Already had the heater core replaced and they wiped out the heater box and that kind of thing but how do you get rid of the smell now?!? I've left the heater on full bore on the defrost and on the vents for 30-45 mins with the windows down at the house and it hasn't seemed to get any better. Are there some tricks to this? or is just going to take some time


2003 1500 quad cab 4x4 4.7ltr

 

Spray some Lysol in the fresh air intake vent on the wiper cowl with the fan on low speed. Repeat as necessary until the smell goes away.

 

well an antifreeze smell would indicate your heater core might be on it's way out.... hope thats not the case here but thats usually the first hint that it's happening.

 

Re-read the OP's post. He's already replaced the heater core.

 

then he shouldn't have a smell in there if he did it correctly. I've done 3 heater cores, two on GMCs and one on a Dodge Ram Diesel (2003 if I remember right), and the only time I messed up (first time I did it on a GMC Pickup) there was an antifreeze smell in the ducts.

That time the heater core worked great for a week and then crapped out.

Turned out I cracked it while putting it in, so it was a very slow drip into the ducts, but it was enough to make a horrible smell....

Only other way I can think of this happening is if the OP didn't clean out the old antifreeze that was prolly in the ducts before putting the new heater core in.

 

I know nothing of how the ducts in this truck are used, but you could try running water through it. The air intake should be right there at the bottom passenger side of the windshield. Rain and snow go in there all the time. Worth a shot at least. Maybe put some soapy water down there first. I don't know where the drain is, so it might be pointless. If the smell remains strong, you may have a leak in the new core.

 

If you're even considering that, use distilled water so you don't end up with massive amounts of mold in your vents...

I don't think it will help though...

The Lysol Method might be the only way... but who knows...

 

Rain water pours down there, why would water from a garden hose cause mold?

 

because rain isn't the same as putting a hose in there... you might get water past the rainwater drain that's built into the system.

Not sure if you've ever driven a Jeep through some deep water with a snorkel on but if you've ever gotten water up over the hood then you've prolly gotten your feet wet from water coming through the floor vents...

 

^^^ Thats how we do it too. It worked for my wifes car