kickingback99
Member
Can anyone tell me what to look for or what would cause this problem? Heater core maybe?
antifreeze smell and mist from a/c....
- Thread starter kickingback99
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OP
OP
kickingback99
Member
Cannot smell it in the rear a/c vents. Can smell it a little outside. Can't see anything dripping from under the car. You can smell it outside the car. Does anyone know where the intake vent for fresh air is?
I've sometimes seen a fog sort of thing coming out of the vents. I always thought it was condensation from the cold air hitting the hot.
Tom Nugler
Active Member
The fog is usually caused when high humidity air from outside swamps the evaporator. See if putting the system into recirculation or max a/c doesn't help.
Is there water coming out the a/c drain? Make sure it's not clogged. If the evaperator housing is filling with condensation this can sometimes give you a mist but usually it just makes the floor wet. This in turn causes unusual odors.
Are you sure it's an antifreeze smell and not some other funky odor? Antifreeze mostly leaves a film on the windshield thats hard to wipe clean.
Just some thoughts, hope it helps,
Tom.
Is there water coming out the a/c drain? Make sure it's not clogged. If the evaperator housing is filling with condensation this can sometimes give you a mist but usually it just makes the floor wet. This in turn causes unusual odors.
Are you sure it's an antifreeze smell and not some other funky odor? Antifreeze mostly leaves a film on the windshield thats hard to wipe clean.
Just some thoughts, hope it helps,
Tom.
OP
OP
kickingback99
Member
Yes, it is definitely an antifreeze smell. Also, I have been adding about a quart of water every 200 miles to the cold line when it has been sitting awhile. The a/c drip under the car has a slight orange color, similar to the antifreeze. I am just trying to eliminate possibilities before taking out the dash to replace heater core.
Tom Nugler
Active Member
Ouch. Looks rough. Alldata quotes this job at 6 hours and that probably doesen't include the A/C evac. and charge.
The last domestic core I replaced came out through the engine compartment. The most recent one was in a VW New Beetle. Paid 10 hours and the core was $200. The entire dash had to come out of that one.
Good luck,
Tom.
The last domestic core I replaced came out through the engine compartment. The most recent one was in a VW New Beetle. Paid 10 hours and the core was $200. The entire dash had to come out of that one.
Good luck,
Tom.
trpltongue
New Member
I had a similar issue when my radiator was leaking in my 97. Well, the smell from the front A/C anyway. The mist is usually just from high humidity.
At any rate, my radiator was leaking at the pinch point on the side where the core is held to the frame. Replaced it with a new radiator in a couple hours and the problem was gone.
My heater core also went out on a separate occasion. It was leaking antifreeze into the cabin, from behind and below the radio. Assuming your truck is the same, a leak in the heater core would be dripping inside the vehicle. A local shop replaced it in a few hours at a cost of $400 including the new core.
Russell
At any rate, my radiator was leaking at the pinch point on the side where the core is held to the frame. Replaced it with a new radiator in a couple hours and the problem was gone.
My heater core also went out on a separate occasion. It was leaking antifreeze into the cabin, from behind and below the radio. Assuming your truck is the same, a leak in the heater core would be dripping inside the vehicle. A local shop replaced it in a few hours at a cost of $400 including the new core.
Russell
