legacycentral bbs

So this has just started, my guess is heater core? Is there any way to get this fixed without it killing my finances? My heater and defroster still work, so it isn't in dire straits yet. A friend said this can be a 4 hourish job is that so? Also I live in MA so I really don't want to live without a heater in the winter, has anybody else had this issue and had it last for a while before giving out???

it does sound like a leaky heater core which you can try to remedy with a top leak product, however you do run the risk of screwing up other cooling system components with the aforementioned stop leak and can't even guarantee it will fix your issue.
If you can't find someone to do it relatively cheaply and you won't do it yourself then suck it up and have someone fix it for you and pay them $$
heater core labor time is 3.5 hrs
you need one, you're stuck now suck it up and git'r dun!!

yeah I think that is beyond my abilities, is their anything else that can go wrong besides not having heat/defroster? Can it mess with other heating system parts?

do you like puddles on your floor?
if you bypass it, you'll still be fine other than no heat. Defrost is A/C BTW.

Does the "stank" smell smell like antifreeze? Cuz I wouldn't describe antifreeze's smell as stanky. Does the moisture feel a little sticky and a little greasy? That's what antifreeze feels like.

If it is a heater core leak, these types of leaks tend to get worse at an accelerating rate. I'd suggest a known-good used heater core if you can't afford a new one.

Check this out:

http://bbs.legacycentral.org/viewtopic.php?t=34328

awesome. Thanks a bunch guys. the smell had been very musty and overall just kinda bad, it hasn't happened for a week or so. I searched high and low and couldn't find anything. So I figured it may be heater