Leaky heater core. I think

[urbandork]

When ever i use my heater i notice my coolant level goes down a lot. I think i have a leaky heater core but im not sure. I know its a pain to get to. Is there any easy way to acutally know if its leaking? or if its something else.

note: when i use to have a lot of antifreeze in it some times after it would smell fishy/antifreeze like.

[Pineapple]

Look for green powder. That'll be where it leaks.

[farqy]

it will be leaking in one of a few places

there will be two hoses coming from the main coolant routing at the tranny end of the engine, they will lead to the firewall, and there is a couple of connectors there. on the other side of your firewall is your heater core. if it was a leaking heater core, your car would be filling up with coolant, which sucks, and you would have noticed by now

it is likely a leaky hose or connection. so check the hoses. they are inconveinently placed behind the engine usually on the firewall, so get it up on some stands, put some clean cardboard under it, or some nice white linens, and run the car with the heater on and look for drips.

hopefully it is a hose, which is easy to replace, and not a connector, which you would have to pry out of the firewall. make sure to use new hose clamps on the new hose.