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Does anyone have any idea how much it should cost to fix/replace a broken heater core? If there's any troubleshooting tips out there that would also be a boon for me (good thing).

Thanks in advance

Not sure about the cost....depends if you do it yourself or not....i've never done one.....

Check for wet spots in your carpet
Also, do you smell a sweet coolant smell?
and... Do you get fog on your windows that stays there and doesnt seem to go away

Just a few ideas...

Also, I don't think this has much to do with the electrical system Maybe "Body, Chassis and Interior"?? It could be argued...

Andrew

I disagree, the heater uses electricity, therefore it fits in this category just fine. I have no idea why you would think it belongs in body, chassis, and interior. It is a peripheral part of the electrical system.

for the record I would've put it in the engine forum as it's part of the cooling system

Padishar Creel wrote:I have no idea why you would think it belongs in body, chassis, and interior.

Well, it's mounted to the body of the car, and it's removal requires significant removal of the interior.

What if you have the HVAC controls "OFF" so that ram air moves the warm air toward your feet? No electricity involved.... While it was still designed to function with the help of electricity, it is not dependant on it, and really has nothing else to do with electricity besides using it indirectly. Somebody with strictly electrical knowledge isn't gonna know much about fixing the heater core.

I could see it going in "Engine" maybe.

We all bring up good points, but almost anywhere you put it, its not going to fit perfectly...

Andrew

Hmmm, I see what you're saying, so most everything could potentially be in body, chassis and interior then by that logic because all of it is mounted to either the body, chassis, or interior. Look, I put it here simply because it seems to me that the unit controlling the heat is a device containing at least some electrical elements. Admittedly, I have never replaced one (heater core) and I'm not a trained mechanic so I'll plead ignorance on that aspect but I'm not an idiot either. As for it not being dependent on the electrical system. Let me ask you this "Does the car run at all without a battery or an alternator?" The entire car is ultimately dependent on electricity.

I'm sorry if my thread placement doesn't satisfy you, friend, but is it really necessary for you to audit my posting habits? It's not like I posted something that had aboslutely nothing to do with the category it was posted in. I see it as a non-issue really and I hope it doesn't bother you as much as it seems.

None of it matters anymore anyway because I fixed it.

Padishar Creel wrote:I'm sorry if my thread placement doesn't satisfy you, friend, but is it really necessary for you to audit my posting habits? It's not like I posted something that had aboslutely nothing to do with the category it was posted in. I see it as a non-issue really and I hope it doesn't bother you as much as it seems.

Relax.... it actually doesnt bother me that much at all.... I originally posted pertinent information offering some insight on the topic, followed by a tiny side note regarding the thread's placement with a winky face nonetheless. I also said that it could be argued and that pretty much any forum that you post it in wouldn't fit perfectly.

Then you asked why I thought it should be in the "Body, Chassis and Interior," and I told you why... I like to think we can have a little argument now and then without taking offense. A little debate is good for a person every once in a while. I wasn't trying to "audit" your post.

No hard feelings

For the record, I never asked you or anyone why my post should or shouldn't be here in this forum. I just stated that I didn't know why you thought it should be in another forum. I think that to have somone point out that you don't know where to post threads is kind of insulting. I wouldn't tell anyone where to post info unless I wanted to risk making them angry because I'm not a moderator. I'm willing to just drop the issue altogether and I'm truly sorry I posted the thread in the first place now.

I know that you said you would drop the issue, but I dont want to walk away from this being totally misunderstood.... So don't think that i'm trying to keep this going out of some childish act or something.

Padishar Creel wrote:I just stated that I didn't know why you thought it should be in another forum.

And I told you why I thought it should be in another forum (just expressing a personal opinion that you didn't know why I felt)

Padishar Creel wrote:I think that to have somone point out that you don't know where to post threads is kind of insulting. I wouldn't tell anyone where to post info unless I wanted to risk make them angry because I'm not a moderator.

I think its insulting as well... but there is a huge difference between "telling" someone to do something and offering one's personal opinion. In no way can I see how I was "telling" you that you "didn't know" where to post, becasue that would indeed be insulting. I just don't understand what you are mad at... Its like helping a friend write a paper and maybe you tell him that this sentence could be written a better way and he gets angry... I realize that you didn't ask for my opinion, but i'm gonna give it because I want people to hear my opinions and this world would be totally lame if people didn't voice their opinions.

And you're right.... i'm not a moderator, which means that I have no control over your thread. I intended for my sugguestion to be read, considered, and taken lightly, also opening up the floor for my suggestion to be proven otherwise, as I knew that even "Body, Chassis and Interior" might not be the best forum for it.

Padishar Creel wrote:I'm truly sorry I posted the thread in the first place now.

Don't be sorry one bit for posting the thread!! Even if you ended up solving the problem on your own.... that is what the board is here for. Just try to take people's constructive criticism as a building tool and not as an insult.

I think you are unneccessarily angry, beacsue I tried my best to write the suggestion in the most non-threatening way possible. But somehow you perceived it as me "telling" you that you "didn't know where to post" when that totally wasn't the case.

Again, I just dont want to drop this being totally misunderstood... and it appears that I was.

Andrew

Ok, I understand where you are coming from now and I apologize for any misunderstanding on my part. I must admit I thought from the beginning that the wink you gave me was meant to be sarcastic. It seemed like you were saying "This thread belongs in another forum wink wink", like saying "As if you didn't know, dude" I get wires crossed sometimes even with the smilies because one can post something negative and just put a smiley on it so the person doesn't reply back or get pissed. So, I guess it's my bad.

So.... anyway.... how did you fix the problem? Inquiring minds want to know! And what exactly was the problem?

Thats the problem with the internet.... it can be real hard to tell exactly what and how someone is trying to say something. Without true facial expressions and actually talking to a person face to face, it can be hard to tell how they intend to say things.. as the cliche goes "It was all one big misunderstanding."

Back on topic... How did you fix the problem and what was it? I'm interested!

Andrew

damn vrg3, you got it before me!

Andrew

Well, it looks like I jumped the gun in my diagnosis of the problem (go figure ). My symptoms were: 1) No heat from the vents and 2) Some sticky green liquid (anti-freeze I believe) on the passenger side floor so, from what Andrew said, I was thinking that the core could be bad due to the liquid being there. When I was in there under the glove box looking at it I noticed a small metal piece on a cable with a hole in it just kind of sitting there not attached to anything. This turned out to be the mechanism that's attached to the slide control for the heater. I re-attached it to the post that opens and closes the warm air vent, duh. It's a small fix to be sure but at least it's not the heater core juggernaut.

so the cable for the slide control just wasnt in right? That would probably cause a "no heat" condition, but what about the sticky green liquid? Were you drinking any green slurpies in your car that you can recall?

Andrew

I'd like to say one more time that I apologize for that whole episode. What can I say but I'm a jerk.

I don't think anyone on this board is a jerk. A message board/forum is a very difficult place to express feelings, especially sarcasm or any other emotion.

Don't worry about it mang!

-Brian

No problem.... Don't worry about it

But i'm more worried about that sticky green liquid.... it seems like fixing the cable or whatever would only fix the no heat problem and not the leaking "liquid".... is the green liquid still there?

Andrew

Well, my best guess is that it's antifreeze and it's more like a sticky stain at this point but it is still somewhat wet. I've heard that this is a sign of an impending heater failure. Is this true?

Does it smell like antifreeze? Maybe if you drive it with the heat on and take a look you'll be able to see if it drips from somewhere. IIRC you should be able to see it a little bit from the pass foot well behind the center console.

Steve

Wet carpet could either be your AC evaporator box leaking (which shouldn't be green and sticky) or your heater core (which could be)...

Just try cleaning it and see if it comes back. Soak it up with a clean paper towel and try to identify the fluid by smell, color, or whatever.

Andrew

It could also be a hole in one of the hoses leading to or from the heater core, right?

very possible....unless the heater core input and output stick through to the engine side of the firewall hoses connect on that side.... I havent looked at it that closely, but i know my friend's Maxima was like that...

Andrew