C4 General Discussion General C4 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech

Smells like

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 01:42 PM
  #1  
Teeshot1's Avatar
Teeshot1
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Default Smells like

My 1994 has been smelling like antifreeze for a month or so. (maybe longer since I have a terrible sense of smell). No leaks (yet). I noticed insufficient heat when I tried to warm the cabin on the first cold New England morning recently. I had plently of heat last winter. Whats up and more importantly, what's it gonna cost me this time?!
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 02:00 PM
  #2  
RRT vette's Avatar
RRT vette
Le Mans Master
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 8,753
Likes: 9
From: Louisiana
Default

Feel the passenger side floorboard for dampness. Are you suspecting a leaky heater core?
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 02:07 PM
  #3  
CAJUN C4's Avatar
CAJUN C4
Safety Car
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 0
From: MANDEVILLE, LA La
Default

Also check the Heater Control Valve. Could be leaking / Stuck etc.
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 02:58 PM
  #4  
kalister1's Avatar
kalister1
Drifting
10 Year Member
 
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 1,867
Likes: 3
From: Pasadena Maryland
Default

If the heater core is leaking you will usually get a greasy film on the windshield.
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 03:48 PM
  #5  
gimme5's Avatar
gimme5
Instructor
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 164
Likes: 0
Default

Originally Posted by Teeshot1
My 1994 has been smelling like antifreeze for a month or so. (maybe longer since I have a terrible sense of smell). No leaks (yet). I noticed insufficient heat when I tried to warm the cabin on the first cold New England morning recently. I had plently of heat last winter. Whats up and more importantly, what's it gonna cost me this time?!
If you can smell it, it's defintely escaping. If it's escaping, it will want to be replenished. Check the radiator level for leak rate. Not a fan of Stop-Leak products. Sounds like maybe a small amount for a very small leak could be your friend here.
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 07:22 PM
  #6  
JrRifleCoach's Avatar
JrRifleCoach
Team Owner
20 Year Member
Veteran: Navy
St. Jude 20 Year Donor
Liked
 
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Default

Put a sample out there for a scratch & sniff test.
Reply
Old Oct 10, 2006 | 10:12 PM
  #7  
trulytex's Avatar
trulytex
Burning Brakes
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 805
Likes: 3
From: Okeechobee FL
Default

I also vote for the leaking heater core. As stated above, check the passenger side floorboard for dampness. Sure telltale sign.
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 12:35 AM
  #8  
JrsTurn's Avatar
JrsTurn
Racer
 
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 329
Likes: 0
From: Antioch California
Default

It's hard to pass up a title like that! I'm also goin' with the core, Good Luck.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-2

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-4

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

 Joe Kucinski
story-7

Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

 Verdad Gallardo
story-8

Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

 Brett Foote
story-9

Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

 Michael S. Palmer
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 05:28 AM
  #9  
Casethecorvetteman's Avatar
Casethecorvetteman
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Default

Originally Posted by CAJUN C4
Also check the Heater Control Valve. Could be leaking / Stuck etc.
94s dont have one
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 06:30 AM
  #10  
redcorvettedave's Avatar
redcorvettedave
Drifting
20 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,305
Likes: 11
From: Savannah Ga.
Default

Originally Posted by JrsTurn
It's hard to pass up a title like that! I'm also goin' with the core, Good Luck.


Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 06:35 AM
  #11  
redvette6spd's Avatar
redvette6spd
Safety Car
 
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,786
Likes: 0
From: Minneapolis MN
Default

Check up under the hood (shell) look for a wet stripe or stain above the water pump. Water pump could be leaking and the serpentine throws antifreeze up.
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 07:11 AM
  #12  
Casethecorvetteman's Avatar
Casethecorvetteman
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Default

Originally Posted by redvette6spd
Check up under the hood (shell) look for a wet stripe or stain above the water pump. Water pump could be leaking and the serpentine throws antifreeze up.
Very true indeed, could also be a hose leaking under pressure.
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 08:17 AM
  #13  
Teeshot1's Avatar
Teeshot1
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 16
Likes: 0
Default

There are no leaks anywhere so far that I can see or feel. The passenger side floor is dry, nothing on the windshield, nothing under the hood or under the car. The smell is very faint and intermittent. This cold New England morning I drove 1/2 hour with heater set at maximum of 90 degrees. Water temp reached 194. It only took the chill out of the cabin when normally it would have melted me with heat after 5-10 minutes.
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 08:47 AM
  #14  
RandyJ75's Avatar
RandyJ75
Safety Car
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 3,566
Likes: 4
From: Mt Laurel NJ
St. Jude Donor '06-'07
Default

Perhaps your cooling system needs to be flushed? Take it to a shop and have it flushed and have the antifreeze replaced.

Good Luck!
Reply
Old Oct 11, 2006 | 09:25 AM
  #15  
GIJoe's Avatar
GIJoe
Team Owner
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 26,196
Likes: 0
From: Orlando FL
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Default

I am going with dead heater core too.

if that is the case, you have 2 options... replace the heater core (PITA) or just bypass it and wear a thicker coat
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To Smells like





All times are GMT -4. The time now is 10:49 AM.

story-0
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-1
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-2
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-3
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-4
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-5
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)

Slideshow: Ranking the top 10 Corvette engines by torque output.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-05 11:58:09


VIEW MORE
story-7
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!

Slideshow: A Corvette pace car nearly matching IndyCar speeds sounds exaggerated, until you look at the numbers.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-04 20:03:36


VIEW MORE
story-8
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!

Among a rather large group of them.

By Brett Foote | 2026-05-04 13:56:44


VIEW MORE
story-9
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!

Slideshow: the top 10 things Corvette owners want in the C9 Corvette

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-30 12:41:15


VIEW MORE