2000 astro heat (smell antifreeze) and blower issues

[CHEVY1]

Hello

for the last 4 plus months I have noticed the smell of anti freeze after driving
more around passenger side. I have no leaks on drive way or garage. In the mornings or after van has set a longer period 8 hrs
i do hear a water sloshing sound from inside van on passenger side front. i do still have heat
and it runs at 190-200 degrees so no over heat. it seams carpet maybe wet and floor mat gets wet, thought it was from a leaking windshield. I now only have the defrost mode that works and only on high. Nothing else works including ac. so any help on the smell and sloshing sound and blower would be greatly appreciated. It is winter time and a bad time for this. Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to all

[RolandMD]

Originally Posted by CHEVY1

Hello

for the last 4 plus months I have noticed the smell of anti freeze after driving
more around passenger side. I have no leaks on drive way or garage. In the mornings or after van has set a longer period 8 hrs
i do hear a water sloshing sound from inside van on passenger side front. i do still have heat
and it runs at 190-200 degrees so no over heat. it seams carpet maybe wet and floor mat gets wet, thought it was from a leaking windshield. I now only have the defrost mode that works and only on high. Nothing else works including ac. so any help on the smell and sloshing sound and blower would be greatly appreciated. It is winter time and a bad time for this. Merry Christmas and Happy holidays to all

Sounds pretty simple. Your heater core is (has been) leaking. It is on the passenger side, right where you are noticing the wet floor mat and smell of coolant. The sloshing around may be air trapped in the system (I had that once too). The heater core isn't that difficult to replace, but if you are not confident, get a shop to do it. I literally just replaced mine 2 days ago.
Most manuals will tell you to drain the coolant. I didn't. I simply removed the heater hoses from the inlet and outlet tubes on the heater core (from the passenger side - under the hood - they exit the firewall) and then used a fitting in-between the two open ends of the hoses. I lost a very small amount of coolant. Then working from inside the van, passenger side (right above where your feet are when you sit), remove the screws that retain the cover. A manual (Chiltons or Haynes) can show you where the screws are. Once the cover is removed, the heater core will be attached via additional screws or 2 straps (mine was 2 straps). Remove these and slip the heater core out. Be careful since it will no doubt have some coolant inside of it.
Install the new heater core (inlet and outlet tubes through the holes into the engine compartment). Reattach the heater core via the straps or screws and replace the cover. Then from the engine compartment reattach the hoses (don't get them mixed up - perhaps you should mark them before you take them off - label them top and bottom). Top up the system and you're ready to go. After you have replaced the heater core and run the engine, check the coolant level. You may have to bleed the air out of the cooling system.
As for having only high on your blower motor and no air, probably the blower motor resistor. Follow the wires from your blower motor (in the engine compartment - passenger side next to the fender) and they will lead you right to the resistor.
Hope this helps!
Roland

[CHEVY1]

Hi Roland

I thank you for the input and will check out a few things you have mentioned and see if
i can get a manual you suggested. Maybe from a library?? guess I am a bit confused on how you did the fittings part of it. I believe I could tackle this if were indoors and i might have a location , but if not how many hrs you think a shop would have involved and parts $$

thanks again for your help.I can wait to fix it and move on with no worries

[RolandMD]

Well, under the hood, find the 2 heater hoses that go the the inlet and outlet tubes from the heater core. Once again, they are under the hood on the passenger side. You will see 2 hoses that make a 90 degree bend and go towards the firewall, then be clamped to the inlet and outlet tubes - one on the top and one on the bottom (right next to each other). I simply removed the clamps, carefully used a flat screw driver to pry the hoses off of the tubes, and used a length of plastic tubing to temporarily join the 2 open ends of the hoses together.
As for how much a shop would charge, I would make a few calls and ask how much to replace the heater core for your particular vehicle. Information is free! Also keep in mind that depending on how many miles on your van and the condition of the coolant, you may be wise to flush the system after the heater core is replaced. One thing you might do to save a bit of $$ is to ask the shop how much for labor only, and then get the heater core and coolant yourself. Some shops are willing to work with you, especially given this economy and the fact that if they won't work with you - someone else will. Some business is better then no business.
Just remember that problems don't go away - and they usually get worse. Don't wait too long or you may be on the side of the road overheated.
Roland

[CHEVY1]

Thanks for the reply Roland. I have started to price the items and will call a couple shops
and get an idea on labor amount. As you stated i need to do now and not wait as this will get worse. Not having a garage makes things a bit tough so to say $$ i will ask shops if I supply parts will be ok. Thanks again I will do a follow up after completion

[CHEVY1]

hello
well i called a mechanic? and he asked me

am I overheating? No
is the van running hot on gauge? no
are the windows or at least front steaming up? No
is the floor mat or carpet that is wet has a smell? No
is the wetness sticky? No

when I answered these he explained that it could be some type of drip or moisture
pan that is blocked and forcing water inside van. or a leaky front window
as for the antifreeze smwll outside with no leaks on ground it could be
a slight leak on a fitting or tube on the heater core. So know I have no idea what to think. mechanic wants to look at a possible drain block before anything. so I guess would not
hurt and if heater core he is already in there

thanks

[RolandMD]

OK, so you have a starting point. I was going by your first post wherein you stated, "...for the last 4 plus months I have noticed the smell of anti freeze after driving more around passenger side." A leaking window will not smell like anti-freeze. Also, a leaking heater core may not cause you to overheat (yet), or even cause a measurable increase on the temp gauge. It depends on the severity of the leak. Mine was leaking (and when I removed the heater core, the place where it was leaking was very evident). My van was not overheating, nor was the temp gauge running any higher than normal. However at one point the windshield did fog up quite a bit, which prompted me to change the heater core. Even so, the core had been leaking for quite some time before that.
All the best and "Happy New Year!"
Roland

[old_master]

If the lower intake manifold gaskets are leaking, it will have the symptoms you describe. The sloshing is caused by low coolant level. When coolant leaks from the gasket, it can drip onto the cylinder head and or exhaust pipe and burn off giving the odor, and not leave a puddle on the ground. A cooling system pressure test will help locate the leak.

Air flow only from defrost: There is a vacuum line that runs from the driver side of the engine, near the PCV valve, across the engine to a plastic vacuum tee. That line gets dry rotted and breaks causing a loss of vacuum to the HVAC system. When this happens, the HVAC defaults to defrost.

High blower only: Most likely, as mentioned, the blower motor resistor needs replacement. Two screws, and an electrical connector, 5 minutes tops to replace it. Checking the circuits will confirm or deny a faulty resistor.

[CHEVY1]

Roland and Old Master I thank you both very much for your input. It will at least give me
some starting points when dealing with a shop so they know I have some idea of what it could be. I have noticed that in this communication the shops seem to listen and discuss
what it is when they feel the person understands the possible problem and fixes. I guess this pressure test sounds like the way to go. If it is a manifold leak I would hate to think what this will cost. Van is 11 years old with 135,000 , but I have new brakes and rotors etc I did in the last year 1500 dollars worth invested. Thanks again and Happy New Years

[old_master]

IF it turns out to be leaking intake gaskets, there are a ton of how to's, with pictures! With a set of basic tools the job isn't really that bad, it just takes time, and at a repair shop it's expensive. Parts are available at most auto parts stores and if you use the upgraded gasket set, parts cost will be under $100. Let us know, we can walk you through it.

[harryevan]

Its a little late to be commenting, but the Old Master and the Bowtie guy pointed me in the right direction when I had to change my intake valve covers. It took a while, only one day, but it made a major difference. These guys will help, if only online, but it beats having a shop put a bunch of parts in and your having to come back a few times.