Expert: Rob Painter - 9/24/2010

Question
i have a 96 cadillac sls with a v8 northstar which is leaking an extreme amount of coolant into the passanger floorboard need instructions on how to inspect or replace what is causing such leakage, believe its the heater core or hoses. appreciate any help possible

Answer
Hello,

The car is far to old for me to accurately tell you how to change the heater core. Situations such as this, I like to give information based on my experience because maybe I learned of shortcuts along the way. It has been a minumum of 10 years since I had a Cadillac dash out of a car, muchless a heater core. You are correct in your diagnoses however.

I do not know where you live, but like in Texas where I am at, would have to worry about the heater til mid-December and it could be bypassed for a couple months to save up some money.

Whatever you do, do not let this engine temperature get over 220!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is an aluminum engine that will self-destuct!!! I get 2-3 questions a week on overheated Cadillacs and usually by the time these people contact me, it is commonly too late and they are looking at $1,000s of dollars in repairs from engine destruction due to driving the engine hot.

Cadillac first introduced the 4.1 aluminum engine in 1982. Then there was the 4.5, 4.9 and the the Northstar. The common factor even today is you cannot run the engine hot.

When people had coolant/antifreeze leaks, it was common to add water to the overflow jar. Coolant raises the boiling point. Water boils at 212 f. Hence, severe overheating at 212 blowing head gaskets, warping cylinder heads, cracking engine blocks.

Worse yet, you can't put a salvage yard ebgine in because chances are about 99% those engines were overheated and junk!

A new Cadillac engine will run at minumum $4,000 dollars.

So many people would run these engines hot just to get home or to a safe place like could be done with a old cast iron Chevy emgine and do little severe damage to it. You cannot do that at all with the Cadillac engine.GM makes billions on replacement engines over the years and the unknowing owner gets stuck with the problems.

I love Cadillacs, but thier engines are unforgiving for overheating.

So you can drive the car, as I said you can bypass the heater with minimal mechanical knowledge.

Go to a pRts store and request the right flushing kit for the car. You will get a flushing t with a cap and hose clamps. That's all you need with a sharp knife. At the same time get a gallon of antifreeze so you can refill what you have lost.

Under the hood on the passenger side, you will see two hoses going into the fire wall. Cut both hoses. Install the flushing t on both hoses. Make sure the cap is on tight. Tighten the hose clamps. Fill the coolant jar.

The anti freeze on you passenger floor is poisen to animals if you have pets. It will destroy the kidneys and next death!!! Its sweet and cats and dogs lap it up!

I lost 2 cats to kidney failure from other situations, but the result is the same- kidney failure and a horrible way to die.

If you don't have pets, you may have a small kid that crawls. If you or someone else has thier shoes soaked with it, it is being tracked on your house carpet.

I am not trying to be an alarmist. I just can't stress enough the over heating issues and the dangers of anti freeze. One other point is that I would not recommend shampooing because that will just displace the antifreeze. Just vacuum as best as you can. With the heater core bypassed, you won't have a leak any longer.


I hope my answer although wordy helps you.

Good luck!


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Go to a car wash and vacuum the carpet as best as possible and suck all you can up.