Hi I have a 96 eldorado and I have a leak problem. A few days ago my girl friend was driving my car, she called me up and said that the car was blowing smoke on the dash board. I took the car home and I notice this coolant by the passenger side on the mat... and smoke is coming out from the dash board and I think most of my coolant was on the ground. Any one knows anything about this kinda situation.
You can bypass the heater core to get by until you can replace it which is a PITA in most cars. Someone with a N* can tell you what hoses to connect and where.
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Yes the water pump will only pump coolant to the heater core while the engine is running. I don't know if a 96 is the same as my 99 but getting to the heater core requires removing most of the interior of the car up front. Major PITA. Best to leave it to a garage.
Aside from having coolant being pumped through the core when the engine is running, it also gets heated up and is under pressure. As to what causes it to leak, erosion, corrosion (lack of cooling system maintenance), age.
If you are going to try that, DO NOT use anything other than Bars Leaks tabs (product code HDC or the powdered version G12BP). Put 3 or 4 tabs in the radiator hose NOT in the surge tank.
Put them in either radiator hose. It doesn't really matter which one, just don't put them in the surge tank. The tank is a low flow area and they will just sit on the bottom in a big pile of mush and may clog the exit line.
replacing the heater core only involves going through the glove box not taking the dash out. i had mine replaced over the winter. the shop i had it done at charged me 100 for the part 20 for antifreeze and 150 for labor. i payed them to do it to save me the hassle, but there is an instruction thread on how to replace it on this forum. antifreeze was all over my passenger mat. there was also a film on my windows. it is toxic to inhale that stuff and the film on the windows is antifreeze in the air. it is summer..you can bypass it for now until you get it replaced...but dont drive it while it is leaking.
I tried putting some bars leaks, but still leaks and I called up some dealership to inquire the cost and their charging me like 800 bucks just to replace the heater core.. does it really cost that much to fix it or their just trying to rip me off??
