I think my heater core is shot
 

Today I used the A/C for a while on a trip.

Pulled into a CVS parking lot to go get a card for my mom.

Came out and there was a trail of coolant.

Seems to be leaking underneath the middle of the car.


Passenger side floor is also damp.


Could it be JUST the core? Or what else could be.

Seems like a fairly straightforward process. I won't be using the heat or A/C til this is fixed.

Did it smell like coolant? It the bottle low?
It could have also been dye from the A/C.

no its definitely coolant.


I had to fill it up last night.

Now there is a puddle from overnight under the passenger side of the car.


Floorboard does smell like coolant

oh yeah...it also did it when I used the heat last night when It got cold out

Well the heater core always has coolant going through it. There is no heater control valve.
For now you can bypass it or get a new one and replace it.

How do I bypass it?

I'll do that until I sell the SC and pick up a new core, hoses and grommets.


We had to do that on my buddies 92 Celica about a month ago.

Remove the hoses where they go into the firewall. You have to press the clips in then pull the lines out. Then use a piece of hose and join the 2 hoses.

Which hoses?

It looks like there's a few there.

There is 2 that go into the firewall like just above the turbo. Those are the heater core hoses.

Yeah i'll have to pop those off tomorrow and get bigger hose.



Hey also, how hard is it to put the oil lines to the radiator on? I think I'm going to get new ones from someone and do the car right.

They are kind of a pain but take your time and you will be fine.

What size hose is it to loop the HC lines?

Sorry I do not know the exact size I had a piece in the garage when I had to do mine while waiting for parts. There was no marking on the hose for size.

Okay so, I ordered my heater core today.

Car Quest here in town gets in ACTUAL Volvo heater cores :)


Do I need to order new heater hoses as well?

I know I need those rings, but I don't know about the hoses.

When the leak started, I noticed the underbody leak first. Then I checked the pass. side floor board.

You do not have to disconnect the lines outside to replace the core.

I don't know what happened to that post. I meant to ask if I should order new heater lines since there was a leak under the car? I know I need those seals.

I would fix the heater core first then go from there.

I had the car running today, and it started to leak under the engine towards the firewall.

From up top everything is dry and I can't figure out where it is coming from.

Should I order those gaskets for the heater core job before putting this one in?


I can't figure out why it could be leaking.


It runs and drives fine, so I don't think its the head gasket.

When I look under the car, there are some metal pipes on the bottom that are doused in coolant from something leaking on to them.


Should I just replace the core and see if the leak stops?

I would maybe it is leaking out of the A/C drain area. That is like under the dash.

I'm back kind of.

I sold my SC and picked up my 76 Celica.


But, the 850 is still leaking.


Today I decided to drive it after it being parked for about a week and a half.

Fired right up and drives fine.

The car is still leaking coolant from underneath somewhere.

I bought the heater core, and am ordering stuff from FCP as we speak.

Since have the heater core in my possession, what other parts from FCP should I order?

Additionally, it appears that the coolant leak is coming from underneath the area near the turbo.

I do not see any coolant on the firewall.

Could this all be simply a hose running to the turbo?

I guess I'm still confused as to why it could be the heater core if it leaks like crazy underneath the car.

It happens with the A/C on or off as well along with the car being parked.


I can't see it being a head gasket. I had it sitting in the McDonalds drive thru for a good ten minutes along with giving it a little Hell around town. It does NOT overheat. The A/C blows cold still and it idles and drives great.


What should I do?

Also,

The floor on the pass side is not damp like it was that one night.

Driver side is also dry.

Hmm...I mean I know I only drove it for a little bit, and I'm still going to replace the heater core since It can't hurt to do it anyway.

But hell, I need to figure this out.

I guess I've never seen a car that has a blown heater core leaking underneath the car itself

Check the small hose at the back of the head.

Where is this hose at?

I can't find a small hose?

There are some metal pipes. Would this be from the bottom or when I'm looking from the top

I just lifted the car up.

It seems the leak runs right through a hole in the middle of some mount that is close to the Axle. Right where it comes out of the transmission.

I see a hose above that mount that looks like it runs to a turbo pipe.

It does this only after the car reaches operating temperature

It seems there is something to do with a hose or something by the turbo.


I have no idea what to do.

Suddenly, it seems that this car will either be sitting for a year or so, or I'll have to sell it as is.

I don't have money to fix it or even take it somewhere for an inspection.

The small hose I am talking about is on the back of the head by cylinder 1 like just above the exhaust.

Captain Jump to Conclusions here.

It was that hose! I think.

There was a TINY pin hole in it. I couldn't even tell it was there until I saw a small line of coolant on the hose and then accidentally pushed up on it causing a small stream to piss out onto my face.



So now I have this $150 heater core that I can't use...lol

owned....

can u return it? if not ill give you $20 for it, you can at least get something back hahaha.

LOL

I have to go into CarQuest and ask them. They might. They are stand up guys and know everything about anything. It helps that we know them well as a family. It has been a mont though...so I don't know.

If not, I have a heater core for WHEN mine goes out.

Glad it was not all that bad.

If your heater core is still original you might need replace it anyway.
I just replaced mine while doing my evaporator, it looks pretty beat.

BTW, thank you very much tech! Your evaporator replacement write-up helped so much!

Glad it helped!