Cap'N Chronic

Car is a 98 LS swapped EX civic.

I have been having an occasional problem with my car overheating and losing coolant, but I just add more to the radiator and it goes away.

But today I was on my way home from school and my car overheated like it did before, except this time there was a hissing sound coming what sounded like under/behind the dash. It was not coming from anywhere in the engine bay, it was definitally inside.

So I added coolant to the radiator thinking nothing of it, then about 10 minutes later steam started coming from my vents, and there was a huge puddle of coolant on the floor under the pedals, and a little puddle on the passenger side.

When I was putting a rear mount insert in last weekend was when it started having this overheating problem. There is two coolant lines going into the firewall right behind the mount, and I was moving those around a lot and bending them at extreme angles to get the mount in. Could I have damaged a coolant line for the heater system? I am almost positive the dissapearing coolant is going into my heating system. If anyone has any feedback that would be awesome.

delsolo95

replace heater core. and check the hoses that connect to it. take out the dash for the heater core

StreetsideStig

Well, the hot coolant is run through your heater core, which is how it heats up, so I'm going to confirm your suspicion that yes, there is coolant in your heat system. But it's supposed to be there. What it isn't supposed to do is leak out, so yes, you've either nicked a hose, or, as Delsolo suggested, you need to replace your heater core.

Cap'N Chronic

I know the coolant goes through the heater core. But I'm thinking the core is bad, and the coolant is getting into the actual heating system itself.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

What other part of the "heating system" is there? Just vents.

delsolo95

if its leaking inside of the car especially near the firewall, floor board, or pedal area then replace the core. and yes that means the core is bad probably rusted and gave out since they are 10- 18 yr old car

Cap'N Chronic

It was leaking right next to the firewall where the two coolant lines come into it. Sounded like it was boiling when I was driving it and there was steam pouring out of all my vents :/

And when I said coolant in heating system I meant I thought there was coolant inside of the heater itself. To where it would just sit in there and boil.

Cap'N Chronic

Which part is the heater core? There is the main big piece in the middle with all the vents coming out of it, a smaller section to the right of it, and a small piece to the right of that that looks like a fan? Sorry if I'm sounding stupid, this is my first time dealing with heating/cooling systems..

delsolo95

its directly behind the climate control. like i said to replace you must take out the dash, then the heater core is in a box which you must take apart

Cap'N Chronic

Got the dash torn apart, you have to tear that plastic box open and the heater core is inside?

Wrona

its hidden in the portion with the 3 vents the main portion its held with 2 screws underneath

ponch15

Wrona, just saw your sig....is Cairo back from the future yet? Maybe send him to the Delorian forum?

delsolo95

heres some pics https://honda-tech.com/forums/honda-civic-del-sol-1992-2000-1/heater-core-replacement-help-2741762/

Wrona

keep it tech please

strategy400

I would imagine you could create a temporary fix by just bypassing the heater core. Just use a small piece of properly sized pipe/tube and attach the two heater hoses together. Don't expect any heat meanwhile.

Also, the heater core and it's pipes that come through the firewall are extremely thin and fragile so I imagine if you were bending them around then that is what caused the damage.

If the heater core is already damaged then it might not matter but you might want to be careful getting the heater hoses off the core pipes because they are usually superglued on by years of heat and corrosion. I had to use a sharp blade to cut my old hoses off when changing them. Grasping the hoses with pliers will totally crush and twist the thin metal heater core pipes.

strategy400

Just noticed you're already torn into the dash. Good luck.

Cap'N Chronic

Got the old one torn out and I can see where it was leaking coolant. Putting it all back together right now. Anyone have any tips on how dry and get the coolant out of my carpet without pulling it out?

Wrona

go to king soopers or one of your grocery store and rent a carpet cleaner its like 20 dollars or so and it does wonders u can do your whole car your seats and panels and armrest that make your car clean also it will smell fresh