Hello all, the old '87 240 has been my daily driver to school for a the past couple of months and runs good. But as it has gotten a bit colder here in Oregon, I have been using the heat. The fan makes an awful racket and I just bought a new blower motor for it, but now and then whey you move the slide control on the dash you get the smell of anti freeze. No puddles on the floor mats, or under the car, the car does not over heat, but the car does have that smell now and then. When I pull the blower motor, is the heater core easy to inspect? what should I be looking for?

Thanks, and God bless.
mike

 

the 240 fan and heat exchanger are both deeply buried under the center of the dashboard, and not at all easy to access. you can change teh fan via a 'chainsaw method' where you cut holes in the sides of the plasic airbox the fan is contained in, but this won't let you access the heater element... for that, I'm pretty sure the whole dash has to come out.

you're looking for signs of coolant seeping through/out of the heat exhchanger, if its a small enough amount, you'd smell it but it wouldn't necessarily soak the carpets or leave puddles.

 

Replacing the blower motor (without the chainsaw method) gets you halfway there to accessing the heater core. If you are planning on keeping the car for a while and are handy with tools, I would go ahead and plan on replacing the heater core when doing the blower motor.

But before you do that, pull the center console kick panels on each side and do a thorough inspection to see if you can find the leak. Other items that may leak include the heater control valve - especially if you have one of those cheap aftermarket replacements. It can be found behind the drivers side center console kick panel. Also check the hoses that connect to the heater core.

Good luck

 

An additive called Blue Devil works wonders in sealing leaks. It is pricey and I was skeptical since I have never been a fan of such products BUT for cheap cars you don't want to invest many hundreds in, you can't beat it! It is basically liquid glass and also seals head gaskets like you wouldn't believe.

 

Another heater core failure symptom clue is the windshield fogging up after shutting off the engine. Residual cooling system pressure forces hot coolant/vapor out the heater core leak and the steam/vapor migrates up and out of the defroster vents and condenses on the cold windshield. Sometimes for hours after shutoff.

Some have reported loose heater hose at the heater core connections can send a small stream of coolant into the cabin.

 

Well, no I don't have any steam or fog thank God, seams the smell I noted today was after sitting at a light, and started on take off, that is when I noted it. I have a Christmas break, and I think I will pull it all apart and have fun. Wish me lots of luck.
Thanks, and God bless.
mike

 

Based on what you have said, I wouldn't assume a bad heater core, not by a long shot, yet! I'd keep an eye out for more definitive symptoms; doing a heater core is no fun.

 

Maybe a little more detail: No smell noted at all during normal driving until only some times, when: I move the heat/cool lever to heat, and after sitting at a light and first take off the smell is noted up only for a moment, not long at all. No pudels of fluid, or smell if the car sits all day and you get in after sitting 8 or so hours. No noted coolant loss at the resevor tank.

 

Well then let's see, faint whiffs of antifreeze once in a while, it might very well be coming from the engine compartment, possibly seeping thru a hose connection. These can be difficult to verify because for a very minute leak against something hot (like a radiator hose connection for example) the leaking coolant will vaporize immediately and not leave a trail of wetness. You almost have to catch it first thing in the morning, look carefully at all the connections, and of course make sure the hoses themselves are in good condition.

However: "when: I move the heat/cool lever to heat..." This would be consistent w/ leaking heater core because moving the lever to heat opens the damper door that passes the air thru the heater core into the cabin.

Pro shops will pressurize the cooling system for several hours and inspect.

 

or as someone said, and especially on a 240, the heater valve... which as said, is just to the right of the top of the gas pedal behind the panel there. on a 7/9, the heater valve is forward of the firewall so if it leaks its in the engine compartment.

 

Well spring break starts for me after finals this Wednesday, so the "fun" begins for me on Thursday. Oh I almost forgot! I bought a VDO blower motor from O'Rilly auto parts, for $36 Napa wanted $120 IPD wanted $54 for one and less for the other, is there really a big difference between all these auto parts stores as to quality of parts? I didn't know if I should risk the junkyard thing for a blower motor as to that part would be over 20 years old.

 

Spring break before Christmas? its not even WINTER yet (Winter starts December 21st). Spring comes AFTER Winter (March 20th-June 21st, typically).

 

See how stressed from finals I am?????!!!! I don't even have my breaks down right! not to mention I haven't done school in 35 years before!! I have to use my GI bill or loose it. So it is Christmas break. Sorry.

 

Oh my gosh!! what a freaking nightmare! this is a job from hell. I have busted both sides of the black blower covers, there are clips you can not even see or find, and then the one fan doesn't want to come off. But now that I am able to peer into the hole I can see two trickles of fluid coming down on the heater core, So I guess I need a new core. Ok, so how does that get replaced? I don't see a vid on you tube on 240 heater core replacement bummer.

 

afaik, the only way to remove that heater core is to remove the whole dashboard and center console one piece at a time. when its all apart, the car will look like a bomb went off inside.

 

Maybe time for a sawsall I remember the good ol days when heater cores were on the firewall and could be easily replaced. Course that was in the days of vacuum wipers and 6 volt batteries.

 

No video but there is a good writeup here with lots of pictures: heater_core

 

Well I got the old one out and have both outer black covers with epoxy drying in the shop, I hope they don't break when reinstalling.
Anyway, the mystery continues!! I checked those darker streaks on the heater core thinking there wet? well they are not wet and no smell in the core box. No green residue anywhere. And no loss of fluid at the overflow tank.

And one more thing, the new part VDO now made in China, has the wires coming out of the top not the bottom like in the original, Wonder if I should look for a different part or epoxy the wires around the motor so the don't interfere with the fan. Grrrrrrr....