# AntiFreeze on the passenger-side floor



## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

My 99 Sentra I just bought had Anti-Freeze on the floor and alot of it. Thing is coolent isn't low. When car runs, see no leaks. I was thinking it could be the heater core or the fact the guy that had it spilled crap on the floor. Any thoughts?

jason


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

maroonsentra said:


> My 99 Sentra I just bought had Anti-Freeze on the floor and alot of it. Thing is coolent isn't low. When car runs, see no leaks. I was thinking it could be the heater core or the fact the guy that had it spilled crap on the floor. Any thoughts?
> 
> jason


Man you are not having much luck.
Yes on all the cars I have looked at if the heater core leaks its inside the fire wall and ends up in the passenger side foot well.
i suggest you clean it up with a shop vac and shampoo the carpet.
Then see if it returns when you have the car running.


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

IanH said:


> Man you are not having much luck.
> Yes on all the cars I have looked at if the heater core leaks its inside the fire wall and ends up in the passenger side foot well.
> i suggest you clean it up with a shop vac and shampoo the carpet.
> Then see if it returns when you have the car running.


That was the plan. In the process of ripping the carpet out and hitting it with a pressure washer. Woudn't the coolant be low? Usually a bad heater core that leaks with result in low coolant.

Jason


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

maroonsentra said:


> That was the plan. In the process of ripping the carpet out and hitting it with a pressure washer. Woudn't the coolant be low? Usually a bad heater core that leaks with result in low coolant.
> 
> Jason


Yes but if the leak is slow and the coolant toped up every now and again its not very noticeable.
If you have got a flood then your guess that it was a spill may be right.
Good Luck....


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

I pulled the carpet and power washed it, now like new. We'll see what happens. Thanks.


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## azkicker0027 (May 31, 2002)

well, move the temp selector to the hottest setting and run the engine until operating temps. watch the coolant level on the expansion tank. if the coolant drops and moves to your floorboard, then you know that your heater core is leaking. you can either bypass it with some hoses or go ahead and replace the leaking heater core.


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

azkicker0027 said:


> well, move the temp selector to the hottest setting and run the engine until operating temps. watch the coolant level on the expansion tank. if the coolant drops and moves to your floorboard, then you know that your heater core is leaking. you can either bypass it with some hoses or go ahead and replace the leaking heater core.


Hmm. Very interesyting. How do you set the temp? I ran the car for about 20 minutes, and got no drops. Why bypass the hose? Wouldn't there be no heat?

Jason


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## redser (Aug 30, 2006)

he is saying the dial for your heat, set it all the way in the red (hottest setting). if you bypassed the heater core than yes you would get no heat but it would be a temp fix until you got a new heater core. depending on where you live you might not use it very much, and it might not be worth it to spend the time a nd money to fix it.


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

redser said:


> he is saying the dial for your heat, set it all the way in the red (hottest setting). if you bypassed the heater core than yes you would get no heat but it would be a temp fix until you got a new heater core. depending on where you live you might not use it very much, and it might not be worth it to spend the time a nd money to fix it.


Well, it sat for a couple of days and now is leaking on the floor again. How do I get to the heater core to check the hoses or replace the core?

Jason


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## redser (Aug 30, 2006)

pull the dash to remove the core. hoses you will see hit the fire wall next to the strut tower. there will be 2 metal pipes coming out from the fire wall that will attacth to rubber hoses.


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

redser said:


> pull the dash to remove the core. hoses you will see hit the fire wall next to the strut tower. there will be 2 metal pipes coming out from the fire wall that will attacth to rubber hoses.


Do I need to pull the dash or can I get to it from under the dash? Seems that where it's coming froma and there is a cover there. 

Jason


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

IanH said:


> Man you are not having much luck.
> Yes on all the cars I have looked at if the heater core leaks its inside the fire wall and ends up in the passenger side foot well.
> i suggest you clean it up with a shop vac and shampoo the carpet.
> Then see if it returns when you have the car running.


Yes, that's where it's leaking. How is this fixed?

Jason


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

maroonsentra said:


> Yes, that's where it's leaking. How is this fixed?
> 
> Jason


you have to remove the heater core and replace it or get it repaired at a radiator repair shop.
Before you do that check the hoses where they join onto the unit at the firewall. 
A Leak there might go through the firewall into the foot well if you are lucky.
Look at the 96 FSM, page HA 63.
It says to drain coolant, discharge the A/C, remove the instrument panel (section BT)
Remove the instrument panel reinforcing, remove cooling unit, remove the heating unit.

It looks like a real PITA.


does anyone know if you can get the heating unit out without all this ???


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

IanH said:


> you have to remove the heater core and replace it or get it repaired at a radiator repair shop.
> Before you do that check the hoses where they join onto the unit at the firewall.
> A Leak there might go through the firewall into the foot well if you are lucky.
> Look at the 96 FSM, page HA 63.
> ...



I'll have to look but not sure if my manual has that. where they join at the firewall was not clamped, should it be? How does it connect? Seems like it's a funnel type.


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## IanH (Feb 11, 2003)

maroonsentra said:


> I'll have to look but not sure if my manual has that. where they join at the firewall was not clamped, should it be? How does it connect? Seems like it's a funnel type.


I will look at lunch and see how the heater hoses connect.

Download the Nissan FSM here...The link appears to be working again.
http://www.nissanforums.com/b14-95-99-chassis/60760-b14-full-service-manual.html


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## maroonsentra (Mar 3, 2007)

IanH said:


> I will look at lunch and see how the heater hoses connect.
> 
> Download the Nissan FSM here...The link appears to be working again.
> http://www.nissanforums.com/b14-95-99-chassis/60760-b14-full-service-manual.html


Thanks, I gotta get it fixed.


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