Thread: Heater core possibly

Last week on my way home from work I noticed a sweet smell mixed with coolant smell with my heater on. I have no visible leaks under my car so searching on here it sounds like its probably my heater core. Today I felt the passenger floor at lunch but its dry. Windows fogging up a bit too with the heat on. When I got home I felt the plastic cover/duct where the core is and I did get a little coolant on my finger. So has to be the heater core need replacing, right?

So if that's the case would I need to replace the heater hoses in the engine bay? Is this a bad idea to wait til the weekend to replace the heater core and keep driving it?

Ok I found my answer about the heater core but I have one question if anyone can answer. If I disconnect the heater hoses under the hood, do I really need to drain my coolant like the Haynes book says to do?

Thanks! Didn't see why I would have to, also one less thing to do now. haha

Even though you pinch the lines off to the core, once you install the new one and top off the system you will still have to bleed it to be sure to get all the air out of the system.

Ok I will be sure to bleed the system, Thanks!

Correct. But the OP is going to pinch the lines in order to CHANGE the core out, thus not loosing as much coolant, not just bypass it altogether. Once the new core is in he just reconnects the hoses and unclamps them. Then fill system and bleed as normal.

No, just meant is it safe to drive until I fix it this weekend. Must be a very small leak because floor isnt wet just the plastic duct has a drip. Im taking apart everything I can on my lunch but got to the part where I have to separate the upper duct that connects to the floor duct. Have all the gold screws out. Any tips on getting these 2 apart from each other. I did read that one guy cut the floor duct but there has to be another way. Just pull real hard?

Should just be a press fit on the duct work. If you are referring to the box itself I'd take a good look and be sure you got all the screws. Feel around up top as one may be hiding.

And as far as driving until this weekend, well, its a crap shoot. It could last another 6 months with just a small drip, or it could crack and drain the cooling system into your pass. floorboard. Really no way to tell. I would say you're fine as long as you get it done soon.

Thanks man, Just got the duct apart and the cover off over the heater core. The duct was a bit of a pain but not too bad, just pushed towards the drivers side til it popped out of the floor duct then pulled it back out the passenger side. Just need to pull the core out tonight or tomorrow and put back together.

Good deal. Nothing like driving around w/o a center console is there, lol...

Yeah really haha. Just got this done today and man I dont want to ever do it again. Not that hard but pretty time consuming. The duct and plastic is a pain to tear down and put back together. The pillow idea I read in another thread is a good idea even though I didnt do it, regret it now because my body is sore from laying in the foot wells. Oh well no more fumes and fogged windows. Thanks for the replies here!