Ok experts I need some help, I have a 2002 Liberty sport with the 3.7 V6. The hearted core was plugged and flushing it out only made it worse. So I had the heater core and thermostat replaced by a local garage and now I'm getting a strong but intermittent smell similar to hot plastic or a chemical smell every so often, only when the vehicle is up to operating temperature. For example, if I stop and get gas, or run into a store real quick, shut off the engine, go in and pay come back out and when I restart the engine the smell that comes through the round vents or defrost vent is really strong and slowly goes away. I can repete the smell just sitting in the driveway. The other thing that's confusing is it seems to be putting a film of some sort on all the inside of all the windows. If I clean it off it comes back in a day or two. It does not seem to be loosing any coolant and it's has great heat, almost burns your hand now after the heater core was replaced but it does not have that sweet coolant smell.There was no smell or film buildup before any of this work was performed. Any help in this is greatly appreciated, thanks for reading this.
Stumped by new heater core
- Thread starter Hundojoe
- Start date
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Sometimes I suppose it may be normal for things to get hot, and burn off left over coolant for instance. The water drain tube should be checked to be present & clear as well.
What I would recommend is taking the jeep for a good highway run for an hour and let it all burn off, set on hot, windows down a bit if needed.
Then turn the temp down a bit, like you normally would so you dont fry and see if the condition still exists a day or two later.
Good news is that a shop installed it all, & he may have to correct his work to make it right, if the above does not help.
What I would recommend is taking the jeep for a good highway run for an hour and let it all burn off, set on hot, windows down a bit if needed.
Then turn the temp down a bit, like you normally would so you dont fry and see if the condition still exists a day or two later.
Good news is that a shop installed it all, & he may have to correct his work to make it right, if the above does not help.
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Its been about 3 weeks since the work was done, I don't know if the smell was there when I picked it up ( nose doesn't work very well ). My wife said she noticed the smell the first time she drove it about a week after the heater core was replaced, then I started to notice it. I also thought that it might need to run burn off. The shop owner has been real good about trying to figure it out. It's back in the shop today, but the shop owner is also stumped about the smell and the film on the Windows.
Is your Air conditioning working? Do the windows defrost of any mosture when set to defrost mode?
Try setting the console to re-circulation mode & see what happens.
Any kind or sign of steam or what ever, (potential leak) should be removed well by the AC/Clutch spinning even in defrost mode. If anything is steaming up or any coolant smell= a leak.
Pressure test it if unsure.
The drain tube should be present is your installed on the firewall passenger side?
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Also Edit, check each morning to see that the coolant reservoir is at the cold line and not falling at all.
Try setting the console to re-circulation mode & see what happens.
Any kind or sign of steam or what ever, (potential leak) should be removed well by the AC/Clutch spinning even in defrost mode. If anything is steaming up or any coolant smell= a leak.
Pressure test it if unsure.
The drain tube should be present is your installed on the firewall passenger side?
54705[/ATTACH]"]
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Also Edit, check each morning to see that the coolant reservoir is at the cold line and not falling at all.
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Any possible way that the heater blend door is possibly sticking to something or getting too hot, and that's what the smell is? I get the same smell sometimes, I just think it's heat not circulating entirely and the extra concentration towards an area might just be blasting on that door which then vents slightly through your cabin vents.
Billwill
Full Access Member
Blend door uses a stepper motor.
You sure the coolant system was filled up with proper HOAT coolant?:shrug:
Exactly what I would recommend. Get it up to operating temp and keep it there for at least an hour.
It's been 3 weeks since the work was done, it's been driven every day since and been on 3 or 4 trips lasting a few hours each way but the smell comes back. No matter how long it's driven or how hot it gets, if I shut it off and wait a few minutes when I start it back up the smell comes back super strong then fades away. Not to mention the film on the inside of all the windows.
Hockeygoon
Full Access Member
Unless its leaking what would that have to do with anything?
Most likely has a film of "something" (a light oil or a cheap paint) from the factory that needs to burn off. That or when they replaced the heater core they didn't clean the coolant up very well from the leaking core and the residual is still making a stink.
Update..... The shop went and inspected and ran a wire up through the drain tube and nothing came out. They also got an inspection camera into to heater box and and said it looks dry, but he said that he can't see every where in the box.
Next up he is going to pressure test the system again and if it holds pressure. But the film on the windows is baffling him also. He said he may just change out the heater core anyway.
Next up he is going to pressure test the system again and if it holds pressure. But the film on the windows is baffling him also. He said he may just change out the heater core anyway.
Ok final update, over the last few weeks I was still getting the fog/hazing on the inside of the Windows along with the smell, the shop pulled the dash back out and was going to replace the new heater core. When they had the dash removed the tech found some whitish powdery stuff at the air conditioner evaporator. Turns out there was a pin hole leak in the connection and was leaking freon into the cabin and that where the smell was coming from. Now no smell and no more window hazing, hope this helps.
JeepJeepster
Full Access Member
Dang, I bet they are hating having to take the dash out twice.
Did they cover the cost to remove the dash the second time? Since they missed the evap leaking?
Did they cover the cost to remove the dash the second time? Since they missed the evap leaking?
SWilliams
Full Access Member
My SOP on heater cores and evaporator cores is the same, If I'm pulling the dash apart for either one both get replaced. Saves a lot of aggravation that way.
hotelmode
New Member
I'm getting ready to replace my heater core. Anything else I should think about replacing while in there? Flapper doors, etc.?
uss2defiant
Full Access Member
maybe the evap?
hotelmode
New Member
I'll plan on changing that out, but I was more curious about other little things. I know some cars have problems with blender doors, but I don't know if the Liberty does.
uss2defiant
Full Access Member
i suppose you could if you have money to spend on preventative maintenance.
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