Hey guys, well last night we went out to a local car show that happens every Friday night in the Buick. Well, we came back to the car there was on oily substance on an area of the passenger side of the windshield on the interior side. Later on I found the back side of the floor mats damp as well as the carpet. It was kind of sweet smelling like antifreeze. Somebody told me it might be a heater control valve? Thanks for the help guys! Ya, when we came out someone also had put huge ass scratchs in the passenger door and well as the license plate :af: . It ain't a show car but it still pisses me off!
So, I need a whole new heater core? Where could I find one and approximatley how much would it cost? Thanks guys!
Check with your local rad shop, they should be able to re-core your original for 50-60 bucks...give or take a few bucks. HTH
Thanks for the parts number Flyn although I can't seem to find the part anywhere. Would I have to call and order it directly from GM? Also, I'm assuming it probably isn't the best idea to drive it while it is leaking? Thanks aton guys!
You can just bypass it until you get your new core in. This will stop the leaking. Hook your input hose to your output hose either through pipe fittings or a lenght of hose.
I'd bypass it too - though the problem with that is you put off repairing the core until it gets cold. So don't forget to do it soon.
Also, will I need to block off the inlet and outlet to the heater core or is it ok just to leave them open? Thanks for the help guys!
You could leave them open, but there may be some antifreeze in there. It could spill out. You could take a section of hose and join the nipples together.
Before joining the sections you could blow through to try to get the rest out. Some might get on the floor (doubt you'll have enough pressure), but that would be preferable now, when you are ready to clean it, than at an inopportune moment.
try partsamerica.com you can type in your auto type and year.. than you can order and than go and pick it up. :3gears:
Thanks for all the help guys. I have successfully bypassed the heater core although I made a bit of a mess ou: . I also am a little concerned with the fact the when I topped off the radiator I thought the mixture I was using was 50/50 although now I am second guessing myself. How green should it actually be, how translucent? I have attached a pic, it is a bit more translucent now that I have a added a bit more water. Thanks for all the help guys! Also, how is it to drive with too little/much antifreeze and what problems besides overheating occur? Sorry it the antifreeze questions are stupid but I am just starting to attempt to work on cars.
Check the specific gravity of the mixture. Go to a parts store and get a "coolent tester." It has a clear plastic body with a rubber bulb on the top, and a hose at the bottom, with little plastic balls inside. Put the tube in the radiator, squeeze and release the bulb to suck some radiator fluid into it, and notice which balls float (how many). Look at a chart (that comes on it or with it) to see how safe your coolent mixture is - it will tell you the temp range. Basically, each ball floats at different densities of mixture, and they worked out how much coolent makes how many balls float. Its easy, and cheap.
Had the same problem on my 59 Le Sabre. I now have a hose that runs from the exit port on the engine to the return port on the engine, completely bypassing the heater core. In fact, it may have a slight cooling effect as the radiator fluid passes through this hose outside the engine. Of course, I have no heat, either.
