Lumpyd

I have a 98 A4 2.8 30V. I have had a small smell of coolant for a little while now. However, the other day it was a little chilly out and after driving the car for a couple minutes, I turned the heater on just a bit. Antifreeze smelling steam came out the vents. (Love that smell). There isn't any antifreeze on the floor of the car at all, and nothing appears to be leaking out underneath the car either. Would this be a bad core? Bad hoses? Something else? The car has 270K on her and I just did a clutch and T-Belt/Water pump. I really don't want to get rid of it, but also don't want to spend another ton of cash on it.

Any advice?

Thanks.

Larry

Prospeeder

Bad heater core. Nothing is on the floor because it heads out of the evaporator drain and under the middle of the car. Its probably leaking so slowly you dont see puddles, but it will make steam and stink. The cores are very common failures on these cars. Expect 1000$ at a shop to replace it. Its not a fun job. if your DIY, then dig in, cores are cheap. Just take pictures and be gentle with the trim. The entire dash must be removed, then the heater box removed.

Lumpyd

Yeah, probably just end up scrapping it. Once I get the dash off, I'll never be able to get it back on. Lol. Oh well.

N_Jay

Given the age of our cars, and fact that any significant cost can cause an otherwise usable car to be scrapped, what do you think of trying a fix such as disconnecting the hoses from the engine, then circulating coolant and "stop-Leak" through just the heater core in an attempt to plug the leak without gumming up the whole system?

I am thinking in a day or two of creative plumbing, one might save the core (for at least for a few years) and therefore get significant additional use out of the car?

Thoughts?

Prospeeder

Well it could be a spring summer only car too, or sell it as it is. With all the new parts you have done I could see 800-1200 bucks for it, somebody will want to fix it. Not knowing what kind of shape its in, im assuming not perfect but not trashed just alright for its age. If it was really beat up 3-400 bucks. Scraps only going to be a few hundred bucks at most.

bydand

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Yes, I am building up courgage to do this myself.

Also having just done the timing belt,pump and the suspension kit, with new shocks.

Only 232K Km.

And you know when the say, change all the oils seals and oil plugs when in your there, and don't.

another job for the list.