mra32 Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 This is on my 91 Lumina with the 3.1 and the 3 speed transmission Lately I've been smelling burning coolant when driving my car. I has some free time today after driving like 20 miles in city-ish traffic and saw that there a small puddle of coolant under my car (about 6" in diameter) after sitting for like an hour. I took a better look when I got home and saw that it was coming from around the passenger side near where the steering rack mounts and dripping onto the subframe. Now does anyone have any idea where it would be leaking from? Are there any coolant system diagrams that show the whole system all exploded-like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ns87 Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 It sounds like the coolant hose that goes into the heater core. I fixed mine with some rubber heater hose and clamped both ends. I did it without rotating the engine, but that was really stupid Rotate the engine and you've got plenty of room back there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtwmechanic Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 seems like there is a drain tube coming out of the fire wall there, could be the first sign of a bad heater core. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Addicted To Boost Posted April 6, 2009 Report Share Posted April 6, 2009 A VERY common issue on these cars is the metal heater pipe going from the water pump, down along the passenger front wheel, along the firewall, and into the heater core... that pipe likes to rust out along the passenger front wheel. On my cars, I just replaced the entire heater hose/pipe with some good heater hose from your local auto parts store. They sell them in packages of 10' IIRC. Also, you may want to get some rubber clamps to fasten the hose along the passenger side of the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 I saw coolant coming from what looks like the drain tube to the heater core. It was coming from a little black plastic thing with a hole to the passenger side of the downpipe. What also leads me to beleive that its the heater core is the constant smell of coolant in the car and the fogging of the windshield and also the fact that I only saw coolant on the ground behind my car when I was braking. I have no desire to pull a heater core from a junk yard car, so i'll probably end up bypassing it for now. Hopefully I'll be able to rig something up before its time to drive to my parents house for easter. I could always take the train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtwmechanic Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 heater cores do suck to change out, get a new one, don,t risk salvge it might start leaking too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 heater cores do suck to change out, get a new one, don,t risk salvge it might start leaking too Eh, ken get used ones often and say that they dont fail too much. Mine lasted for 18 years. I'll just get one from a newer lumina, since they are supposed to interchange Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mra32 Posted April 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 just bypassed the heater core. feels pretty good to have a non-leaking car. My brother came over with some copper pipe and some 90* and 45* fittings and some hose clamps and we figured out a setup that would work for my car and sweat the pipes together. Thank god he had all the right stuff since basically nothing is open today...not anything I could walk to anyway. If i had to do this again, I'd find a way to go to the junkyard and just swap heater cores out. Its just so much easier to get the rubber hoses off from inside My car never fails to break before I have to travel for a holiday. My computer crapped out right before christmas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crazy K Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 i love being mentioned. LOL yes. the heater cores in all gen 1 and gen 1.5 cars is the same, and if you are lucky and have the typical OEM one, it can be separated and replaced with a good one from a donor. if you know what you are doing you can pull a used heater core from a J/Y car in about 120 seconds. no joke! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtwmechanic Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 good luck! not all of us can afford new parts so i understand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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