Oh no! Heater Core leaking! Help!

Well went to take the TTA for its monthly excercise yesterday. As I let it warm up, I opened the passenger door and saw a small stream of antifreeze coming from behind the center console flow down to the passenger floor. I quickly turned off the engine and cleaned up the mess. (looks like I caught it in time - no smell, no stains).

Ok, so now what? Is this for sure the dreaded heater core problem (geez... on a car with only 1800 miles??) On the engine side, heater hoses look fine.

So this is what I was thinking: Since I never use the heater, as a temporary fix, can I just bypass the heater from the engine side? Like on the engine side, just connect the 2 heater hoses together so no coolant goes into the cabin?

But if I do do this, how do I get all the coolant out of my heater core?

Or do I just need to replace the heater core asap? My concern is that I like to start the car at least once every few weeks - and now I can't since I know it will leak.

Any help or suggestions on this would be appreciated!!!

thanks in advance


Chris
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1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am #760 (1818 miles)
1988 Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary #1941/2050
1983 Delorean DMC-12
1986 Toyota Supra MKII
1985 Kawasaki Eliminator ZL900

Had this happen in my 82 S-10 and in my 88 Camaro SC. You CAN just make a loop for the system by just getting a 180 degree hose, but you will have no heater (bad, depending on where you live).

You can get the rest of the antifreeze out by first, putting a towel on the pass. floor where it comes out and just using a shop vac and the long attachment to suck the fluid from the lines. Replacing the heater core means pulling your center console, dash pad, un-bolting the dash on both sides, and unscrewing all of the little screws that hold the core together. There is one screw on the top that you may not see and will hold up your removal. Take my word on this, leave that one out. No one will notice and it will not make a difference
Good luck!

This is what one of the pre-owners of my tta did

just bypassed

you can bypass it if you want like others have said. Replacing it is a real pain in the ass and as it was said before there's a top bolt that's almost impossible to get and I wouldn't bother putting it back in. I was able to replace it with just removing the dash pad and the kick panel and then I was able to get everything from there. According to the manual though you're suppposed to remove the whole dash but it's not really necessary.

1800 miles huh?? Has the engine coolant ever been changed? Over time, the PH of the coolant will drop just due to old age and will/can start to corrode.

I've never changed one out, but as said above, I hear it's a real pain!

Im so glad us Turbo Regal guys have it easy when it comes to heater cores:biggrin: All we have to do is remove about 20 screws and the lower windshield trim and were there. Now that Ive said this though my heater core in my blazer will probably go out since its in the dash. Oh well that will probably be what I get for mouthing off about how easy a Regals heater core is.

Sure you could bypass it,but its really not that bad to replace.It just takes time and patience......Lots of each.You dont have to take the dash "out" just take out the few bolts enought to get your hand behind it to the top bolts.Good luck

I cheated!
I took the car in and had it done.
Cost abit, but I didn't have to get mad and throw things around. Or cuss.

George

Thanks everyone for all the responses.

For now, I went with the bypass. :wink: Wasn't bad at all, although I wasn't able to remove the old heater hoses that go through the firewall - man they are really on there! For now, they are still in place, with their open ends pointing down. Shop/vac worked great to remove some of the coolant in the heater core.

At some point I'll replace the heater core, but I know it will take awhile, and with better weather right around the corner, I don't want the TTA to be down. Maybe next fall....

Oh, MrMNTTA - good question on if the coolant has been changed. I was told by the PO that all fluids were changed. Fluids does look clean, but you never know. I plan on changing it in the upcoming weeks.

thanks again.

Chris

My '82 Corvette Collector Edition has 454 miles on the ticker, and I know its heater core was bypassed last year at 450 miles. I did it myself

Mike M

Chris,
You have just given me something new to worry about on my low mileage TTAs.
- Dave

heater core change

Although it is a little painful- it isn't that bad to change the heater core. Just a few screws and by using a 1/4" drive, you can get them all. Just knowing about the top screw makes it easier. I missed it on the first car and broke it. That is one of the first parts I replace on every Trans Am I buy just because if you don't, you mess up your nice new carpet. The whole job takes about an hour to an hour and a 1/2. Not too bad- just take your time and enjoy taking care of your pride and joy. In my experience (since 1993) if you take care of your car, it will take care of you!!! Just my $.02


Joe

What turbo Kitt said

Its easy and prolly take ya 2 hrs total if your green at working on cars.

Remove the lower dash panels and side panel and remove all the bolts and pull it out from under the pass side dash.

Pretty easy job with the exception of one screw.

Check thirdgen.org for more information

later
Jeremy

Hey Chris, same thing happened to my TTA at about 10k miles a few years ago. Was not that difficult to change at all and it was the first time I had removed a dash pad in a car..like others said, only a few screws, remove the front part of the dash after the pad is off. Center console stays in place. Knowing about the top screw makes it easy to find, and a few universal joints and long extension seemed to make it easy to access.

Funny thing is my GN still has the original heater core...guess Pontiac should have used the Buick heater core too

Hey Rob -

Yeah, from what you and turbo_kitt and 3.8TransAM say, I may end up doing it some weekend. I hear the horror stories on C4 Corvettes about the heater core replacement. Now, f-bodies don't sound so bad.

Hope to see you around some of the shows this summer.

Chris
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1989 Pontiac Turbo Trans Am #760 (1818 miles)
1988 Chevrolet Corvette 35th Anniversary #1941/2050
1983 Delorean DMC-12
1986 Toyota Supra MKII
1985 Kawasaki Eliminator ZL900

I'll be at the April 21st show with everything we have hopefully if I can find enough drivers since this is an important show for the club for the rest of the year. I think our May show is the same time as Bowling Green so I'll miss that one as I'll be there.
You going down to Waco this w/e for the Texas Buick Nats?

Hi,
I replaced the heater core on my '86 Firebird 2.8 v6 a couple of years ago, and did NOT remove the console. As a matter of fact, the console was not even remotely in the way.Now, there may have been design changes to the HVAC case in the intervening 3 model years, but this is unlikely.I would say my task took about 2 hours. I remember the hose access at the firewall was a problem,and the case shell was very prone to cracks. I broke it trying to manuveur it out of there. I think I removed the hush panel and passenger's side lower trim panel, nothing else. The top screw or screws I got at with a 12"x 1/4" wiggler extension and a Snapon wiggler 1/4"x 7 mm socket. Starting them again was a pain, as I recall. Anyway, hope this helps, and that there were no design changes between '87 and '89.

I bought a new TA in 1984. Heater core started leaking about 4 years later. A can of stop-leak cured it. Sold the car in 1992 to a friend, who drove it several more years. No more leak. I know there are pros and cons about this stuff, but I had good luck with it.