I'm starting to notice some oil or greasy substance collecting on my windshield and driver side windows (interior). It's not iridescent, so I don't believe it's engine oil, but what else could it be?

Please tell me I haven't blown out my seals and this is the result!

 

you may have to get a picture to see this better ...

Do you have power steering? Maybe oil is leaking out of there ...

 

INTERIOR?

I'm gonna go with a blown heater core... Check your passenger floor area for leakage. Also check the condensate drain hose that hangs from under the car.

 

Do you smoke?

If not, it COULD just be solvents evaporating from the dashboard/interior plastic.

 

I'm with Pele on this one. Antifreeze will cause an oily film on interior windows...

 

I don't smoke.

If a blown heater core, how do I go about fixing it?
Replacement?
It it difficult to get at and/or find parts?

 

No Power Steering.
It's a 1979. Only 77,000 miles.
I'm the second owner.

 

I just found a heater core online for $108.95.
I'm just not sure how easy or difficult it is to replace.
Maybe I best let a pro do it.

 

You will notice coolant soaking into the carpet/dripping from the heater case/dripping from the water drain before you notice the windows getting fogged up from coolant. You'll definitely smell it first (sickly-sweet aroma, reminds most people of maple syrup).

A heater core isn't for the squeamish. The dashboard has to come out, but I don't think the evaporator case (A/C system) does.

 

Weird.
I'm not smelling anything really. Could just be me.

I'm just noticing the build up of oily gunk on my windshield and side windows.
Already checked passenger and driver side carpetting. No leakage.
I don't have A/C.

Thanks for the tip on the heater core.
I was wondering where the hell it was.
It's not even mentioned in the manual!

 

I checked my coolant fluid reservoir. Almost freaking empty.

 

What do you use to detail the car with, does it sit in the sun most of the day? Have you lost any coolant from the cooling system. Investigate more before you replace the heater core.

 

Yes, the car does sit in the sun most of the day.

 

I checked radiator. Fluid level was full. Just reservoir needs topping up.

 

Even though i smoke, I have cut down on the window film on all my vehicles but reducing how often I detail the interior and with what. Outgassing of interior treatments, like Armorall, goes to one place, the glass. Parking in the sun all day makes it worse.

Refill your overflow and keep an eye on it.

 

None of our shop manuals mention an R&R procedure, and our labor guides don't give us a time for the repair, either.

It's as if they never go faulty or something.

 

Thanks guys.
I do use Armorall on the dash and I live in California, so the sun does get pretty intense every day.
Also, I have a black interior too.
I'm going to have my RX serviced this week and I'll ask them to check on this heater core theory.
My heater works great. No maple-syrupy smell or anything.

 

Have the shop do a pressure leak down test on the cooling system, that whould tell if it's leaking or not.

 

FYI- I read somewhere that Armorall is about the worst product that you can use. I wish I could tell you exactly why that is, but it had something to do with the ingredients speeding up the deterioration of the plastic/vinyl parts. I read it years ago, and it must have been from a reliable source because I took it to heart. Anyway, hopefully your cooling system is okay. Good luck

 

Armorall hardens the plastics over time. I don't care for it and will not use it more than once a year. I have been using the wipes as they leave less product behind.

 

Just a lil logical thinking??

radiator fluid - when it gets hot it expands. Instead of leting seep all over the place on a warm summer day, it gets collected in your "reservoir tank". Keeping the tank full will most likely cause a spill at one time or another. I believe the design for it was to catch what ever would dribble out when there is too much pressure in the cooling system for the radiator cap to hold down. When your reservoir tank is full theres only one place for the fluid to go.


Clean your car up really good and don't use cleaners that leave residual. Take it out of the sun and see how it goes. If none of your systems are leaking chances are its just glue or oil evaporating and condenseing in a cool place.

Can not say anything about armour all. The product has been around for ages it has to be doing something, right? I just that green bottle.. 2001 something or something 2001. A friend of mine used vasaline.. lol his dash had a big melted spot on the top. He had a old toyota. It was funny as hell. The temp outside was 96. He left his car in his drive way all morning.. when he checked it at like 6 in theafternoon.. hahahahaaaHAHAHAHa..


g/l

 

Well while we're on the subject of windows could anyone help me out with my pessanger side window its manuel I think it needs a new regulator or can i just the old one? it goes down okay but you can roll it up to a certain point then the window kinda gets cockeyed and you have to play with it's position to get it up.

Also my wipers in front on windsheild don't work so....I noticed the connectors on the outside of the car work broke so i put new ones on, and the connectors on the steering column were fine, but they still dont work...maybe its the motor? where would i get one and about how much are they, cause till they work I'm gonna have to go back to redneck engineering RAIN-X