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  • 1979 - 1995 (Fox, SN95.0, & 2.3L) -General/Talk-
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Has my heater core gone??? Funny smell when I turn the heater on!! Help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter Starscream88
  • Start date Start date Nov 18, 2003

Starscream88

New Member
Mar 8, 2003
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Park Ridge NJ
Nov 18, 2003
#1
  • Nov 18, 2003
  • #1
ok no tell tale signs,

No green pool of death,
Im getting heat, No problems there,

Its just when I first put the heater on I get this funny smell,

It smells like body odour, Like real bad B.O,
Like, "You stinky Mo Fo you havent showered in a week" B.O

Then it goes away after a few seconds,

I really dont enjoy that smell and want to know if its the heater core?
I want to sort that before I buy a new carpet and it gets soaked in antifreeze!

So,

Little help
 

Starscream88

New Member
Mar 8, 2003
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Park Ridge NJ
Nov 18, 2003
#2
  • Nov 18, 2003
  • #2
Anyone?
 
J

jerry beach

Founding Member
May 20, 2002
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Ocala,FL
Nov 18, 2003
#3
  • Nov 18, 2003
  • #3
Sounds like you got some mold growing in the heater box and ducts. Normal for a car of this age, mine has some. It doesnt really go away either, you get used to it after a little while.

If the heater core springs a leak it will smell like maple syrup. Very sweet smell, reminds me of pancakes and sausage.

you will have to take it all apart to clean it out right. Might as well change the heater core and evap. while you are in there. The blower wheels sometimes get caked with junk too. I might try spraying a little diluted ammonia down the vents in my car to kill the smell some. This will kill molds that it contacts.
 

Starscream88

New Member
Mar 8, 2003
1,277
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Park Ridge NJ
Nov 18, 2003
#4
  • Nov 18, 2003
  • #4
So the heater cores ok

What about windex? that has ammonia
 

Black331Stang

Active Member
Apr 29, 2003
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36
Long Island, NY
stangnet.cardomain.com
Nov 18, 2003
#5
  • Nov 18, 2003
  • #5
do your windows tend to get foggy a little too often?
 

Starscream88

New Member
Mar 8, 2003
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Park Ridge NJ
Nov 19, 2003
#6
  • Nov 19, 2003
  • #6
no,

None of the tell tale signs,
Jsut the funny smell when I turn the heat on
 

93tealstang

Founding Member
Jan 24, 2002
1,242
1
39
43
McSherrystown/Hanover Pennsylvania
www.cardomain.com
Nov 19, 2003
#7
  • Nov 19, 2003
  • #7
All the foxes I've ever been in do the same thing as you're decribing with the smell then it goes away. I just got used to the smell.

*My windows tend to fog up quit often, what does this mean?
 
P

PonyBoy90

Founding Member
Aug 30, 2002
555
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53
Toronto
Nov 19, 2003
#8
  • Nov 19, 2003
  • #8
The fogging up of windows has nothing to do with a broken heater core.

The car windows will fog up when it's cold outside, but warmer inside the car. The glass is cold and when the heat that evaporates off of your body reaches the glass, it condensates and fogs up the glass. By turning on the heater and blowing warm air on the windows, it dries up the condensations/fog.

Windows will fog most often in the winter and cold months, or on a raining day when you get into your car with wet cloths.

The amount of fog that forms also depends on whether or not you are a heavy breather also. I am. I find that my driver side windows get fogged up while the passenger side are still nice and clear.
 
R

rstringf

New Member
Oct 29, 1998
7
0
0
Dec 6, 2003
#9
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #9
Evil green fog!

The windows without question WILL fog up if you start getting a bad leak on your heater core. After the collant has leaked out enough it will then be full of steam and bang the evil green fog attacks your windshield. NOT FUN.
 

Black331Stang

Active Member
Apr 29, 2003
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36
Long Island, NY
stangnet.cardomain.com
Dec 6, 2003
#10
  • Dec 6, 2003
  • #10
PonyBoy90 said:
The fogging up of windows has nothing to do with a broken heater core.

The car windows will fog up when it's cold outside, but warmer inside the car. The glass is cold and when the heat that evaporates off of your body reaches the glass, it condensates and fogs up the glass. By turning on the heater and blowing warm air on the windows, it dries up the condensations/fog.

Windows will fog most often in the winter and cold months, or on a raining day when you get into your car with wet cloths.

The amount of fog that forms also depends on whether or not you are a heavy breather also. I am. I find that my driver side windows get fogged up while the passenger side are still nice and clear.
Click to expand...

we know our windows fog up in the cold...but the Windows do fog up when your heater core is on its way out. its a fact
 
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