99 Durango, 360, 4x4

When I get on the gas a bit in my Durango, I can smell antifreeze real strong. Is this more than Likely my Heater core? If so are they hard to replace? The defrost and heat don't work worth a crap either. My A/C pretty much sucks now that I'm on the subject. Could the Core have anything to do with it?

Thanks

 

Yeah the core needs to be changed. It must be a pinhole leak that when yougo WOT produces enough pressure to pushcoolant through. As far as the A/C not being all that great you can create heater bypass valve which I have heard works great.

 

inorder to replace the heater core you have to take the whole dash out. My cousin whos a mechanic just changed ours in our durango and said its an 8 hour job..... even tho it only took him about 3-4 but thats what a shop is gonna charge you for. just to let you know.

 

What exactly is a heater bypass? How does that help the A/C? Thanks!

 

Basically you remove the two heater hoses and connect them together using a coupler. Then plug up the heater core connections. But this idea may not be a good idea during the winter season for the folks that live in the very cold areas of the U.S.

I was trying to do some research on the net to see if I can find a vacuum actuated control valve or something to connect to the heater hoses so during the summer season when I move the temp selector to cold, it can activate the control valve to bypass the heater core so I can have really cold air blowing out the vents. And also at least get only ambient temp air only when using vent mode.

 

Is this hurt anything mechanically? sounds easy enough to do....

 

Check under your passenger side floor mats for coolant. If you find some, you are definately leaking through the heater core.

 

Very easy. Just go to the message "heater core" that is stickied to the top of this forum. Look in the picture illustration where it show you how to find the location of the heater hoses. Then just unplug both of the heater hoses going to the core and connect both heater hoses with a hose coupler. Then you have completely bypassed the heater core. You will need something to plug the heater core as well in preparation to get it replaced.

However as this is winter season, you must be living somewhere where it is warm most of the time to not worry about not having heat in your D?

 

Actually Ken I'm talking about leaving it on and being able to switch it on for winter months and switch it off for summer

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At work we have valves that don't shut but allow for 2 different directions in and 1 direction out. (either 2 way or 3 way valves, can't remember...) You could put 2 of them on. It wouldn't be automatic but aould only have to open 2 valves to bypass the core. It would be very simple I'm sure. Coudl be bad if you only turned 1 though. Which is a reason I would rather have manual valve over auto in case 1 stuck. either way would be better than having to undom the hoses every summer and redoing them every winter....