Where did my coolant go?

CybrSlydr said:
I've had that smell almost the whole time I've had the Jeep. That's... 4 years in March I think?
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I’d say that’s where you’re coolant is going then. Mine only went a few weeks between when I first started smelling it and when I seen drips on my workshop floor right above the HVAC box drain tube.
 
MountaineerTom said:
I’d say that’s where you’re coolant is going then. Mine only went a few weeks between when I first started smelling it and when I seen drips on my workshop floor right above the HVAC box drain tube.
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Must be a really, REALLY slow leak then. Like I said, it's been running just fine since I had the new radiator installed in... May of 2020. Almost 18 mos and it's just now giving issues.
 
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CybrSlydr said:
Must be a really, REALLY slow leak then. Like I said, it's been running just fine since I had the new radiator installed in... May of 2020. Almost 18 mos and it's just now giving issues.
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I wonder if a previous owner had a slow leak and used some of that stuff you pour into the coolant to plug it up and it slowed it a lot but then finally let go?
 
The leak running down the control arm is the same place mine leaked when I had a bad heater core. If you lay on your back and look straight up (between battery box and engine) there is a overflow tube, if that's leaking then you chances are it's a bad heater core.
 
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I've suspected a bad heater core for a long time, mostly because of the smell when the heater is running.

Just kinda hoped that it wasn't the case. lol
 
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If you know how to solder they can be an easy fix depending where the leak is. Plug one end of the core and apply ~20 psi compressed air while the core is under water. That's what I did to mine and had it holding 40 psi and reinstalled. Been a year now with no leaks. Even if you screw the solder job up and it fails you're not out anything since you were gonna buy new one anyways.
 
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I smelled coolant for the first two years I had my TJ, never did lose coolant though. Once I finally got around to pulling the dash & HVAC box I found a teensy little pinhole in the heater core. Just enough to barely mist, the core was filled with all kinds of shit sticking to the barely wet surface.

I went with performance radiator as well, so far so good.
 
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Just saw this while driving this morning.

Heater was off, no vent or anything. But this smoke/steam was coming out the vents

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That steam is normal, Jeep typically does that spooky stuff around Halloween time 👻
Looks like you guys have settled on leaky heater core, regardless of whether that is the cause or not, i always lose coolant when temperature change. From hot to cold and cold to hot, it does what it does and magically poofs from max to min worth of coolant in reservoir.
 
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Well, there's a Backwards Mechanic in town where I can rent a bay and their tools to maybe do this myself. They also have an option of having their guy help or they can do it themselves.

I might see if I can get them to remove the dash, I'll put the core in, and then they can put the dash back on. $60/hr for help, $100/hr for them to do it themselves - $40/hr for me to do it all myself.

Tried to order the new core from Performance Radiator but while the webpage says it's in stock, when I try to check out, it says they don't have them. Grrr...

Any other options I should consider for a new heater core?

EDIT: So far, all the shops I've called are quoting me parts and labor of about $850. Yikes.
 
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With the exception of an evac/recharge and a AC line disconnect tool (which you can buy for a few bucks at a parts store) you only need a small # of hand tools to do this job. It's not complicated, just a time consuming pain in the ass if you've never done it before. Do you have basic hand tools and garage space at your house?
 
qslim said:
With the exception of an evac/recharge and a AC line disconnect tool (which you can buy for a few bucks at a parts store) you only need a small # of hand tools to do this job. It's not complicated, just a time consuming pain in the ass if you've never done it before. Do you have basic hand tools and garage space at your house?
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No, I live in an apartment complex. And it's starting to get cold - no garage.

Does the coolant need flushed to do this job?
 
CybrSlydr said:
No, I live in an apartment complex. And it's starting to get cold - no garage.

Does the coolant need flushed to do this job?
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Ah, gotcha. Yeah, this isn't a parking lot job.

The coolant doesn't necessarily have to be flushed - I had recently changed my coolant when I did mine so I just drained the radiator into a clean bucket & reused it.
 
qslim said:
Ah, gotcha. Yeah, this isn't a parking lot job.

The coolant doesn't necessarily have to be flushed - I had recently changed my coolant when I did mine so I just drained the radiator into a clean bucket & reused it.
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The Backwards folks quoted me another $90 to flush the coolant as well as install the core.
 
While front dash and air unit is out, there will be plenty of space to insulate firewall from heat and noise
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01K9X452Q/?tag=wranglerorg-20
$40 an hour, kind of pricey, not a complex job but time consuming. Especially for the 1st time while you figuring out how to approach everything. You sure you can't find a quiet corner in your apartment complex, outside of management eyes?

Dash is easy to take out, and put back on, especially if you don't have aftermarket wiring mess in there.
Air box will come out without complications, some bolts are pita to get to from inside engine bay if im not mistaken. This pita will bite back when trying to attach it back on. I remember cursing a lot inside the engine bay, but dont remember why, this must be it.
Taking air box apart to get to heater core may get time consuming, simply from figuring out which bolts come out and where to start separating it apart.

How do you feel about it?
Other than parts and refill of AC lines, this is not $ consuming job.
 
eastbloc said:
I remember cursing a lot inside the engine bay, but dont remember why, this must be it.
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Yeah, one of the 5 or 6 bolts that attaches the HVAC box to the firewall is PITA to reach once you actually find it. I was lobbing all sorts of colorful language around my garage.
 
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