Coolant smell - Heater Core?
#1
Pro
Thread Starter
Coolant smell - Heater Core?
About 3k miles ago I smelled coolant and found some spattered inside the engine bay. The water pump was leaking and has been replaced. After replacement I could still occationally faintly smell the coolant and thought it must be residue from the leak. Now I'm wondering if maybe there is a Heater Core problem; the carpets are not wet. Is there a way to check the heater core? I don't always smell it from the vents but every once in awhile it's there. Car is a C6 with 42k.
Last edited by Fick; 06-30-2016 at 05:26 PM.
#2
Race Director
Check the coolant overflow tank. The nipple the hose connects to might have a small crack in it that is just enough to smell, but not enough to produce a noticeable drip. I would suggest removing the hose completely and seeing if there is any play in it as the crack could be on the bottom where it wouldn't be immediately noticeable.
The following users liked this post:
Fick (06-30-2016)
#3
Racer
The drain for the AC system is where you would look for your heater core leaking.
You can "rent" a pressure tester from an auto parts store and find your leak.
You can "rent" a pressure tester from an auto parts store and find your leak.
The following users liked this post:
Fick (06-30-2016)
#4
Burning Brakes
If you're heater core was going bad you would notice the windshield starting to steam up or a coolant leak out of the drain hose. Keep an eye on the level of coolant in the reservor tank. Inspect all hoses for pin leaks. Sometimes the cooling fan on the radiator can mask a small leak by blowing the coolant out of the way from the source of the leak. Good Luck.
The following users liked this post:
Fick (06-30-2016)