99 Dodge Dakota, 318, 4x4
I had an interesting puddle under my truck this afternoon when I went to leave work. The puddle was located to the right of the passenger area. I had what seemed like water dripping down my main chassis bar. Now I say what seemed like water because it had a slight hint of antifreeze in it. Not as potent as my actual mixture because I opened up my radiator cap and smelt it and the went back to examine the stuff under my truck and had no where near the amount of antifreeze in it. Now I also know I have a small heater core leak. I say small, because I've yet to leave any puddles up until today, and my floor is dry as a bone. Now I know there is a tube somewhere on the firewall that lets out the condensation from the A/C unit, but I can't find it to verify my theory.
Theory: This morning it was rather rainy and I drive with my defrost on all the way to work, 11 miles. Normally I only turn on my defrost just to clear my windows and then put it back on normal venting. This was prolly the only day I let the defrost run on all the way to work. I'm wondering that is the condensation mixed with the small amount of heater core leak, mixed and puked out when parked at work. The problem I have is, when water mixes with antifreeze, how long does it take to evaporate? We had a coolish cloudy day today, and nothing else was wet under the truck except for this puddle. Will water stand for 8 hours as a wet puddle on a cloudy day? I drove home today, got into the garage and I can't find a [censored] leak anywhere in the engine bay. I get under the truck and can't find squat. I put a container under the area that I saw wet when at work, and will have to check in the morning if anything puked out anywhere. The only difference of today is that I ran the defrost all the way to work and wondering if the condensation from the A/C core mixed with the small heater core leak and was able to stand 8 hours in puddle form on a cool and cloudy day.
As of right now, I can't find anything leaking, but I didn't run my defrost on the way home.
Also, in case of having to by-pass my heater core, how the heck do you do that with the heater by-pass hose they give you at the store. It makes no sense at all! It's just a little rubber hose in an elbow shape, no couplings or anything. It would be easier just to unplug the two hoses from the firewall, then disconnect the hose running down the passenger side valve cover and just reconnect them together over the top of the engine...
Opinions, options, thoughts, theorys?
Thanks!!
- Eric
I had an interesting puddle under my truck this afternoon when I went to leave work. The puddle was located to the right of the passenger area. I had what seemed like water dripping down my main chassis bar. Now I say what seemed like water because it had a slight hint of antifreeze in it. Not as potent as my actual mixture because I opened up my radiator cap and smelt it and the went back to examine the stuff under my truck and had no where near the amount of antifreeze in it. Now I also know I have a small heater core leak. I say small, because I've yet to leave any puddles up until today, and my floor is dry as a bone. Now I know there is a tube somewhere on the firewall that lets out the condensation from the A/C unit, but I can't find it to verify my theory.
Theory: This morning it was rather rainy and I drive with my defrost on all the way to work, 11 miles. Normally I only turn on my defrost just to clear my windows and then put it back on normal venting. This was prolly the only day I let the defrost run on all the way to work. I'm wondering that is the condensation mixed with the small amount of heater core leak, mixed and puked out when parked at work. The problem I have is, when water mixes with antifreeze, how long does it take to evaporate? We had a coolish cloudy day today, and nothing else was wet under the truck except for this puddle. Will water stand for 8 hours as a wet puddle on a cloudy day? I drove home today, got into the garage and I can't find a [censored] leak anywhere in the engine bay. I get under the truck and can't find squat. I put a container under the area that I saw wet when at work, and will have to check in the morning if anything puked out anywhere. The only difference of today is that I ran the defrost all the way to work and wondering if the condensation from the A/C core mixed with the small heater core leak and was able to stand 8 hours in puddle form on a cool and cloudy day.
As of right now, I can't find anything leaking, but I didn't run my defrost on the way home.
Also, in case of having to by-pass my heater core, how the heck do you do that with the heater by-pass hose they give you at the store. It makes no sense at all! It's just a little rubber hose in an elbow shape, no couplings or anything. It would be easier just to unplug the two hoses from the firewall, then disconnect the hose running down the passenger side valve cover and just reconnect them together over the top of the engine...
Opinions, options, thoughts, theorys?
Thanks!!
- Eric
