I had the Viper out for a drive last weekend and had the heat going full bore. After about 10-15 minutes of driving, I started getting a coolant smell in the car and while sitting at a stop light, I noticed just a tiny bit of steam coming up from under the hood on the passenger side by the door. I took the car home immediately and looked for obvious leaks but didn't see any.
Now, a week later, I took the car out again and drove it. There was a TINY puddle of coolant on the floor of the garage just inboard and to the rear of the right front tire (in drops, I'd say 10 drops max). During the drive, the coolant smell was very faint (almost "leftover"), and no more steam. I looked at the supply and return pipes going into the heater core and don't see any leaks, but on the wall of the heater core right at the right rear corner of the engine there is some coolant that looks almost sprayed on and then puddled onto the little shelf on the inboard side of the heater core box. I can't for the life of me figure out where it's coming from because the hoses are clean/dry where they meet the heater core box, and also where they attach to the pipes coming from the front of the engine. The engine itself is dry, and none of the plug wires look wet. Is it possible for the heater core to leak and seep through from the inside of the box to the outside?
Sounds to me you already have it diagnosed and ready to get started tearing it down. You could clamp off the hoses to get it to stop leaking. But then no heat. It will also blow coolant umes on the inside of windows and interior which is fun to clean. Sticky oily residue.
Sounds like the same problem I had about 2 years ago. It would also fog up the windshield for a few seconds right when I would restart the car (after it was warmed up). It was the heater core on mine.
If the inside of the windshield fogs, it is the core for certain. Pop the 4 or 5 bolts and screws and remove the airbox. Heat it up all the way with the heater and blower motor on high. After fully heated, shut it off and listen around in there. If there was actually steam before, you should at least be able to nail it with the box off by listening and searching around with a flashlight or shop light.
99, notice on the Viper the water shut off valve with no bypass so you don't have to loop the hoses. If clamped off has no effect on cooling or circulation. Do what ever is easier.
Mine is a 2001 ACR. Where is the crossover housing located (I can dig it up in the manual I guess). The really strange thing about this is that the coolant appeared in places where there don't seem to be any seams, joints, etc. and I'm almost certain it's not coming from a leaking hose or hose/pipe joint. I probably need to drive the car some more now that I've cleaned it all up to reproduce the issue and see if I can pin it down.
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