850 Heater Core Leaking

[pkallis]

I have a '96 850 GLT, non-turbo motor, with a problem. While a friend
was behind me driving it home for me one night, all of a sudden, I
noticed in the rear view mrror that he had completely disappeared within
the cabin in a cloud of steam. It turned out (or appeared to, anyway)
that the heater core on the passenger's side burst, releasing vapor into
the car.

The red warning light for low coolant came on, but we were able to limp
it back to my place abou 8 miles away. Later, I refilled the coolant
reservoir, but it steadily leaks out from somewhere under the car.
Though the steam inside the car was readily apparent that evening, I
have yet to see any evidence of water inside the car. Rather, it seems
to leak from along the side sill under the car on the passenger side.

What gives? Any ideas as to where the leak really is?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[Mike F]

I have a '96 850 GLT, non-turbo motor, with a problem. While a friend
was behind me driving it home for me one night, all of a sudden, I
noticed in the rear view mrror that he had completely disappeared within
the cabin in a cloud of steam. It turned out (or appeared to, anyway)
that the heater core on the passenger's side burst, releasing vapor into
the car.

The red warning light for low coolant came on, but we were able to limp
it back to my place abou 8 miles away. Later, I refilled the coolant
reservoir, but it steadily leaks out from somewhere under the car.
Though the steam inside the car was readily apparent that evening, I
have yet to see any evidence of water inside the car. Rather, it seems
to leak from along the side sill under the car on the passenger side.

What gives? Any ideas as to where the leak really is?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

When heater cores leak in the 850, the coolant ends up under the carpet,
then seeps through the sound deadener, and will leak out any available
hole in the floor. Remove one of the panels so you can see the top of
the tunnel at the firewall. Place a towel there, under the heater box.
Start it up, and see what happens.

--
Mike F.
Thornhill (near Toronto), Ont.

Replace tt with t (twice!) and remove parentheses to email me directly.
(But I check the newsgroup more often than this email address.)