Heater core smell/stench

fastpunker

adrenaline junkie
Feb 7, 2012
215
1
16
Lake Havasu City, AZ
So a few months ago I was doing some boost launches and the infamous plastic fitting in the engine bay that attaches to the inlet to the heater core busted. In doing so, it sprayed coolant everywhere including the air intake for the heater core below the windshield.

Ever since then, when I turn on the turn on the cabin heat it reeks of coolant... almost enough to make to make you sick, or say screw it, I'll freeze over smelling that crap. My truck is an 03, so it doesn't have the cabin filter like the 02's do (damn bastards lol).

So my question is, does anyone have any bright ideas on how to get it to stop smelling and/or cleaning it without having to pull the whole dash out to get to it??? I have tried taking it through the car wash multiple times thinking the soap and water would soak in and work, no success. The next thing I am going to try is getting some hot water with soap in it and pouring it down into the air intake spot... I'm out of ideas :banghead: I am open to any and all off the wall random half concocted ideas :thinking2:
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,752
5,927
113
Phoenix Az
you might wanna check your motor mount buddy. if you cracked a fitting, its a good bet the motor is moving quite a bit.

you may have inadvertently cracked the heater core when the fitting cracked. if the temp control is on full cold, can you still smell coolant?
 

chevyburnout1

Fixing it till it breaks
Aug 25, 2008
2,368
1
38
Berthoud, CO
If its not a leaking heater core I'm a big fan of the BG Frigi-Fresh. Run a whole can through the HVAC inlet and a bit in the headliner/seats/etc. It will be pretty strong the first week or two but once it dies down a bit the whole truck will smell brand new.
 

fastpunker

adrenaline junkie
Feb 7, 2012
215
1
16
Lake Havasu City, AZ
you might wanna check your motor mount buddy. if you cracked a fitting, its a good bet the motor is moving quite a bit.

you may have inadvertently cracked the heater core when the fitting cracked. if the temp control is on full cold, can you still smell coolant?
I don't notice it with it on full cold... the heat just seams to amplify it. I'll have to check the mounts... I think it was just do to it being the original white plastic fitting that was heat rotted thx to the az heat lol. its a rubber hose on the engine side of it, so I would think the hose would have enough flex to let the motor move... but I'll check still.

Motors can move a crap ton when the mounts go, I have dents in the hood of the taco where the motor hit it multiple times after smashing a whoop section :roflmao:


If its not a leaking heater core I'm a big fan of the BG Frigi-Fresh. Run a whole can through the HVAC inlet and a bit in the headliner/seats/etc. It will be pretty strong the first week or two but once it dies down a bit the whole truck will smell brand new.

What inlet are you talking about, the one outside under the windshield?

I'll have to give that elixir a try
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,752
5,927
113
Phoenix Az
Where can I pic up some of this BG supa-fresh concoction? :spit: I will have to give it a whirl

Im sure Sean can get you some and ship it to ya. He got me the BG powersteering fluid i like using. usually BG isnt over the counter stuff, least out here
 

fastpunker

adrenaline junkie
Feb 7, 2012
215
1
16
Lake Havasu City, AZ
Im sure Sean can get you some and ship it to ya. He got me the BG powersteering fluid i like using. usually BG isnt over the counter stuff, least out here

Chit, I totally spaced that I am in direct contact with the BG rep here..... that was the only way I was able to get the injector cleaner chit again as a last ditch effort to save my injectacrapors. I'll have to hit him up after my trip back home. That reminds me, do you still have my filters from bri bri, James?
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,752
5,927
113
Phoenix Az
Chit, I totally spaced that I am in direct contact with the BG rep here..... that was the only way I was able to get the injector cleaner chit again as a last ditch effort to save my injectacrapors. I'll have to hit him up after my trip back home. That reminds me, do you still have my filters from bri bri, James?

ya know what, i totally forgot about them. he still has them... i think/hope. ill text him
 

hondarider552

Getting faster
May 28, 2008
10,627
2
36
34
Arizona
You still haz the lift pump filters you were getting rid of... zee ones you were supposed to hand off to James to give to me? You still interested in snow boarding bri bri?

I just have the stock fuel filter from the airdog you can have. IDK what happened to my Cat one but free filter is a free filter lol.

Id like to, but days off for me are few and far between. Im in the semi 6 days a week.
 

Chevy1925

don't know sh!t about IFS
Staff member
Oct 21, 2009
21,752
5,927
113
Phoenix Az
Our dashes ain't bad. They don't have to come out as one big unit. Try doing a dodge.... You will want to beat your hands against anything sharp before you start so you can't tell how bad you destroy them from pulling one of those dashes.