Leaking Coolant By Heater Core Area

[turbojay]

Hello - I think I have a bad heater core but just wanted to verify a few things with the experts. Coolant leaks by the down pipe but only when the heater is turned on, also the windshield fogs up when the heater is turned on. Otherwise there is no leak and the windshield is clear. The coolant temperature is steady at around 160 degrees. I did a bunch of reading on this subject this morning but wanted to ask the following questions:

- Are these tell-tale signs of heater core failure?

- As long as I don't turn the heater on, can I drive the car?

- Or should I just cap the two hoses going into the heater core until I have time to replace the heater core? Can this damage anything with no coolant going to the heater core?

- Where is the best place to buy a new heater core now? The links I found were a few years old.

Thanks in advance...Jay

 

[mikestertwo]

Sounds like a bad heater core. Just about any auto parts store can get you one. You can cap off the water lines if you like, it won't hurt anything. You can probably still drive the car but I would change the heater core out as soon as possible. It's a pretty easy change out.

 

[1987logosix]

heater core failure, is always a sweet smell in the car and foggy windows(turn the heat on and blower on high) to verfy the problem. I wouldn't drive it because the leak may progressively get worse while on the road and severally over heat the engine and possibly destroy it.

 

[blackmonte]

You can alsways just loop the supply to the return and Bypass the Heater core for now until you get the new core ,

 

[JimP]

Sounds like the heater core, just bypass it for now by looping it, you can get a 5/8 to 3/4 adapter for the two heater core hoses. Then get yourself an AC Delco heater core from NOS4GN, some of the after market ones can be a pain and probably won't last as long as a Delco unit.

 

[1KWIKSIX]

Heater Core Replacement

X2 with Jim, definitely time for a new heater core.

Replace your heater core with a NOS one......you can get it from Glenn at NOS4GN ...while you're at it....change over your heater hoses too!

Not that difficult a job, but read, read and read up on it first...lots of posts on how to do it. Plan on a weekend (especially when you have to sand / prime and paint the firewall to get rid of all that rust that lurking underneath the a/c - heater box when you remove it.

Just take your time and don't rush!

Good Luck....

dave

 

[monteperformanc]

You might want to check this first--I had this happen to me--one of the heater hose clamps was loose where it attaches to the heater core and it would sometimes drip some coolant into the heater box, and fog up the windows. It also dripped in the eng. compt. Worth taking a look at. I thought it was the heater core but all I did was tighten the clamps and now it's good.

 

[turbojd]

Here ya go, Heater Core Replacement

 

[49-blues]

The sodering job the factory did on the tubes to the coil was inferior-sometimes you just have to braze or resolder the tubes to the coil- i resolder them even if they re new cause taking the hoses off and on loosens the tubes up.HTH