|
|
1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 7, 2011, 7:58 AM
Post #1 of 18
(7845 views)
|
|
1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
1999 Blazer, 4.3L w/ 145,000 miles:
A few days ago I started smelling antifreeze when I ran the heater. Assuming it was due to a bad heater core, I had it replaced. The mechanic (a friend) put a new core in, but showed me the old core and there was no sign of it malfunctioning - no leak, no antifreeze residue or anything.
Since he put in the new core, the problem is worse than ever. The smell of anti freeze is much stronger. And when I turn on the defroster, I can even see a light, greasy film build on the inside of the windshield after a little while. So I basically have two questions: 1) What might have caused the original smell of antifreeze if the original heater core was in good shape? (Could the smell inside the cabin come from a different source than the heater core?)
And 2) What may have made this situation even worse after putting in a new core? I have a theory on number 2, but I would like to get the forum’s take. Any responses will be greatly appreciated.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 8:39 AM
Post #2 of 18
(7828 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Unsure as to why no evidence and should have had some. New one could be defective or broken while installed. It's really the only item to make the odor in interior.
Are you consuming antifreeze? Pressure test system for leaks,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 7, 2011, 9:06 AM
Post #3 of 18
(7823 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Not sure what caused the original antifreeze smell but it might not matter because I have a bigger problem. I mentioned the antifreeze smell is much stronger since the new heater core was installed (see original post). The mechanic told me that when he finished the install, he was flushing the system and for some reason he had not yet tightened the clamp on the heater core inlet. During the flush, the inlet hose came off the heater core. He caught it fairly quick but he thinks some antifreeze from the gushing hose may have leaked down the outside of the heater core and became collected at the bottom of the plastic box that houses the core. So now I’m looking for ways to remedy the situation and I would greatly appreciate any suggestions from the forum. Here are some options:
1) The mechanic said the antifreeze might dissipate and over time the smell would go away. My take is that it’s antifreeze and might not dissipate. Please comment.
2) The mechanic said he could drill a hole in the bottom of the plastic box to drain the coolant, but he would run the risk of damaging the core itself. So he said another option is to heat a metal rod and burn a hole into the box. I’m not sure that would completely work anyway because I think the core has foam padding on all sides/edges, which will absorb the coolant.
3) The third option is to take everything apart again (ouch) and pull the core to clean it up, and then wipe down the box to remove any lingering coolant.
Does any of this make sense to anyone? Please advise. Much appreciated.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 10:22 AM
Post #4 of 18
(7805 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
If you paid for this job it's theirs to take care of!
Antifreeze liquid will very slowly evaporate and the heater box if with A/C should have a drain so no volume of antifreeze should be held there but some could.
Odor should go away in time. If heating run it hot and open windows if needed should speed it up. Products like Lysol down where incoming air comes in from near where wipers attach could help.
Hey - know that engine antifreeze is a poison so if any sign of an ill effect get this fixed,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 10:54 AM
Post #5 of 18
(7799 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
DEFINITELY don't drill any holes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 1:27 PM
Post #6 of 18
(7787 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Thanks HT - should have said so myself right away,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 7, 2011, 2:38 PM
Post #7 of 18
(7779 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
What about the "burn a hole" option. I have to do something. It seems like it's more than the smell of coolant. It's like steamed/gassy antifreeze. And there's a light film on the inside of the windshield. could anything other than the heater core cause this?
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 2:44 PM
Post #8 of 18
(7776 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
A hole of any kind is not an option. Why is this even your problem. The shop messed up the job, the shop fixes it for free. I don't know if I would trust him not to drill a hole in it though.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 7, 2011, 2:51 PM
Post #9 of 18
(7772 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
The mechanic is a friend. He's actually one of the best mechanics in Detroit. So im Not sure why this repair has been such a challenge. That's why I asked if it could be something other than the heater core. I'm about to call him but I want to get a couple other opinions on the above question and this one: why is a hole not an option?
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 2:57 PM
Post #10 of 18
(7769 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
You will ruin your case and end up having A/C condensation leaking into your car. It's sealed for a reason. It will burn off id you just run the car on full heat.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 5:40 PM
Post #11 of 18
(7761 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Agree - no holes if it takes, taking the whole job apart and rinse out off car, let dry and reassemble,
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 7, 2011, 7:41 PM
Post #12 of 18
(7754 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
I don't understand how the hose coming off would of filled the HVAC case with coolant. The pipes that come through the firewall have a seal around them, or is supposed to.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
|
|
| |
|
|
Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 8, 2011, 2:05 AM
Post #13 of 18
(7746 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Wouldn't this be best sent out for some professional help?
T
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 10, 2011, 6:20 AM
Post #14 of 18
(7718 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
The mechanic said there was a foam seal that came off when this happened.
But according to TL, I have A/C and there should be a drain that would prevent any coolant from collecting in the HVAC case. Whats your take?
What should my next move be? Is it possible the AC condensation drains from a diifferent place than the HVAC case? If so, there would not be a drain in the HVAC case and the pool of coolant would collect. If that's the case, should I still try to burn it (coolant) off by running the car with the heat on high?
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 30, 2011, 3:08 PM
Post #15 of 18
(7613 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Still have no clue as to the source of the smell. I've installed a new heater core and the smell is even worse. I've run it hot with defrost on daily for 2 weeks and no reduction in the toxic smell. I'm trying to eliminate all other causes before I go in and take apart the entire dash again (thinking maybe the new core leaks, but there's no fluid on the floorboard or no loss of coolant). DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT COULD BE CAUSING THIS OUTSIDE OF THE SOURCES DISCUSSED IN THIS THREAD? Thanks for any feedback.
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 30, 2011, 3:33 PM
Post #16 of 18
(7605 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
There are no other sources of coolant inside the car. If it's not the heater core, then it's not coolant that you're smelling.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
|
Quillan
Novice
Oct 30, 2011, 3:38 PM
Post #17 of 18
(7600 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
Thanks Hammer Time. That's what I'm looking for. Time to rip up the dash again.
ALL ADVICE IS WELCOME!
|
|
| |
|
|
Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Oct 30, 2011, 3:43 PM
Post #18 of 18
(7597 views)
|
|
Re: 1999 Chevy Blazer - smelling antifreeze / heater core issues
|
Sign In
|
|
The only other possible sources are bacteria growing on the evaporator or a dead animal in there somewhere.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
|
|
| |
|
Auto Repair Home
SEARCH
WHO'S 
LOG 
2006 Toyoto Camry XLE Driver Side Electric Window Trouble
Tierod end change caused some kind of leak
Grounding Cable, 2017 Jeep Renegade Trailhawk
equipment
Howdy
