# Heater Core ??



## BigMack (Aug 11, 2011)

I have a 98' Dodge Ram 1500,and with the hood up,and looking at the fire wall,I can see water comming out of the pipe comming off the heater core.Does that mean that the core is gone bad?Could there be other problems other than the core?Thanks;Mack


----------



## DoctorWho (Jun 21, 2011)

I've never seen under the hood of a newer Ram so bear with me. What attaches to the pipe? Most cars there's a rubber coolant hose attached to the metal pipe coming off the heater core. Do you mean you can actually see the fluid coming from the firewall side of the pipe, or could it just be leaking out from around the rubber hose? Might just need to tighten it or replace the hose clamp altogether if it's non-adjustable.
Any leakage inside the truck, wetness on the carpet, etc?
I guess if it's not coming from the hose then I'd guess bad core too.

Oh, one more thing, do you get any mist or coolant smell when you put the defroster on high? I had an old Mercury that was misting up the windshield with coolant, turned out to just be a tiny tiny leak in the core. If you get no symptoms on the interior of the truck but it is indeed leaking from the metal pipe, could be that the joint weld where the pipe enters the core could have a crack or something too.


----------



## fabrk8r (Feb 12, 2010)

Just throwing this out there, but could it possibly be the condensate drain for the evaporator?


----------



## BigMack (Aug 11, 2011)

DoctorWho said:


> I've never seen under the hood of a newer Ram so bear with me. What attaches to the pipe? Most cars there's a rubber coolant hose attached to the metal pipe coming off the heater core. Do you mean you can actually see the fluid coming from the firewall side of the pipe, or could it just be leaking out from around the rubber hose? Might just need to tighten it or replace the hose clamp altogether if it's non-adjustable.
> Any leakage inside the truck, wetness on the carpet, etc?
> I guess if it's not coming from the hose then I'd guess bad core too.
> 
> Oh, one more thing, do you get any mist or coolant smell when you put the defroster on high? I had an old Mercury that was misting up the windshield with coolant, turned out to just be a tiny tiny leak in the core. If you get no symptoms on the interior of the truck but it is indeed leaking from the metal pipe, could be that the joint weld where the pipe enters the core could have a crack or something too.


There is a small pipe comming out of the fire wall,and fluid comming out of the pipe.I do not see any rubber hose.When I turn the heat on high in the truck,I smell antifreeze,and it make a mist so you can not see out of the windshield.I went to two people,and the first said it was the heater core,(at $1100.00,parts and labor)and the second said it was a mogalater valve.Parts and labor $125.00.Big difference;Nothing getting wet on inside of truck;Mack


----------



## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

so you have standard "2 pipes out" heater core connection to the cooling system. 
_
There is a small pipe comming out of the fire wall,and fluid comming *out of the pipe*._

If this is correct, there's crack in the pipe. Valves normally are inside engine bay, before heater core pipe. I tried to look up mogalator valve, and the only one close is modulator valve. You may get lucky, if heater core valve is, actually, right inside behind the firewall, and coolant (should be no water there) is seeping out of it and across the pipe, but I SERIOUSLY doubt, as that would have most likely dripped down onto the floor. Gravity, you know.

Heater core is pita to get to, usually, a dashboard needs to be replaced, hence the charge. Unless you can lay flat on the floor and get to it. They are not that expensive, it's labor that bites you.


----------



## DoctorWho (Jun 21, 2011)

BigMack said:


> There is a small pipe comming out of the fire wall,and fluid comming out of the pipe.I do not see any rubber hose.When I turn the heat on high in the truck,I smell antifreeze,and it make a mist so you can not see out of the windshield.I went to two people,and the first said it was the heater core,(at $1100.00,parts and labor)and the second said it was a mogalater valve.Parts and labor $125.00.Big difference;Nothing getting wet on inside of truck;Mack


Definitely a heater core issue then, I'm still not sure what pipe you mean, does sound like maybe it's the A/C's water drain it's coming out of. Can't help you more than that, never worked on a Dodge much at all, not sure how complex it is to repair/replace a core. I've done several on other cars and it's not that bad if you take your time and don't force any of the plastic parts. Good luck!

Found this, might help you out a little bit: http://youtu.be/dTlZwJqgR3o


----------



## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

hey, Big, are there actually any problesm with car running low on coolant or overheating? I looked at DH's post, and he might have hit nail on its head, when he mentioned A/C DRAIN PIPE. as you say - water, and coolant does not look like water at all. Maybe it is as simple as condenser drain pipe?


----------



## bigdaddyII (Aug 27, 2011)

Typically smelling antifreeze inside the cab is directly related to the heater core. I have a 2002 Ram and am not sure how your set up is. If it is quick connects holding the hose to the nipples on the core that poke through the firewall try to replace those or cut them off and hose clamp it. 
The core may very well be bad, but that hose may just be leaking due to a faulty connection and the coolant running down the nipples into your HVAC box. Something to try at least, because that hose is not supposed to leak. I would hate for you to spend upwards of a grand to have the core replaced and all along the problem may have been a 50 cent clamp or quick connect that went bad.


----------

