A/C Condensation Drain Dripping Coolant

As the title suggests my A/C Condensation drain (the thing on the passenger side firewall) is dripping coolant onto my exhaust. I know that when I use the A/C it drips water (or at least it did) onto the exhaust from the sizzling sound I'd hear after driving. Just yesterday after running the defrost for about 10 minutes I got home and noticed a faint smoke coming from the engine. Upon opening the hood I smelled coolant burning and traced the problem to the A/C Drain leaking onto the exhaust. Originally I was going to install a hose to direct the drip to the ground, and not on my frame/exhaust. What would lead to coolant coming out of this? I checked the passenger side floorboard and didn't see any coolant which would rule out the heater core, right? Other than that, I'm at a loss as to what it could be. Coolant levels seem fine and the radiator was replaced less that 15,000 miles ago.

 

Leaking heater core? I would search and hope very hard for a leaking hose first. Changing the heater core is a big job.

 

Nevermind

 

After talking to a few shops and others more experienced with Tacomas, we've come to the conclusion that it's the heater core. I really have no desire to tear apart the dash, so looks like a trip to the shop is in order for my truck. I'll probably see if they can do my valve cover gaskets while its there. Oh well, I knew there had to be some sort of big repair to come when I bought this truck.

 

Heater Core repair is pretty labor intensive, so you'll be paying a lot at a shop. My buddy has a '94 Jeep Grand Cherokee and when his heater core went bad he just closed the heater core loop in the engine and called it a day.

Yeah, no more heater but the heater core repair was way too much to justify for him.

Just another option to consider

 

Quote for valve cover gasket replacement was $700. Dealer of course. Did it myself, easy. Don’t think I’d do a heater core though...

 

After watching . few youtube videos, I think I could probably do the valve covers myself. Plus I have a few friends that have experience overhauling engines that are willing to help. Is there anything else major I should have the shop do or check while it's there? I'm willing to shell out some money if it means not having to go back to the shop again anytime soon.

 

Ford dealer quoted me $1500 for labor on a heater core for wife's old expedition.

 

I know you are making this statement here, "Is there anything else major I should have the shop do or check while it's there?", just don't say that at the shop. Trust me, they will provide you with a list of "recommended things to repair". This is how they stay in business. I would have them repair the heater core and leave it at that.

 

You can do it but it takes patience. Lots of patience....are you patient? If so, it's not that it's 'hard' (I've done a few but not on the Taco, yes the old Cherokees' were just as complicated.) just tedious and if you really want things to go smoother, you discharge the A/C and vacuum/recharge/new dryer afterwards. It really is a spot you may want to save some bucks on and do it yourself as some shops really tear stuff up under there in a hurry (they will bend as many things out of the way as they can to keep from removing them) where as , you, could even make things better.....like replace the seals in the ductwork so that air is not leaking from every connection anymore.....I don't know about you but my foam gaskets blew out all over the interior long ago.

 

With thevalve covers, do the cam seals and both intake plenum gaskets. That’s about it.

For he heater core, I don’t know. Crux kind of covered it. Labor is the big part, if there’s a few things in there you can update for a few extra bucks do it.

 

valve covers are easy. heater core is labor intensive aka time consuming but you save a couple hundred. If you don't want to do it just get your favorite coolant and let them pick the part. They will be held liable if the part goes bad, also ask about warranty on the part as well.

Might as well replace the heater hoses if they haven't been touch cuz they might end up cutting it if it doesn't come out easy.

 

That's my main reason for sending it to the shop, I am not the most gentle when working on things. So I'm about 99% sure that I would break a clip or something in the dash then have it rattle and vibrate when I drive. Plus my local dealership has a group of techs who specialize in first gens, so I'm fairly confident they'll get it done right and if they don't the work and heater core are covered by a warranty.

 

Understood