the dash vents. I quickly rip apart the radio trim thinking its an electrical short only to realize it is definitely water vapor, and then notice the floor is completely soaked which I didn't notice this morning, checked and the radiator is dry.

Since I've been under the car a lot the past few weeks, I know that there is no external leaks.

So is a "just" leaking heater core capable of blowing water through the vents? No surprise either, the heater core isn't covered under warranty.

being its summer take one hose off and use it to loop the coolant back to the alt bracket. this will stop the leak till you install a new core.

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

being its summer take one hose off and use it to loop the coolant back to the alt bracket. this will stop the leak till you install a new core.

But it does just sound like the core is only leaking? There isn't something else that could be blowing water out the vents?

its the only thing with coolant in it. does it smell sweet?

Originally Posted by Scottydoggs

its the only thing with coolant in it. does it smell sweet?

It just smelled like condensation like from your exhaust when you first start it. However, I'm probably running %90 water since I drained the radiator in anticipation of doing my coolant elbows and TB turndown. The stuff on the floor was sweet, but I have no idea how much crap has been spilled on it in the past.

Can I just block the hoses off?

no, just loop one. your heater core flows coolant year round as you just found out. it need to circulate.

At AutoZone now getting a section of hose now.

Yes it's heater core and best of luck looping them, unless you buy that new piece of hose.

Originally Posted by BillBoost37

Yes it's heater core and best of luck looping them, unless you buy that new piece of hose.

Yeah I looked at the stock hoses and saw that wasn't a possibility to use them, which is why I asked if they could be closed off instead. I bought a foot of hose, cut it in half, and used a 90deg copper coupler at the bend, works out good for now.

one hose is larger to the fire wall. i took that one off, and looped it. you could feel it flowing coolant.