pybyr
Full Access Member
Hello all-
First, thanks to all the great advice and generosity in sharing it here. Life has been overfull lately and I have not had as much chance as I'd like to follow/ contribute here. But I really hugely appreciate peoples' willingness to offer help.
This morning I was headed to work, extra fast, as I was running late, and began to smell that sickening smell of coolant in the truck. The good news is that the temp gauge stayed normal, and there was no steam or any sign of leaks.
The bad news is that when I turn the vents off, the smell diminishes, and when I turn the vents back on, the smell gets stronger.
So I suspect that I have the beginnings of a heater core leak.
Right now the only thing that's in shorter supply than time is money.
so I need to
1) keep the rig rolling (it's my only vehicle) and avoid anything becoming more serious
2) get to the bottom of a diagnosis as fast and as reliably as possible, so that I don't start buying and throwing parts at it in trial-and-error mode
3) fix it once, fix it right.
Please tell me if there is anything else, besides heater core, that I ought to suspect or check, or how to check.
Also, if it is the heater core, can anyone point me to a step-by-step of what I do to get at it and change it out? I know all the basic concepts from lots of other USA vehicles, just have not done it on this series/ vintage truck.
Also, any recommendations on a good quality heater core source at a favorable price? This truck only has 33,000 miles on it, so I want something other than a bottom-dollar-cheapo, but I can't afford to get anything gold plated.
Thanks in advance for the help!!!
Trevor, in Vermont
First, thanks to all the great advice and generosity in sharing it here. Life has been overfull lately and I have not had as much chance as I'd like to follow/ contribute here. But I really hugely appreciate peoples' willingness to offer help.
This morning I was headed to work, extra fast, as I was running late, and began to smell that sickening smell of coolant in the truck. The good news is that the temp gauge stayed normal, and there was no steam or any sign of leaks.
The bad news is that when I turn the vents off, the smell diminishes, and when I turn the vents back on, the smell gets stronger.
So I suspect that I have the beginnings of a heater core leak.
Right now the only thing that's in shorter supply than time is money.
so I need to
1) keep the rig rolling (it's my only vehicle) and avoid anything becoming more serious
2) get to the bottom of a diagnosis as fast and as reliably as possible, so that I don't start buying and throwing parts at it in trial-and-error mode
3) fix it once, fix it right.
Please tell me if there is anything else, besides heater core, that I ought to suspect or check, or how to check.
Also, if it is the heater core, can anyone point me to a step-by-step of what I do to get at it and change it out? I know all the basic concepts from lots of other USA vehicles, just have not done it on this series/ vintage truck.
Also, any recommendations on a good quality heater core source at a favorable price? This truck only has 33,000 miles on it, so I want something other than a bottom-dollar-cheapo, but I can't afford to get anything gold plated.
Thanks in advance for the help!!!
Trevor, in Vermont