smells like antifreeze
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 120
Likes: 0
From: Leesburg in
smells like antifreeze
Just in time for cooler weather, my windshield tends to fog up on the inside and can smell antifreeze. Should I be looking for a new heater core or what?
I cannot find any leaks.
I cannot find any leaks.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 4,971
Likes: 9
From: The reason time exists is so everything doesn't happen at once
Do you have the electronic climate control? Do the windows fog when the climate control is turned off?
It could be a small leak (which as you know will only get bigger) and for now all of the leaking coolant is being vaporized so you won't find any damp spots or drips. The windshield fogging is from the warm coolant vapor hitting the cool glass and the smell of antifreeze is a dead give away that there is a leak somewhere. I might get flamed for this but you might try a good quality radiator stop leak. If the leak is very small it should do the trick without having to use so much that you clog something else in your cooling system,
It could be a small leak (which as you know will only get bigger) and for now all of the leaking coolant is being vaporized so you won't find any damp spots or drips. The windshield fogging is from the warm coolant vapor hitting the cool glass and the smell of antifreeze is a dead give away that there is a leak somewhere. I might get flamed for this but you might try a good quality radiator stop leak. If the leak is very small it should do the trick without having to use so much that you clog something else in your cooling system,
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 1
From: Hyde Park NY
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by 6t9l4t6
Do you have the electronic climate control? Do the windows fog when the climate control is turned off?
It could be a small leak (which as you know will only get bigger) and for now all of the leaking coolant is being vaporized so you won't find any damp spots or drips. The windshield fogging is from the warm coolant vapor hitting the cool glass and the smell of antifreeze is a dead give away that there is a leak somewhere. I might get flamed for this but you might try a good quality radiator stop leak. If the leak is very small it should do the trick without having to use so much that you clog something else in your cooling system,
It could be a small leak (which as you know will only get bigger) and for now all of the leaking coolant is being vaporized so you won't find any damp spots or drips. The windshield fogging is from the warm coolant vapor hitting the cool glass and the smell of antifreeze is a dead give away that there is a leak somewhere. I might get flamed for this but you might try a good quality radiator stop leak. If the leak is very small it should do the trick without having to use so much that you clog something else in your cooling system,
I treated my vette preventatively with Barr's Stop Leak. no problems so far. Add it to the radiator or upper reservoir. Comes in powder or liquid (mud) form. It may seal a small heater core leak...
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Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
Likes: 33
From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by lakerat
Thanks everyone for confirming my suspicion. Since the car sits for most of the winter, maybe I can get by with sealer and put replacement on my spring list.
RACE ON!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Originally Posted by CFI-EFI
Give it time. It WILL get bigger. There is no question. It IS the heater core.
Time to "get the lead out". Check Tech Tips for the "How To" on replacing the heater core. BTW Gunking up your cooling system will only cause other problems down the road. Do it right the first time.
Pro
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 550
Likes: 0
From: Hesperia California
Just finished my 89. Was waiting for a dash panel so I could close it up. Got the panel today. It is a total pain in the a##! Took me four (4) days. I had to keep walking away from it.
One member suggested a flexable nut driver. I went to sears and found a set of assorted hex and screw driver ends with a 1/4 drive & 3/8 drive ends that connect to a quick connect for a drill. I then found a flex extension approx. 8" long with quick connect. This made life a lot easier to put everything back. Wish I would have had it to take everything apart!
My core must have had a small hole because I could not see any evidence of coolant. I could smell it in the cabin however. No wet carpet!
Good luck
One member suggested a flexable nut driver. I went to sears and found a set of assorted hex and screw driver ends with a 1/4 drive & 3/8 drive ends that connect to a quick connect for a drill. I then found a flex extension approx. 8" long with quick connect. This made life a lot easier to put everything back. Wish I would have had it to take everything apart!
My core must have had a small hole because I could not see any evidence of coolant. I could smell it in the cabin however. No wet carpet!
Good luck
