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In this Discussion
- 37 Terraplane#2 April 2010
- grizzlyj April 2010
- Oldcar_Mechanic April 2010
coolant leak 78 nova, help?
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This is my first real car and i am learning quickly, its a 1978 chevy nova with a 1970 chevy 350 smallblock. yesterday i noticed coolant leakage on the ground so i filled it back up, on the way home steam was coming into the car through the defroster vents and coolant started coming into the car then when i pulled into the garage it all spilled out onto the garage floor. i did a little research and my best guess is that it is the heater core. i called the guy i bought the car from and he said he put a new heater core in it as well as new tubing. a friend said that i could just get a piece of tubing, and take both hoses and run them into each other(the heater in and out). before i take apart the heater box and firewall i'd like to get some input on this, thanks!
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Welcome to the group Grizzlyj
It sure sounds like the heater core went bad to me. Whenever you get water or water vapor inside the car there is not to many places that it can come from.
You can take the two hoses going to the core on the engine side of the cowl, and connect them together to by pass the heater.
At least then you can wait till you have the money to fix it.
Ron -
will the car run fine without it? i'm still learning like i said so i dont really know the function of the heater core, sorry for being such a newbie haha.
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It will run fine but no heat or defrosters . Heater cores last a long time, I'd remove what ever need be to see exactly where it's comeing from then go to work on it . ----BUD
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Bud said it right.
You don't need a heater core if you live or drive the car in warm weather only. It is only needed for heat for the passengers and to help defrost the windows in the cold weather. Many years ago car heaters were optional.
I personally would try to find the problem and repair it though.
Ron -
im going to eventually get a heater core but for now id like to just run the lines into each other so i can have it running for now. i have no idea how to get into the firewall, heres a picture of the engine bay. any suggestions? i went to the library and got 2 chilton's manuals to help haha.
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You should be able to just disconnecct the hoses right at the firewall. There should be hose clamps on them. Plug a pipe into the ends and re-clamp.
Ron
