ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
Heater core let go in my 05 Ram today.... Bummer. Other than replacing it, what's the est way to clean the carpet of coolant ?
Best way to clean coolant out of carpet?
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Johnny Dart
Well-Known Member
I would start with some Dawn detergent, water, and a scrub brush. Scrub it, and dry it with a towel. A shop vac would also help. Rinse, repeat. Then go after it with some carpet cleaner available at Wal-Mart, O'Reilly, Autozone, etc. Follow the label for instructions.
Also might want to pull the carpet back for awhile, and let the padding dry up if necessary.
PS: Or get some new carpet. Looked it up, and its only $150 for a fresh carpet kit.
Also might want to pull the carpet back for awhile, and let the padding dry up if necessary.
PS: Or get some new carpet. Looked it up, and its only $150 for a fresh carpet kit.
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ACME SS
Well-Known Member
Nothing like the smell of new carpet 
If it was me. I would pull the carpet out and at least be sure coolant did not go under it.
With it out you can hose the carpet down and let it dry on the line
With it out you can hose the carpet down and let it dry on the line
1969cuda
Well-Known Member
Yeah, I’d pull it and clean it.
ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
It is soaked, so I know the jute is wet as well....
ACME SS
Well-Known Member
In that case pull it for sure. I'd replace the jute if not the carpet as well. Otherwise I have had great luck cleaning an entire bottle of olive garden dressing that spilled in the trunk of my wifes car by hanging it from those floor mat clamps at the local manual car wash. you couldn't even smell anything in it after the wash. You can skip the spot free rinse and the wax options LOL
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
You're probably gonna have to pull the dash to replace the heater core if the same 
engineer that designed Dakota/Durango heater/AC boxes also did the full size trucks. If that's the case, just pull the seat out and remove the carpet. Pressure wash it real good and then suck all the water out that you can with the shop vac. Hang it out in the sun to dry while you monkey with the heater box. I don't envy you doing that job. A week after I got the new to us 2004 Dakota going with its new engine, the heater core let go and I went thru the above process. Check You Tube. Somebody is bound to have done a how-to video. Look at the bright side...at least it didn't do it on Pikes Peak! 
engineer that designed Dakota/Durango heater/AC boxes also did the full size trucks. If that's the case, just pull the seat out and remove the carpet. Pressure wash it real good and then suck all the water out that you can with the shop vac. Hang it out in the sun to dry while you monkey with the heater box. I don't envy you doing that job. A week after I got the new to us 2004 Dakota going with its new engine, the heater core let go and I went thru the above process. Check You Tube. Somebody is bound to have done a how-to video. Look at the bright side...at least it didn't do it on Pikes Peak!
ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
Yeah, the whole dash has to come out. Did the same to my 97 about 19 years ago. Not fun.
And yes, the seats will be coming out, so I'll pull the carpet and give it a go.
Well, I bypassed the heater core today so I can drive it as needed, like e t weekend's trip.. Had it puked on the Peak, I'd have bypassed the core at 14k ft and kept on rolling...
And yes, the seats will be coming out, so I'll pull the carpet and give it a go.
Well, I bypassed the heater core today so I can drive it as needed, like e t weekend's trip.. Had it puked on the Peak, I'd have bypassed the core at 14k ft and kept on rolling...
ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
Since we are off on another camping trip this coming weekend and need to use the truck, I had to try something to get some of the slickness cleaned out of the carpet, so wifey's feet don't get all slicked up.
A little outside of the box thinking - I had laid an old bath towel on the floor for a day. Next day it was pretty wet. Hmmmm - got me to thinking...... So I spread some new/fresh Arm & Hammer kitty litter that I get for free for spills on the carpet 2 days ago. Next day I checked it and it has definitely started doing it's thing. It was all wet. Vacuumed it up and spread some more around. This morning, I vacuumed that out and the carpet is not squishy-wet any longer. Just damp and slick feeling. Laid another clean towel in there. Will check it this evening. I just might be able to get it to the point that a good carpet cleaner removes the glycol feel and not have to remove the whole thing for a vertical hung wash out.
A little outside of the box thinking - I had laid an old bath towel on the floor for a day. Next day it was pretty wet. Hmmmm - got me to thinking...... So I spread some new/fresh Arm & Hammer kitty litter that I get for free for spills on the carpet 2 days ago. Next day I checked it and it has definitely started doing it's thing. It was all wet. Vacuumed it up and spread some more around. This morning, I vacuumed that out and the carpet is not squishy-wet any longer. Just damp and slick feeling. Laid another clean towel in there. Will check it this evening. I just might be able to get it to the point that a good carpet cleaner removes the glycol feel and not have to remove the whole thing for a vertical hung wash out.
ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
Well, my combination of 2 towels in rotation with the kitty litter and the antifreeze feel is gone from the carpet.
Finiahed the whole job yesterday. I had taken it all apart Thursday and Friday evenings. Rebuilt the heater box with a new core, ac evaporator while I was there and the most common blend door to break even though mine has not yet.
Took a total of 4.5 hours to remove it all - column, dash, box - and another 3 to put it all back together.
Going to work out the bugs on the Shelby Dakota so I can start driving it and then pick a weekend to tackle the exhaust manifold bolt job on the Ram.
Finiahed the whole job yesterday. I had taken it all apart Thursday and Friday evenings. Rebuilt the heater box with a new core, ac evaporator while I was there and the most common blend door to break even though mine has not yet.
Took a total of 4.5 hours to remove it all - column, dash, box - and another 3 to put it all back together.
Going to work out the bugs on the Shelby Dakota so I can start driving it and then pick a weekend to tackle the exhaust manifold bolt job on the Ram.
JDMopar
Well-Known Member
Sounds like it all worked out pretty well. Just curious...did the heater core come with the inlet/outlet pipes attached, or did you have to reuse the old pipes? When I had to do the same job on our 04 Dakota, the heater core has pipes that you have to reuse, which are sealed at the heater core with O rings. Piss poor design, but what are ya gonna do? lol. If I keep that thing long enough, I will get to do it again because of the O rings.
ragtopfury
Well-Known Member
Core/tubes as a unit. However, they are o-ringed and crimped so you can move them into position.
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