on another post which i can't edit anymore time has expired. i talked about a smell of antifreeze in my cab. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> yes i can be a pain and yes you all gave me great advice. and yes i had the best of plans to look into it but other things got in the way before i did. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> so now to present time. i broke my ankle and my cracked my leg up so well it became a thing on my backburner. add it to my list of stuff to do when better. but last night early this morning if some of you have noticed by my 3 and 4 am post's i can sleep. i decided to go outside and turn on all the outside lights and piss off my neighbors and work on my raider. so here i am at like 3 in the morning redoing all my mudflaps because there falling off and it got cold so i jumped in and turned on the heat for a bit. i notced the smell again and that there was steam comming out of my windshield vents. so being kind of peg legged right now . i took a look around the best i could i found no dampness on the carpet and none under dash space where my radio is which i am guessing is where the heatercore is. so went to the drivers side and bingo looked up under there by the gas pedal best i could and there is some dampness on the rug in a small spot and some white plastic and some other stuff covered in crude and damp also. so does it sound like a heatercore leak or something else? i just can't eyeball it real good right now i can't get down that low to take a look. i have no real bending at the knee with this darn walking boot cast thing i got on now.sorry for the long rant. and for going over this again but 3 am will be here again soon and i will need something to try to look at again <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> and to get my crazy neighbors upset about.. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/evil.gif" alt="" />

...you found the heater core water valve cover (that white plastic cover).

Remove the cover, and you'll get a better look at the valve and heater core.

The valve will probably look grungy and gross with a lot of buildup gooey gunk on it.
(Always want to write a sentance with grungy gross gooey gunk in it!)

The leak may be at the valve, and may be from a crack in the core or the attachpoint of the plumbing.

cool thanks don. will have to get my dad or someone else to take a look for me. i can't seem to get down there far enough or long enough with this a darn leg of mine. tried to do it with out the boot walking cast thing and forget it still to tender. if its the valve can you still buy a replacement ?

You kinda need to lay on your back on the driver's side floor to see properly up there...

Mine has a slow leaking valve, but I'm not sure it has a replacement.

I replaced the whole heater core assy 12 years back when the core died.

I think there's an aftermarket core, but again, not sure from who. I think a rad shop may be the best help there.

I figure I'll eventually need a rad shop to get my valve fixed too...
For now I keep a cloth over it, and that way I can change it out as needed, otherwise the coolant will pool in the padding under the carpet.

Need others who've fought this one more recently to contribute details!

Hey Lefty, I fought the same battle about 3 years ago. I just wish my memory was better. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> Seems like it was the valve that was leaking, not the heater core itself. I got a valve at a local wrecking yard. There is also a small hose that connects the valve to the heater core. You might just have to replace that. Hopefully your heater core is not leaking, if it is, the repair manual says you have to remove the entire dash to get it out. I think Mitsubishi built the car around the heater core, it was the first part on the assembly line <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />. As you've already found out, there is very little room down there to work. It might even be easier to pull the front seat out to give you more space. To replace just the valve, I did not have to remove the dash. I remember when I was cutting the little hose off the valve at the yard, I cut my finger so bad that it is still numb to this day. It's also possible that your leak is from one of the hose joints on the pipes coming from the engine compartment to the heater, and just leaking down the pipe to your heater. Anyway, hope some of this helps. This might be a job you postphone til your leg heals up. Did you ever get your carb running right? Oh, and by the way, all the info I just gave was for my '90 Montero, but I think your '87 Raider will be the same. Good luck. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" />

Hey Jack great to hear from you. thanks for the info will take a look when i am better. hope its a easy fix. can't afford much more right now. i have yet to get my carb working right.got the depression chamber a working one off another guy on the fourm but i can't put it on right now. worse part is i can drive it a bit now but really can't work on it much yet. see you around. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />