I have radiator fluid coming out of my AC weephole.

Myco

Myco

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I have a 97. 2 weeks after I got it the blend door popped up. That was 7 months ago. 3 weeks ago I started the car and couldn't turn the ac off no matter what I did. It quit after 10 minutes and has never blown again.

Tonight I go out to the car and there is radiator fluid coming out from under the car and after some direction from Tommy I found the weep-hole for the AC and saw the radiator fluid coming out.

I've been instructed not to drive the car like this as it's dangerous. I need the car fixed as fast as possible though and need to get into the dash and start replacing items.

Does anyone have any idea what is actually going on here? I"m about to go do the search for the blend door but suggestions are very welcome.
 
The blend door should have nothing to do with the AC functioning on the compressor side of the system.... odd.... sounds like an EATC failure...
 
sounds like your heater core broke, possible from an extreme A/c overload at the evap???? never seen that happen,but the a/c being stuck on makes me wonder,

the evap and heater core are right together inside dash.
 
Moes8 said:
sounds like your heater core broke, possible from an extreme A/c overload at the evap???? never seen that happen,but the a/c being stuck on makes me wonder,

the evap and heater core are right together inside dash.
Click to expand...

I have used the AC maybe a handfull of times since I got the car. That was before winter. Otherwise I've just hit the button for a couple seconds to see if it works.
 
kustomizingkid said:
The blend door should have nothing to do with the AC functioning on the compressor side of the system.... odd.... sounds like an EATC failure...
Click to expand...

You sure?

sounds to me exactly what happend to my car when the Intake vent under the cowl started leaking.

Fan would run on full blast regardless of etac setting.

I pulled the cowl, resealed the vent intake and so far in almost a year I haven't had that problem again.

1.I'm thinking he shorted out the fan motor

2. he broke the inlet on the heater core using the shadetree advice he got here, those that told him to "pull off the heater hoses" to burp the cooling system.

both of which are no relation to the blend door problem

I think he's got 3 different issues going on behind the dash.

*bummer*
 
Time to pull the dash then....

I'm just saying that the blend door itself isn't making the other stuff screw up....
 
Dash is pulled. Getting a blend door arm tomorrow morning from the dealership. (41$ and in stock ). Also, thinking about getting a new heater core but not sure if that is a problem.


(yes I am going to re-inforce the blend door actuator)
 
kustomizingkid said:
The new ones don't need to be reinforced... they changed the design a bit.
Click to expand...


"if" you get a new one. The one I got was exactly like the old one. I asked the guy when I was delivered to the Ford Dealership and it was January of 2009.

I reinforced it.

Update on the thread:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's what I think is happening with the heater core. I recently (2 weeks ago) refilled the antifreeze from the tube going into the heater core at the back of the engine. I think in doing this that I cracked the metal tube leading into the firewall to the heatercore, Thus it leaks. (tommy nailed it I think)



I replaced the blend door and re-crimped the wire going to the blower motor with no results. Turning on the AC or Heat does not do anything besides make the compressor come on. I'm wondering if this could be a fuse, or some type of controller (like the temp controlling unit)



I'm pretty sure about the hoses on the back of the engine. They are the two hoses that go into the firewall on the back left. 5/8 diameter I think.
I'll jump those but it gets pretty hot here in Houston and I don't want to loose the extra radiator fluid. If someone KNOWS this won't be a problem I'll forgo the heater core altogeather after this as it doesn't get that cold in the winter. If not I'll have to wait for another day to get to the heater core. I'm also thinking of using leak sealant and see if it works.

Blower problems:
In the meantime. I need to replace the blower motor or figure out what has happened here. Symptoms: = started car and AC was on FULL and would not shut off. After a mile it shut off and never worked again. Don't know what that tells you but hopefully someone might have a clue.
 
Like I told you previously, I dont know why you would repost it as a question when I have expereinced it first hand.

when you delete the heater core, you are reducing the amount of coolant your car holds, and that will cause your car to run warmer.

My 95 did it, when I bypassed the heater core... it doesnt take a rocket scientist to see why?
you loose 3/4 a gallon of coolant capacity and now the coolant you have going to be hotter.

less volume....

I live here in texas as well, yes my car ran hotter.
it wasn't enough to be "concerned" about, but I wanted to BE CLEAR that you understood what would happen if you did this, so you wouldn't be worried about it "after the fact".

If ANY of this concerns you, then "repair the car correctly".
Any thing less will leave you with undesirable conditions.

IF it were me, and I had the dash out..
I would
1. replace the blend door
2. replace the heater core

and please for the love of god, stop listening to these "shadetree mechanics" with these "easy ways" of doing things.

I knew filling the coolant via the heater core was a bad idea, sorry I didn't SAVE you from making that mistake.

HOPEFULLY you'll not make two more mistakes and not listen to the advice I've given you.
 
Myco said:
" started car and AC was on FULL and would not shut off. After a mile it shut off and never worked again. Don't know what that tells you but hopefully someone might have a clue.
Click to expand...

That tells me you either
1. shorted out the fan motor
2. burned up the controller that runs the fan motor

both are in the same location under the glovebox.
 
Not sure I understand why it would run hotter if you bypass the heater core. I realize that you lose a certain capacity of coolant but isn't the coolant in the heater core isolated from the rest of the cooling system when the heater is off, or at least not part of the flow.
 
i agree w/ tommy, just replace the heater core while the dash is out. and yes the heater core is in constant flow with the coolant

id put money on the blower speed controller, the fan being shorted out wouldn't make it run constantly it would need to get power from somewhere. find the controller, box near the fan with wires running to the fan. remove it and open it up im willing to bet the circuit board is corroded to hell
 
chickenviii said:
i agree w/ tommy, just replace the heater core while the dash is out. and yes the heater core is in constant flow with the coolant

id put money on the blower speed controller, the fan being shorted out wouldn't make it run constantly it would need to get power from somewhere. find the controller, box near the fan with wires running to the fan. remove it and open it up im willing to bet the circuit board is corroded to hell
Click to expand...

Dash isn't 'out' anymore but I'm familliar with the process now. I've talked to several people about jumping the hoses. When tommy told me about the loss of 2 quarts of fluid I wasn't real concerned as there are more than a couple gallons in the system but I know the Mark Viii temp sensor isn't the best and along with some hot days sitting in traffic I wouldn't want to take the chance unless I was absolutely sure. Since the weather has changed the leak has stopped. It's temporary though. The next thing I'll look at is the blower speed controller. I think it is the box behind the blower motor under the passenger side. ( am I right) I bought the online manual for the mark so when I do replace the heater core I know the steps but for right now I'll jump the hoses.
 
Today it's raining very hard and I got in the car during lunch and the blower did the same thing as before. Blew like it was on HI while it was off then shut off 10 seconds later. Pretty sure you guys hit the nail on the head.
 
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