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ScottE
Dodge Dakota
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12/16/2002
13:50:49
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 Subject: Coolant on Floorboard
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2003 QC, 4.7, 4WD - Occasionally will leak coolant from bottom-most part of fan/blower housing onto passenger floorboard - after heater has been run, and truck is parked. Dealer says they can't find a leak, and they've already resealed the A/C unit to the firewall. Problem is, it doesn't happen all the time after heater has run - just every few days, she'll dump about 1/4 cup of coolant. Any known problems? Ideas?
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FredDQC
Dodge Dakota
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12/16/2002
14:23:39
|  RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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One of the heater hoses inside the cabin has a small cut that only opens when there is pressure. for example right after you park your engine gets hotter due to the fact that the wind is not cooling it anymore this heat causes pressure build up and expands the heater hoses if the hose has a small cut, is going to leak through there until the hose comes back to its normal size or when is gets cooler. I hope this helps in your problem.
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ScottE
Dodge Dakota
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12/16/2002
20:12:31
| RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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OK, as it turns out, it's not a coolant leak. Whats dripping on my floorboard IS bright green, but the coolant DC put in the system is that long-life orange stuff. Dealer tech is telling me that there is no green fluid in the truck (only 1K miles, so I haven't replaced any). Would there be dye in the refrigerant, possibly? That's the only other system that would be engaged when the defroster is running. Soooo.... any ideas? This is gonna get on my nerves - glad I put rubber trash-catcher floor mats in, so at least the carpet hasn't been affected - yet!
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FredDQC
Dodge Dakota
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12/17/2002
10:29:47
|  RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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Message:
Do you say the coolant in you truck is the long life orange one because you have seen it? or because the salesman told you that? Because mine still has the factory coolant and is GREEN because I have seen it when I put the 180F stat. Back to your problem, other than the coolant, there is no other green liquid involved in the whole vehicle. There is a chance that it came with green but dealers changed to orange and when they replaced it they forgot to turn the heater on so the old coolant(green) stayed in the heater lines. Just a posibility.
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Lab Rat
GenIII
12/17/2002
18:33:15
| RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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Scott/Fred:
All MY02 and 03 4.7s are using the orange goo.
There are no heater hoses in the cab. Period.
There is a green "fluid" in the truck. It is a flourescent dye installed as a pellet in the A/C accumulator. Once the system is charged the oil dissolves it and it mixes and circulates with the refrigerant and oil. Used by techs for leak detection with a blacklight.
Is the substance slimy and somewhat tacky like antifreeze or does it feel like oil? Have you given it the sniff test?
LR
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Jim
Dodge Dakota
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12/17/2002
18:33:44
| RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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Message:
It is a broken heatercore or line to it, easy fix, pain in the a@% getting to it, you can temp fix it by finding the line that comes out of your radiator that goes behind the dash (to the firewall) and clamping it off, THIS IS A TEMP FIX TO SAVE YOUR CARPETS, HAVE PROBLEM FIXED ASAP!!!!!! Good Day
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Jim
Dodge Dakota
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12/17/2002
18:40:09
|  RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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Oh I forgot to mention,,your cab heater will not work while this line is clamped off, If you doubt that it is coolant or your heater core just taste the fluid, if it is sweet it is antifreeze otherwise its AC problems such as evaporator but if its GREEN and sweet as your truck its Coolant PROMISE!
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ScottE
Dodge Dakota
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12/17/2002
21:31:41
| RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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Well, the cooling system is definitely filled with the orange coolant - installed my 180 stat today, and am VERY familiar w/ that now! And the green stuff was more oily than tacky - so I guess it was refrigerant w/ dye. Have had no more drips for a couple days, and the tech didn't run a blacklight check for that - any chance it was an overcharge and subsequent purge or vent? A/C is still working fine, but I think I'll hook up a blacklight and check for the dye myself - then go educate the local dealer's shop! Thanks for the assists.
BTW, anyone got a quick replacement for those silly panel plugs that hold the shield under the front end? There has to be a smarter way to hold that thing on....
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PoolShark
Dodge Dakota
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12/18/2002
11:42:47
| RE: Coolant on Floorboard
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Message:
Just out of curiosity, how many miles do you have on it, and what state do you live in?
Here's my theory...If you are using the a/c frequently, or the defrost, maybe the dye is leaking from the evap core into the "heater box", and also the condensation is building up inside. Every couple days, if the drain is plugged, that water and dye could be gushing out through a crack or seem in the heater box.
I've seen water back up and gush out like that at the Dealership that I work at. I've never see it come out with the dye mixed in it though, but it's possible. We just unplug the drain and a very surprising amount of water comes out.
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