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-   -   Coolant leak? (https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/coolant-leak-161328/)

fritschep 03-27-2009 11:45 PM

iv been adding coolent all day to the car to get home the dampness i think is just alot of condensation it doesn't smell to much like coolent i dont hear a thing for the A/C maybe my hearing is bad. i found the coolent leak its under the transmission right behind the dirver and passanger seat in the middle under the car.

rx8cited 03-28-2009 12:08 AM

Interesting ...... I don't think any part of the cooling system goes that far back (behind the driver/passanger seat). Do you have the car on a lift, jack stands, or ramps?

I could not tell it was my water pump that was leaking until I took out the air intake box, battery, and battery case.

I'd like to know what your car's problem eventually turns out to be.

fritschep 03-28-2009 12:22 AM

yeah thanks for your help thus far yea when i noticed it leaking from there i was alittle dumbfounded if you have any other ideas tell me, thanks again

fritschep 03-28-2009 11:03 AM


Originally Posted by rx8cited (Post 2938446)
Heater core if its smells like coolant. If it's just water, and you've been running your AC, it could be a blocked drain hose.

Last night i couldn't tell if the floor mat was wet with coolent or something else but this morning i soaked some of it up and sure enough green as grass and the underside of the mat is soaked in coolent so its the heater core then?

I will be posting some pictures of where the leak is under the car, it's not behind the driver/passenger seats it's more like directly under them and in the middle.

swoope 03-28-2009 09:55 PM


Originally Posted by fritschep (Post 2938881)
Last night i couldn't tell if the floor mat was wet with coolent or something else but this morning i soaked some of it up and sure enough green as grass and the underside of the mat is soaked in coolent so its the heater core then?

I will be posting some pictures of where the leak is under the car, it's not behind the driver/passenger seats it's more like directly under them and in the middle.

it could be your ac h2o drain is clogged.. it has happened..

beers :beer:

fritschep 03-28-2009 11:23 PM

how would i check that (AC drain)?

rx8cited 03-28-2009 11:38 PM


Originally Posted by fritschep (Post 2938881)
Last night i couldn't tell if the floor mat was wet with coolent or something else but this morning i soaked some of it up and sure enough green as grass and the underside of the mat is soaked in coolent so its the heater core then?

Most likely the heater core. No other way I can think of for coolant to get in the car ......... unless you had some in the car and spilled it.

Look for leaks in the passenger side firewall where the heater hoses/lines go thru. Check your water pump too.

rx8cited 03-28-2009 11:47 PM


Originally Posted by fritschep (Post 2939621)
how would i check that (AC drain)?

If you're under the car, you could poke a firm wire or coat hanger into the AC drain hose gently to check for and free any obstruction.

Have you been running your AC / defogger recently?

Since you said the floor is soaked with coolant, your AC's not the cause of that.

swoope 03-28-2009 11:51 PM


Originally Posted by fritschep (Post 2939621)
how would i check that (AC drain)?

you are going to have to search for that.

hint use advanced search and use the date as from the beginning or what ever allows you to get back to the begining..

if you cant find it. send me a pm. i will give it a try.

beers :beer:

fritschep 03-29-2009 04:53 PM

2 Attachment(s)
I found the leak here are pictures tell me what you think.

Brettus 03-29-2009 05:03 PM

That's going to be a tough one to fix . Looks like you may have to replace the whole heater assembly ?

fritschep 03-29-2009 06:08 PM

okay when you say that you mean heater core?.. what else do you think would need to be replaced?

rx8cited 03-29-2009 08:36 PM

fritschep - nice pictures. Glad you found it. Replacing the heater core and putting in new coolant/distilled water mix should do it from what I can tell.

Picture does not show visible leakage. Where is it leaking?

You mentioned coolant under the car - was it leaking from inside the cabin from heater core thru the floor panel to the outside?

Please let us know how you resolve this problem.

fritschep 03-29-2009 10:49 PM

Where my finger was in the picture that connection was leaking under it, as for the leak under the car. once i had bypassed the heater core, it stoped. i think it was from the gallon and a half of radiator fluid that had made its way throught the center counsel and somehow under the car i already cleaned it up. i forgot to take pictures i think along with the puddel on the passenger side thats what did it. so now i gotta figure out how to get to the heater core to replace it. i already have a new one on the way.I searched the site from top to bottom i could not find a thread on how to remove the heater core. could someone point me in the right direction. thanks for everones help it is very much apriciated thanks again.

rx8cited 03-29-2009 11:08 PM

Factory Manual. Look at 10 HVAC.

This looks like a lot more work that I would have initially guessed. Looks like the dashboard and entire A/C unit has to be pulled out if I'm not mistaken, as the heater core is part of the A/C unit. See pages 1-8.

rx8cited 04-08-2009 12:18 AM

fritschep - what's the latest on your car?

fritschep 04-16-2009 01:09 PM

okay here goes I started taking the dash off I got it loose, it’s so much hard than I thought anyway the new heater core I received had a problem with it well it wasn’t new it was used so I had to put everything back at that point because I didn’t have another car to drive so I haven’t really gotten anywhere on it :banghead: I was thinking, you know how you can add that stuff that seals radiator leaks to your coolant do you think that would work with the heater core, because the coolant is running through it, maybe that would save me a lot of trouble.

rx8cited 04-16-2009 10:37 PM

:sad: to hear about your experience. How'd you find the problem with the new heater core? Can it be fixed by a radiator shop - hopefully for cheap since it's off the car?

:dunno: about adding that radiator leak stuff - never used it. Good luck and let us know what you do.


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