"SMoo" > wrote in message
...
> I just got back from the car...
>
> I popped off the radiator cap, and got the car running nice and warm...
>

Be careful doing that - hot coolant expands and if there's no large leaks
it will come spewing out the radiator. You should never run it without
a rad cap.

> When I did, coolant started pouring out from somewhere I can't see. From
the
> bottom of the car, it looks to be from between the fender and the oil
pan...
>
> Could this be the heater core?
>

Does it stink like coolant inside the passenger compartment?

Usually bad heater cores will pee all over the inside of the car, leaving
you with a carpet full of stinking coolant that you have to shampoo out
of there. You can choose to do this before you replace the heater
core, in which case when you pull the core out more residual coolant will
come pouring out onto the carpet, and you have to shampoo it again -
or you can do it after you replace the core in which case your going to
be lying in the coolant while you undo the dash to get the core out.

It's one of my most fun jobs to do! ;-)

You really need to get it on jackstands.

> Is it safe to bypass it?

Yes, if that is the problem.

Ted