Question: Leak around the firewall where coolant and heater core are.

[DMAC]

I have an 84 vette. One day I noticed that a pretty good stream of water was coming out of the area where coolant lines enter firewall. I am guessing that it is also where heater core is also placed. At first I thought it was sweating coolant lines so I turned off A/C letting the car to continue to idle. The stream turned into a drip so I let car continue to idle checking radiator fluid level the whole time. After a little while I checked again the drip was still there. So i turned heater on let it run a little because with the A/C turned off it started to steam the front window at the defrost ducts. Left heater on checking water level whole time (not much change if any in over flow container) leak still dripping. My question is how can I check heater coil line and unit for leaks w/o taking dash apart to physically reach it? My Haynes manual only told me how to take core out of 85 and up. Hoping 84 is same if I had to change. And the leak is not in floorboard but underneath car.

 

[dougelam]

The heater core would leak internally and drain out the condensate tube!
If the hose is leaking at the connection you might just need new heater hoses.
If you never replaced hoses at the core tell us you can damage the tubes easily

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[DMAC]

The heater core would leak internally and drain out the condensate tube!
If the hose is leaking at the connection you might just need new heater hoses.
If you never replaced hoses at the core tell us you can damage the tubes easily

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No I have never messed with heater core or hoses before. I was actually wondering if I could check the core hoses from firewall side?

 

[dougelam]

Can you see the leak?
If so basic diagnostics is to follow it to its source. (Obviously)
Moving or removing things are common place.
It sounds like you need to determine if it is coming from the hose connection at the heater core first!

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[Hib Halverson]

For a heater core job, assign the Haynes manual to the cat box as a liner then purchase a Factory Service Manual.

It will clearly explain the procedure for replacing the heater core.

Just wondering. Have you tried disconnecting the heater hoses and inspecting what you can see of the core connections and the ends of the hoses?

Maybe the hoses are just not sealing properly.