Overheating problem

[grey03mach1]

I was driving the car normally in town and I looked down and noticed the temp gauge almost pegged. I was able to make it home before damaging anything. I think it may be my heater coil. I have been smelling antifreeze in the car but no leaks on the carpet. I changed the thermostat and refilled the coolant the proper way using the crossover tube. I can't find the source of the leak. Is there any place behind the motor that could be leaking? I can see coolant dripping from behind the motor on the concrete but cant see where its coming from.

 

[03cobra#694]

IIRC the heater core is set-up to drain outside the car.

 

[P49Y-CY]

you see coolant dripping onto the concrete from somewhere behind the motor? passenger side or driver's side?

first thing i would do is jack up that car and pinpoint exactly where it is coming from

 

[68_GT]

if you smell it in the car I bet it's you heater core.

Mine went on my 00 Stang but it also driped on my feet some. Do you ever see spots under the car ?

nevermind I reread your post.

Do you see it dripping on the drivers or passenger side ? Do you have any head cooling mods. I doubt it's your heater core if it's dripping in the engine bay.

 

[Smacked_in_ATL]

Any expansion tank overflow?

 

[grey03mach1]

I found where the drip is coming from, passenger side there is a round plug of some sort. It is definitely antifreeze coming from that hole. I think it may be a evaporator core drain or something. I'm still not sure what it means. Considering taking it to a mechanic tomorrow for a diagnosis.

 

[drews01cobra]

I found where the drip is coming from, passenger side there is a round plug of some sort. It is definitely antifreeze coming from that hole. I think it may be a evaporator core drain or something. I'm still not sure what it means. Considering taking it to a mechanic tomorrow for a diagnosis.

Holy cow, will someone help this guy out....Mine just started doing the same thing, from the same place, last night on the way back from the drags. If it's the heater core, which I think, should we by-pass the core until we get them fixed? That's what I was thinking.......

 

[68_GT]

If it's the heater core, which I think, should we by-pass the core until we get them fixed? That's what I was thinking.......

I would. Easy to do and would help diagnosis the problem. Not like you will need heat for awhile.

 

[68_GT]

I found where the drip is coming from, passenger side there is a round plug of some sort. It is definitely antifreeze coming from that hole. I think it may be a evaporator core drain or something. I'm still not sure what it means. Considering taking it to a mechanic tomorrow for a diagnosis.

round plug ? hole ? ???

can you take a pic of it ?

 

[P49Y-CY]

there is a drain hole, sort of a black plastic plug, whose purpose is to drain water (not coolant) which has condensed on the a/c evaporator coil. if you are running your car with the a/c running you can see it dripping from that hole to the ground. on our cars it seems to drip directly onto the catalytic converter.

but when a heater core begins to leak, some of that coolant may end up dripping from that drain hole, but most of it usually ends up on the passenger side floor, because the ducting is not designed to catch fluid coming off the heater core

but yeah, if you are seeing coolant coming from that hole, it can't be good

when my heater core fails (notice i said when, not if, lol) i will be bypassing the hoses in the engine compartment until i am ready to take the dash apart

best of luck with it!

 

[drews01cobra]

On our cars it seems to drip directly onto the catalytic converter.

but when a heater core begins to leak, some of that coolant may end up dripping from that drain hole, but most of it usually ends up on the passenger side floor, because the ducting is not designed to catch fluid coming off the heater core

but yeah, if you are seeing coolant coming from that hole, it can't be good

when my heater core fails (notice i said when, not if, lol) i will be bypassing the hoses in the engine compartment until i am ready to take the dash apart

best of luck with it!


That's the ticket....at least that is what my car is doing. Earlier in the day, my car overheated. I changed the T-stat and burped the system. After I got home from the track, water dripping directly on the front passenger cat with a slight smell of coolant inside the car and a small fog on the passenger side of windshield. No fluid on the carpet though.

 

[03cobra#694]

I found where the drip is coming from, passenger side there is a round plug of some sort. It is definitely antifreeze coming from that hole. I think it may be a evaporator core drain or something. I'm still not sure what it means. Considering taking it to a mechanic tomorrow for a diagnosis.

Could it possibly be a freeze plug?Can you get any pics?

 

[drews01cobra]

Check that.....I ran my car today, in the sun, for 30 minutes. Fan came on twice and temp. gauge never moved from left of center. No overheating....Ran the heater on high for another ten minutes, still no leak. Ran A/C on high for another 10 minutes, still no leak. I'm happy but confused (reminds me of my marriage...) I guess everything's okay.

Hey grey03mach1, I hope everything works out. I would still recommend by-passing the heater core until you are ready to replace it, if it turns out to be the core....

 

[01cobravortech]

These cars always overheat some point. If its not due to properly burping the system it happens because of a water pump leak or the crappy Ford hose clamps which over time lose their tension and allow air in.