New problem every week!

[Eleanor's Girl]

Last week was wiring now I'm leaking radiator fluid. I went out to my car and had a puddle of fluid leaking from the firewall. There's a small rubber end that sticks out about an inch and the fluid runs from it while the car is running. What am I missing? Is it a hose or something supposed to be there? Its on the passenger side of the firewall. I thought maybe a hose came loose but everything is connected.

 

[trinity_gt]

Last week was wiring now I'm leaking radiator fluid. I went out to my car and had a puddle of fluid leaking from the firewall. There's a small rubber end that sticks out about an inch and the fluid runs from it while the car is running. What am I missing? Is it a hose or something supposed to be there? Its on the passenger side of the firewall. I thought maybe a hose came loose but everything is connected.

Sounds like you're talking about the evaporator core drain hose. When the A/C is running, the evaporator core gets cold. When this happens, water condenses out of the air onto the core (like what happens when a glass of cold water is left on a counter...) The hose is simply a way to drain this condensate out. If it wasn't there or became blocked, you'd end up with water in the footwells. If you turn off the A/C, you'll see the water eventually stop coming out of this drain pipe...

In other words, this is completely normal.

 

[1987stangman]

Last week was wiring now I'm leaking radiator fluid. I went out to my car and had a puddle of fluid leaking from the firewall. There's a small rubber end that sticks out about an inch and the fluid runs from it while the car is running. What am I missing? Is it a hose or something supposed to be there? Its on the passenger side of the firewall. I thought maybe a hose came loose but everything is connected.

Have not had to do a heater core on these cars, but if it is when the car is running it could be the heater core. The A/C evap core does emmit condensation but it should be pretty minimal.

I would rather have a root canal then do another (4 so far on Fox Mustangs) heater core install. I hope that the SN95 cars are easier, but something tells me they are not. I hope mine stays good for a few years.

 

[Eleanor's Girl]

Sounds like you're talking about the evaporator core drain hose. When the A/C is running, the evaporator core gets cold. When this happens, water condenses out of the air onto the core (like what happens when a glass of cold water is left on a counter...) The hose is simply a way to drain this condensate out. If it wasn't there or became blocked, you'd end up with water in the footwells. If you turn off the A/C, you'll see the water eventually stop coming out of this drain pipe...

In other words, this is completely normal.

Except I never use the A/C and its not water running out, it's radiator fluid. Bright green, smelly fluid. What else could it be?

 

[blubullett]

Sounds like a heater core to me.

 

[trinity_gt]

Except I never use the A/C and its not water running out, it's radiator fluid. Bright green, smelly fluid. What else could it be?

My apologies. The tube you described is the drain for the A/C evap core. When you talked about fluid coming out of it, I naturally assumed you were seeing condensate draining. Despite what one poster said, the amount of water coming out may be significant if the ambient RH is high.

However, now that you've clarified you're seeing green fluid coming out and not simply water, I agree with blubullett: Bright green fluid coming out that drain tube probably suggests a heater core breach.

 

[Eleanor's Girl]

if its the heat core will the car overheat if i start driving it? I'm gonna take it to get looked at but I still need to drive it to work and back. Should I take some water and coolant just in case?

 

[98cleanGT]

It is definately your heater core. They are a serious pain in the ass, unless its a old school lac. If your going to drive mos def take water with you, don't waste the money on coolant if its just going to leak out. I would suggest you do like me and my buddies do until it gets too cold around here (which is only like for 3 months in the Bay) just bypass the heater core. If you don't know how, just connect the 2 hoses together that go into the firewall. you may need a small piece of piping and some hose clamps.

 

[warpspeed1414]

Before you tear into and replace the heatercore, make sure the rubber hose isn't cracked or has a hole in it, especially near the clamp.

 

[ChillPhatCat]

if its the heat core will the car overheat if i start driving it? I'm gonna take it to get looked at but I still need to drive it to work and back. Should I take some water and coolant just in case?

You should make sure to top off the fluid before you take it in, it won't just overheat because of a leak, but it will overheat if the fluid gets low enough to effect the level in the radiator. If it's a short distance to the shop it should be ok for the trip, your thermostat may not even open up, which makes the leak moot. However if it's like 20 miles... you should stop after maybe 10 miles and check the overflow tank to make sure there's still fluid in there... in any case, keep an eye on the temp guage and pull over/shut the car down if it goes too high.

 

[Eleanor's Girl]

I took it in to the shop and its definitely the heater core. They want $650 because its such a pain in the a$$ to get to. I'm still shopping around for a better deal. Meanwhile, I've been carrying a gallon of water for when it needs to be refilled.

I think I'm just gonna get everything I can fixed at once. Its got 138k on it and everything is about to give out. The exhaust, the heater core, the starter, odometer stopped, and other things I cant quite figure out. Weird rattling sounds and what not....