AntiFreeze Smell

[RickieFrat]

When I turn on my heater I smell Antifreeze. There is no wet spot on the rug so where can it be coming from ???? No leaks anywhere outside the car either. Could it be a heater core even thou there is no "wet" spot on the rug ?????

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1992 TAURUS SHO **FOR-SALE**
Red/Grey Int
20% Tint
PIAA HeadLights
Boxless
1200 Watt System .... 131. DBs
Sig Pic By SHOTIME (THX)

1988 T-bird Turbo Coupe
Needs lil' work. Soon-to-be drag car.

AIM ... fst92sho
www.fratsperformance.com

 

[kmetros]

Originally posted by RickieFrat:
When I turn on my heater I smell Antifreeze. There is no wet spot on the rug so where can it be coming from ???? No leaks anywhere outside the car either. Could it be a heater core even thou there is no "wet" spot on the rug ?????

I don't believe that the carpet needs to be wet. The sweet smell - oh, and condensation on the windshield when the climate control is in defrost mode, are the only indications you need. Replacement is a PIA - the entire dash needs to be removed. Check out the sho mailing list for more information - (http://www.topica.com/lists/shotimes/read) It's important that you properly ground the unit too, otherwise it will wear out very quickly and start to leak again.

Kurt www.kurtmetros.com

 

[RickieFrat]

Kurt ... Thx for the help but there is no condensation on the windshield. My defroster ducks on the dash are not wet. It has me puzzled. I don't want to remove the dash for nothing.

Hmmmmmm........

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1992 TAURUS SHO **FOR-SALE**
Red/Grey Int
20% Tint
PIAA HeadLights
Boxless
1200 Watt System .... 131. DBs
Sig Pic By SHOTIME (THX)

1988 T-bird Turbo Coupe
Needs lil' work. Soon-to-be drag car.

AIM ... fst92sho
www.fratsperformance.com

 

[olympic]

It's almost certainly the heater core. It probably has a small leak that gives you the antifreeze smell but not enough to fog up the windshield or leak on the floor. You'll notice later that it'll take forever to defrost the windshield in cold weather.

[This message has been edited by olympic (edited 10-25-2001).]

 

[sdpatt]

Are you sure it's not from a water pump leak onto the front bank cat? This sives a sickening sweet smell of cooked coolant and will get drawn into the blower intake if you have vent or non-MAX A/C. You can check for drips immediately behind (towards the engine)the crankshaft damper from the bottom drain of the lower timing belt cover. Not and easy to replace part, but easier than the heater core.

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Scott

1991, 252K miles, glass hood, police grill, SVO shifter, Catz fogs,
K&N, 73mm MAF, Superchip, PP Y-pipe, Borla cat-back, 190 lph pump
Eibach/Tokico/polyurethane, SHO Shop front & rear strut braces,
16x7.5" Moda R1, 225/55ZR16 Bridgestone RE730, -1 deg camber x 4,
Class II hitch, Silver award at the SHOklahoma Car Show

 

[qiksho]

My heater core lasted 400 miles after my first smell of antifreeze. About 200 miles in it started to condensate on windows(small spots by bottom of windshield). Thankfully I made it home from college without it blowing all over the windshield. It will eventually totally fog up ur windshield with no way to defrost.(Except windows all down)

Hope u figure it out.

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[ThatSHOkid]

Originally posted by olympic:
It's almost certainly the heater core. It probably has a small leak that gives you the antifreeze smell but not enough to fog up the windshield or leak on the floor. You'll notice later that it'll take forever to defrost the windshield in cold weather.

[This message has been edited by olympic (edited 10-25-2001).]

i agree totally
. my ..... hyundai (don't laugh) gave off a sweet smell. it smelled great liek maple syrup or canadian bacon and it was my heater core.

 

[RStalveyARFF]

Rickie, also check near the firewall on the heater hoses, there's alittle screwable cap. I smelled it also, and it turned out this was loose and dripping onto the rear manifold.

 

[RickieFrat]

Hmmmmmm.....

Thx guys. As for the water pump, it better not be .... just replaced it with the timing belt. As for the plastic cap Erik, will check that out first thing in the afternoon when i wake up.

(just got out of work)

------------------

1992 TAURUS SHO **FOR-SALE**
Red/Grey Int
20% Tint
PIAA HeadLights
Boxless
1200 Watt System .... 131. DBs
Sig Pic By SHOTIME (THX)

1988 T-bird Turbo Coupe
Needs lil' work. Soon-to-be drag car.

AIM ... fst92sho
www.fratsperformance.com