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bigb7000
Dodge Dakota
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1/27/2003
16:32:20

Subject: Heatercore Probelms
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Ok, I have been smelling antifreeze for a while.. kinda sweet smell.. Never seems to be low on water but still that smell.. Also I have poor heat if it is on low not too bad but go any higher with the blower and it gets cold.. Now on the way to work this morning no heat and the engine temp went to like 220 and back down to 160 and back up to 220 all the way to work 15min drive.. Never had heat tried several times and the temp never seemed to go past 220 and would go back down and climb right away.. Leads me to believe the thermostat is good and the heatercore is bad.. The heatercore's I have had to change in the past all sprung a leak that was like no doubt what it is but this does not appear to leak but I can smell it.. So what do you all think? Heatercore? Also how easy is it to change? '97 Club Cab 3.9L...

Thanks in advance,
BigB



bigb7000
Dodge Dakota
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1/27/2003
23:53:51

RE: Heatercore Probelms
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**UPDATE**

Ok, went to change the heatercore and noticed that the area around the thermostat was nasty... really nasty... so we pulled it and got a new 180degree in there and flushed out the system for like 30min... Gonna drive it for a day or two and if all is well I will return the heatercore I purchased from NAPA...





pbxr
GenIII
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1/28/2003
06:32:21

RE: Heatercore Probelms
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One thing I have always done if thermostat, and fluid levels have been ruled out is to temporarily swap the upper and lower heater core hoses. I know in my wife's dodge avenger, once a year I have to do this to "flush out" a vapor lock in the heater core. What I do is let car cool down, swap the hoses, start vehicle, let run up to normal operating temp, check fluid levels, fill to neck, pull throttle cable a little, which normally will take fluids in top off. Then ofcourse shut off, swap hoses, and call it a day. As far as the smell, I'd check out your floorboard, which I am sure you did, as well as all hoses, including the heater core hose.

'01 Sport Auto 3.9, CC, 3923s, Intense Cold Intake, Dynomax SuperTurbo 17748, Wal-Mart special roll on bedliner, MOOG upper and lower ball joints

bigb7000
Dodge Dakota
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1/28/2003
09:07:39

RE: Heatercore Probelms
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Hey, thanks for the reply...

Well when we started to do the heatercore I first went under the hood to find out where the hoses go to also find out where the heatercore is located... Upon doing this we had a strong smell and started checking all the hoses and such and there on top of the engine where the termostat goes it was leaking... Looks like the old gasget had enough and it was slowly letting it out and the buildup was nasty... Almost looked like it had messed up the block.. hehehe So after we pulled it apart we got the new parts and flushed the heatercore seperate from the rest of the system and then flushed the other part of the system... Filled it all back up and its running fine so far...

When I first started to smell it I did check all the hoses and floorboards and there was no leak and I would check the fluid levels and they were always fine... I guess that small leak was more smell than anything else...

Thanks again,
BigB



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