Chev Cavalier 3.1 FI(1991)Leaking coolant from firewall side of the engine apartment

Just found that a big leak of coolant located on the firewall side of
the engine apartment, it appears in the centre, half way down, but
cann't see the exact location from the top, even with a mirror.

Will go back to it tonight, but any suggestions are appreciated on the
possible cause of it.

Thanks!

I remember this situation. That sounds just like the heater core.
Heater core has a catch pan under it that vents through the fire wall,
in center, half way down.
Little black rubber elbow is all that shows in the engine compartment.
Climb under car and look straight up. (I know, its a tight fit.)
Gotta spend a couple of hours with your head under the dash to get the
heater core out.

Has your windshield been foggy a lot lately? That was my first tell
tale sign.
Mine went out in the winter too. Wasn't this cold out though.

While changing the heater core, I caused another leak in a heater hose
up in the front
of the engine. I don't remember the specifics on that because I paid
someone to fix that.
I was willing to take it in after spending all that time under the dash
changing the
heater core.

This all happened after the torque converter clutch solinoid, but
before the water pump.
I think there was a drivers bucket seat replacement in there too.
That cars not a metalic blue is it?
That car was fun!

Good luck

Thanks a lot wcs94!

It all sounds very familiar, isn't it?

I was able to get the heater core out of the dash last night, in the
way I was able to break the front core cover into many pieces, since
there are two hiden screw right in the front near the firewall and I
wasn't expecting that, so I got to replace two parts instead of only
one.

I got to find a new core and put it in tonight, it appears that putting
back isn't as bad as taking it out, is this true?

It seems that core itself is OK, the leak is located right at the joint
of a piece of plastic pipe on top of another plastic fitting, a
perfect recipe for disasters. The pipe splites right at the edge of the
fitting. I know a neighbor of my who had the exactly same problme, at
the same place on the same pipe! I guess this is the GM's way to help
their dealer?

I was able to connect the two hose with a piece of short copper pipe,
so the car is on road today.

This is after a water pump three weeks ago, and a leaking rediator at
the crimping, and a lot of other things before.

Thanks again for the info, have fun!


wrote:
> I remember this situation. That sounds just like the heater core.
> Heater core has a catch pan under it that vents through the fire
wall,
> in center, half way down.
> Little black rubber elbow is all that shows in the engine
compartment.
> Climb under car and look straight up. (I know, its a tight fit.)
> Gotta spend a couple of hours with your head under the dash to get
the
> heater core out.
>
> Has your windshield been foggy a lot lately? That was my first tell
> tale sign.
> Mine went out in the winter too. Wasn't this cold out though.
>
> While changing the heater core, I caused another leak in a heater
hose
> up in the front
> of the engine. I don't remember the specifics on that because I paid
> someone to fix that.
> I was willing to take it in after spending all that time under the
dash
> changing the
> heater core.
>
> This all happened after the torque converter clutch solinoid, but
> before the water pump.
> I think there was a drivers bucket seat replacement in there too.
> That cars not a metalic blue is it?
> That car was fun!
>
> Good luck