I know the song and dance about if you smell something sweet while running the heat its prolly a heater core problem. But would I get a smell while the AC is on?

My problem is while the air is running I kid you not I get a faint smell of what almost smells like mint skoal chewing tobacco!! It's not an overpowering smell but its there. I can't see any coolant leaking anywhere either.

Honestly I haven't tried the heat since I bought the truck. I might do that at lunch and see if anything happens. But in the meantime has anyone else had this problem?

 

The heater core can be leaking enough to cause a smell but not bad enough to leave a puddle or any other signs there's an issue. Since both the heater core and evaporator are in the same box any leakage smell would be carried through when the blower is active.

 

makes sense. so im guessing that if i turn the heater on it wouldn't be any more of an over powering smell would it?

 

Chances are, it will stink really bad and (should) fog the windshield.

 

ok so really bad stench and fogged windshield are a sign of bad core. in the event there is no worse of a smell or fogged windshield whats the consensus then?

 

Heater core. Mine went 6 mos before the leak got bad enough to fog my windshield. When it gets bad enough it will do it with the air on as well. When it gets bad you can see smoke coming out of your vents, it's one hell of a slimy fog to get off of everything.

 

i think i've seen that in every car! i though it was our good friend condensation?!

 

It can be condensation, but I am talking alot more steam. Not the little you get when you turn on the AC on a hot humid day. When mine decided to completely go it was like a fog machine. You couldn't even see out the windows. I was on a trip to Houston just ended up bypassing it till I got home.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLJNramXizw

This is what I mean.

 

AHAHAH! yeah i've never seen one turn into a fog machine before! i'll keep an eye on it and try the heat to see what happens.