[V6-12v] Blown Heater

[apowell@colocougs.org]

"Tom Christiansen" <tomchr at gmail.com>

My 1994 90S has started to consume coolant and I have noticed the smell of curry soup in the car
lately. Now, I don't really mind curry soup, but the smell of it -- especially when it comes from
the vents is indicative of a blown heater core. Damn!!
Are the stop leak products safe to use on Audi engines with the red coolant?
Is there a "back road" to the heater core that allows it to be changed without having to tear the
dash apart?
If I were to "bridge" the two hoses by the firewall, would the use of copper or brass pipe corrode
the aluminum block through galvanic action?
Now that I'm "in there anyway" what else would you suggest I change or inspect? A/C evaporator? (The
A/C still works)

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I don't know the repair process, BUT I have driven cars many miles by disconnecting the heater core
on the engine side of the firewall and just making a loop, connecting the heater inlet to the engine
return - just make a "U" and bypass the heater entirely. Not sure how easy this would be to do (it's
late and I haven't looked) but if possible, it lets you put it off until the time is right.

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Al Powell
apowell at gocougs.wsu.edu
1958 Fiat 1200 Transformabile Spyder
1983 Datsun 280ZX Turbo, IZCC #585
1993 Audi 90Q
1991 Camaro RS Convertible
1997 Chebby Blazer
1999 Chebby Blazer
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