antifreeze leak under passenger side - advice?

[rlux4]

In case the post didn't mention it, be careful taking off the two mounting nuts. It's very common for one or both to be seized and if you turn it too hard it will snap off the stud attached to the heater core, in which case you'll have to try and have a radiator shop braze a new one on or end up replacing the heater core also. Words from the voice of experience.
Ron

[yalcin]

Thanks all for the helpful comments and pointers to similar threads. OK, I replaced my heater control valve. Wow, that was an unpleasant experience. I'm 6'4", it will take my back a few days to recover from that. Had the same issue as Doug with the rear nut, jesus... I had to dremel the plastic off to get a hold of it in the first place. Took me hours. Fortunately nothing was seized, that would've been miserable.

I think in my case the leak was caused by the gasket connecting to the heater core -- it basically crumbled when I removed it. But I replaced both gaskets and the valve anyway, as no way do I want to deal with this issue again anytime soon.

I do have one problem: I didn't realize how much tension was on the wire connecting the valve to the switch, so when I took the wire off the hook on the valve, it sucked itself back into the console. Now I can't seem to see wire anywhere. Has it gone far enough that am I going to have to remove the upper console now to find it?

I see also people go through a burping process when coolant is restored to the system, how essential is that to do? Can I just top off my radiator and be on my way?

[djape1977]

wire will be a bitch to re-conect.

open heaeter valve, turn on the engine, top up the radiator. let it run untill fan kicks in and top up radiator again.

[rlux4]

Open the heater core valve when you're filling the coolant system, there's probably air in the core also. Notice the lower radiator hose goes up to the thermostat. If enough air is in that section of hose there's no way for it to escape, hot air won't open the stat so I and a lot of other people have drilled a hole in the stat which will allow coolant to drain down and air to rise past it.

1/8" or smaller will work. I've heard people say this causes the coolant to take longer to come up to operating temp, but I've had mine done for almost five years and it doesn't take very long at all to get there. In addition to the hole it's a very good idea to put a coolant flushing "T" in the topmost heater hose near the firewall which give you a fill point at the highest point in the system for topping off the coolant.
You can see mine here, just to the left of the hood latch;


Ron