Heater core leak on my new carpet

[konahorn]

Well I feel kinda dumb here but my heater core,I have just discovered, is corroded in my 65 New Yorker. And I got home the other night not realizing that my passenger floorboard was flooding with radiator fluid. I’m trying diligently to get it cleaned up and dried out but… It managed to stain my brand new carpet. Anyone have any ideas how to darken this back to relatively normal? One pic is with the flash. The other without the flash.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[darth_linux]

Have you tried something like a Bissell Green Machine extractor?

 

[konahorn]

Have you tried something like a Bissell Green Machine extractor?

I havent tried anything just yet. I discovered it yesterday. I soaked up a bunch of towels getting it dried and have been running a fan non stop. I just looked up the little green pro on Amazon. What I’m afraid might have happened is it “bleached” the carpet somehow with the hot fluid. Hopefully not tho. I may rent an extractor and try that. Thanks!

 

[Just Carbs]

I don't know about the staining or bleaching ability of antifreeze. But the way I clean severely dirty car carpet and seats is with a detergent in a spray bottle, a garden hose with spray nozzle and a wet vac.

Mist lightly with water diluted detergent in a pump bottle.
Brush aggressively.
Vacuum.
Spray with "one" swipe of the water hose set on sprinkle.
Followed immediately behind spray (inches) with the vacuum.
Repeat as needed.
Then vacuum, vacuum, vacuum long and slow. For a looong time.
Then leave a dehumidifier "and" fan in the closed-up car.

As one would suspect, different soaps work for different stuff. Dawn almost always works for most of the dirty/oily stuff. If that don't get all of it, I move on to other soaps. Never bleach OR ammonia.

 

[3C's & a D?]

I would start with water and a wet/dry vac. The stain is likely fine lime scale from the copper corroding so if the water fails to get it out, I would try some diluted CLR promptly vacuumed out and neutralized with water once or twice.

 

[65Port]

Double check your heater valve too as it may not be far behind the heater core (unless you've already replaced it).

 

['66 Fury I]

This prompts a question. What is the best way to test the integrity of a heater core? My engineering background would suggest a hydrostatic pressure test, but at what pressure? Perhaps there is a better way.
Lindsay

 

[65Port]

This prompts a question. What is the best way to test the integrity of a heater core? My engineering background would suggest a hydrostatic pressure test, but at what pressure? Perhaps there is a better way.
Lindsay

If it's old I would not put any undue pressure on it as you may create a new problem. Best bet is to flush system every two years. That is what I do. If it does not leak, run it!

 

[Big_John]

This prompts a question. What is the best way to test the integrity of a heater core? My engineering background would suggest a hydrostatic pressure test, but at what pressure? Perhaps there is a better way.
Lindsay

I was curious about this.

Radiator pressure tests (according to the '65 FSM) are done to 15PSI. At the same time, the cap is rated at 14PSI for non-AC cars and 16PSI for AC cars. That cap is basically a relief valve.

That really doesn't make sense to me.... I would expect a pressure test to be some percentage above the cap pressure. For example, a compressor tank is tested at 167% of its rating.

I think if I were checking a heater core, I'd fill it with water and then pressurize it with air to ~20PSI and be pretty comfortable with that.

 

[MoPar~Man]

If you have a shop vac, I'd soak the area with water and then use the shop vac to dry it and basically keep doing the same, alternate soaking with water and vaccing it up. I don't think using soap will help, the ethelyene glycol is easily dissoved in water so you don't need the soap to do anything here. Have a pitcher of water in one hand and the vac hose in the other. Pour water, then suck it up.

Soaking with water and the vaccing it up is what you do if you don't want to take the carpet out and hang it vertically and flush it with a hose.

Now whether or not at some point you try some vinegar or alcohol instead of water, I don't know. Something other than water might pull out other components of antifreeze better than water.