Recently purchased a nice '99 LC. Love the rig so far but worried I may have a leaking heater core or leak behind dash. I intermittently smell the telltale sweet coolant smell but don't see any leaks in the engine bay and the passenger carpet isn't wet. Additionally heat works great and AC seems too also. My rig does have rear AC too. Questions: 1) would you recommend pressure test or is that going to make a small leak potentially bigger? 2) if Heat core has leak does the whole dash need to come out in a 100 Series specifically? Is there any in between measures to slow what already may be a small leak? 3) how long should this job take an Indy Toyota mechanic? On this forum some said job takes 4 hours others say 11? That's a big labor cost difference. 4) Should I just ignore occasional coolant smell, save up some coin to have the job right and just monitor coolant level until the core to fails?
Heater core leak? Series 100 LC
- Thread starter Nuttysquirrel
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
Think you should do the pressure test to identify the leak ... If its a coolant leak its best to know sooner than later- shouldn't make it any worse as the cooling system is a pressurized system anyway
APKhaos
Unfixing the unfixable
You'll smell coolant in the cabin even if the leak is in the engine bay. That sickly sweet smell is pervasive.
A pressure test is the first step. Its typically done at around 15psi, which is less than the release pressure of your radiator cap so it won't make any leak worse than it already is. What it will do is make the leak active without having the coolant system hot.
FWIW, there are two plastic T joints just behind the driver's side of the engine that distribute the coolant feed and return to both heater cores [front and rear]. These little buggers fail, and are worth a look. DON'T touch them unless/until you have replacements on hand. Their failing mode is that the plastic becomes brittle and weak, so if you play with them they can literally fall apart.
A pressure test is the first step. Its typically done at around 15psi, which is less than the release pressure of your radiator cap so it won't make any leak worse than it already is. What it will do is make the leak active without having the coolant system hot.
FWIW, there are two plastic T joints just behind the driver's side of the engine that distribute the coolant feed and return to both heater cores [front and rear]. These little buggers fail, and are worth a look. DON'T touch them unless/until you have replacements on hand. Their failing mode is that the plastic becomes brittle and weak, so if you play with them they can literally fall apart.
I think this thread is exactly where I need to be. Two weeks ago I was driving around with my windshield defroster on hot when I noticed some sort of gas leaking from the center-ish area of the dash. Not good. Additionally, the temp gauge did not initially rise but after about a week of the issue I began to have engine cooling issues. I checked my coolant level today and there was almost none in there so I topped it off in hopes to fix the cooling issue, to no avail. Called up ACC and they suggested it may be the heater core going out. The smell in the cab is similar to what is described, and I have coolant leaking into the passenger floorboard (as well as outside the cab). I checked the engine bay for any leaks and came up dry, including the heater T's. My questions: how do I diagnose what needs to be fixed? Where should I be looking for the leak? Can I access the heater core from behind the radio/HVAC?
Here are some pictures of the issue areas, including the T's just in case.
Passenger floor leak
Possible source of leak?
Noticed this leaking spot today, but the truck was also parked on a slight incline here.
This is the center area on the dash, where I noticed leaking gas of some sort. It left a residue on the windshield that was not water or condensation, as it would not come off like water.
And finally the heater T's that I checked and think are ok and crack free.
All input is welcome and appreciated. Thanks!
Here are some pictures of the issue areas, including the T's just in case.
Passenger floor leak
Possible source of leak?
Noticed this leaking spot today, but the truck was also parked on a slight incline here.
This is the center area on the dash, where I noticed leaking gas of some sort. It left a residue on the windshield that was not water or condensation, as it would not come off like water.
And finally the heater T's that I checked and think are ok and crack free.
All input is welcome and appreciated. Thanks!
Good luck it's minimum $1200 job at an independent shop I know from experience but I got heat back mine was stopped up so I replaced it that was just the labor cost I really don't remember what Toyota got me for for the heater core it self
Anyone else with input other than a price?
Someone can correct me here if I am wrong. I think you can bypass the heater core by re-routing line at the heater T. This will allow you to drive the car. You wont be able to get heat, but we are going into spring/summer, so you probably dont need heat anyway. This will buy you time and can start saving $.
I got a quote of around $1000 a few months ago. $450 for the part and the rest in labor. Simple stupid part that I've seen on Rock Auto for less than $150...
I had mine flushed once and that resolved it but the tech said it was only a 'band-aid' and they were right.
I had mine flushed once and that resolved it but the tech said it was only a 'band-aid' and they were right.
Just did my heater core on my 2002 Landcruiser GXL in Australia. It was a long job - lots of time spent with niggly little things. But it wasn't as hard as I expected. Bought a Denso brand core from eBay parts-pureauto for $214 delivered. Didn't take time to do many pictures, as I was in a hurry. Only one picture at the half-way point. Spent about 15 hours on it all up. Here is the process from memory. Don't blame me if I have skipped some minor steps:
Removing items:
Battery negative terminal (unless you want to see your air-bags pop)
Panic handles
Pillar garnishes
Reinstall panic handles (use to tie up things)
Door step trims
Side kick guards
Glove box and upper trim (disconnect the airbag connector)
Panel below steering wheel
Air duct below steering wheel
Integration control panel (just unclipped without any bolts)
Stereo assy
Lighter Sockets Panel (unclipped)
Centre Console (maybe only need to do forward section)
Steering wheel airbag
Steering column covers (optional)
Steering wheel (mark position, and tape up the coiled cable unit so that it doesn't spin)
Instrument Cluster
Steering column support bolts (tie up column to panic handles)
Dash (2 big plugs at each end, bunch of plugs on LHS, a plug or two in random positions both sides)
Lower defrost nozzle
Number 1 and 2 braces (under reinforcement bar)
Reinforcement bar (loosen up, rotate upwards, tie up to panic handles, but don't remove)
Heater to register ducts 3 and 4
In engine bay:
Disconnect heater core hoses
Loosen all mounting bolts for the A/C pipes. DO NOT DISCONNECT (unless you want to freeze your hair off).
Remove bolts holding the shroud around the A/C pipes
Inside again:
All mounting nuts/bolts on the firewall for entire heater unit and cooling unit
Two screws that mate heater and cooling unit
Drag heater and cooler back from the firewall 3-6cm
Pull out the heater unit towards drivers side
Replace the heater core (easy)
Put it all back again
Notes/Hints
I taped up the pipes, and bent one in slightly closer to the other, to help get it back into the car. (I think I could have skipped this)
The heater+cooler system is quite heavy, and requires a lot of strength to lift back into position. I used a block of wood and a lever to lift the unit up and pushed it in with my leg while sitting on the chair. Requires 2 people to do.
I taped the mounting screws for each item to the item, so that I didn't end up with spare screws.
Instrument cluster plugs sometimes don't stay put.
The cooling unit appears to be in two sections that drop apart if you don't pay attention. Just keep them together as you're able.
Removing items:
Battery negative terminal (unless you want to see your air-bags pop)
Panic handles
Pillar garnishes
Reinstall panic handles (use to tie up things)
Door step trims
Side kick guards
Glove box and upper trim (disconnect the airbag connector)
Panel below steering wheel
Air duct below steering wheel
Integration control panel (just unclipped without any bolts)
Stereo assy
Lighter Sockets Panel (unclipped)
Centre Console (maybe only need to do forward section)
Steering wheel airbag
Steering column covers (optional)
Steering wheel (mark position, and tape up the coiled cable unit so that it doesn't spin)
Instrument Cluster
Steering column support bolts (tie up column to panic handles)
Dash (2 big plugs at each end, bunch of plugs on LHS, a plug or two in random positions both sides)
Lower defrost nozzle
Number 1 and 2 braces (under reinforcement bar)
Reinforcement bar (loosen up, rotate upwards, tie up to panic handles, but don't remove)
Heater to register ducts 3 and 4
In engine bay:
Disconnect heater core hoses
Loosen all mounting bolts for the A/C pipes. DO NOT DISCONNECT (unless you want to freeze your hair off).
Remove bolts holding the shroud around the A/C pipes
Inside again:
All mounting nuts/bolts on the firewall for entire heater unit and cooling unit
Two screws that mate heater and cooling unit
Drag heater and cooler back from the firewall 3-6cm
Pull out the heater unit towards drivers side
Replace the heater core (easy)
Put it all back again
Notes/Hints
I taped up the pipes, and bent one in slightly closer to the other, to help get it back into the car. (I think I could have skipped this)
The heater+cooler system is quite heavy, and requires a lot of strength to lift back into position. I used a block of wood and a lever to lift the unit up and pushed it in with my leg while sitting on the chair. Requires 2 people to do.
I taped the mounting screws for each item to the item, so that I didn't end up with spare screws.
Instrument cluster plugs sometimes don't stay put.
The cooling unit appears to be in two sections that drop apart if you don't pay attention. Just keep them together as you're able.
Thank you for the detailed description of the tear down. I think I will let my mechanic tackle this job. I just broke a rib and wont be able to lift the heater core.
