problem: smell of coolant in the cabin when heater is on AND off(spirited driving)

actions taken:

infiniti dealership preassure tested the cooling system, determined theres no leak by the engine. paid $120.00. dealer wants to check the core heaterand charge me another $350.00 which i refused. all in all quoted me $1200.00 parts and labor to replace the core heater.

my brother and I has done a core heater swap on an 94 civic and found it relatively simple, time consuming but simple. ---is it the same as y33?

can this be a leak somewhere other than the core heater?

I'd greatly appreciate if anyone can post a " how to replace core heater diagram" on a 99q45t

service history indicates this vehicle has been coolant flushed twice already at 56k miles and 79k miles.

thanks,

gerard

p.s. carpeting is dry as a bone!

Maybe check hoses first?

FSM and TSB at http://www.nissan-techinfo.com/infiniti/

Gerard,There might be a leak at the heater core's inlet/outlet since that could be the weak spot. I tried to flush the cooling system last summer, pulled the heater hose out and the inlet/outlet came out with the hose . So I need to replace my heater core too, just waiting until summer so I'd have some free time.

i hoping its a faulty hose, thanks for the diagram.

btw, thats one badass looking Q-i kinda wish i have a black one.

thanks,gerard

Either hose leaking at the heater core or leaking core. You might try adding a tube of 'Aluma-Seal'--which looks like pwdered aluminum (its not), and works real well on most leaks without clogging up things. Car mfg's add a tube to each car as assembled to ensure against 'porus casting' leaks etc.