Nissan Xterra Coolant/heater core...

[SuperDave456]

I work from home 3 days a week. The other 2 days I drive in. My wife drives the Taurus, cause it gets better gas mileage, and I get the Xterra.

This issue is this. I think the heater core has a small leak.
But there is No wet floor, No constant smell of coolant in the hot air, it kind of stops after 10-15 minutes, but it IS there.
Will flushing solve this? Drains and fills would be easier as there are a bunch of plastic parts under there.

Or has the Damage been done?
Also, from what I understand I need to get some of Toyota's propriatary coolant for this. Is my information correct?

 

[Chris142]

If the heater is leaking it needs to be replaced. If you flush it then the small leak may become a large flood.

The labor is about 8 hrs to replace that core.

 

[SuperDave456]

Don't know if it is the core, or if is something somewhere else.Might take it by a shop I trust to check it out.

Just curious as to the Opinions out there.
I need to search other Xterra forums also to see if there is a leak that smells like a core going out, but goes away after everything warms up.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Check the heater hoses, they are the weakest links of the coolant system. All the coolant leaks I had in all my cars are from heater hoses.

 

[SuperDave456]

After work today I shut off the engine and lifted the hood. It is one of the hoses. Has to be as the smell was coming from there. It has to be that some of the smell gets sucked/pushed into the intake when I first start the car and there is always a draft through the duct work in the car when you are at speed even when you have everything turned off.

I'd rather have a problem with a hose than the heater core.
Thanks for your help guys.

 

[HTSS_TR]

You should change all heater hoses that are visible, also change the upper radiator hose if it wasn't changed the last 100k miles.

If you don't plan to flush your coolant now, then you need Toyota coolant to replace the coolant lost.

For the hose(s) you can get it from any auto parts store for a lot less than at Toyota.

 

[mechanicx]

Yeah heater hoses are ussally the firt hoses to go followed by the upper radiator hose. If you can swing it, it's best to replace all the hoses you can while you got the coolant drained down.

 

[SuperDave456]

The car only has 56K miles on it, But it is an '04. It has been my Wife's since day 1, and I asked her if she ever had it flushed or a drain & fill. Needless to say it hasn't.

I plan on doing the work to it when it gets a tad bit warmer.

I have read up before that the hoses on the Xterra are the weakest point of the design. Lots of plastic in the coolant loop that can easily be broken.
I just cant find the article.

Again, thank you for your help.

 

[Sayjac]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456

Also, from what I understand I need to get some of Toyota's propriatary coolant for this. Is my information correct?
Not sure why that would be. I would think Nissan's own "green" would work just as well or better. Like Toyota's, it's pricey though. Wouldn't think it's more though, and it comes in full strength.

I know you've decided to replace the hoses, but pressure testing the whole system would confirm the problem(s).