my sister had a 4th gen v6 camero and just recently when she turns on the heater her car heat spikes up to overheating from nothing, she said she does smell coolant though, but it only happens when she turns on the heater, i was thinking possible CTS but the coolant smell is what is throwing me off, i havn't looked at it yet,........................any ideas??

 

Busted heater core, or hose to said heater core.

 

normally when the heatercore has gone out isn't there coolant on the floor?

 

You may be in for lots of giggles!
That heater core project may be a real bear to fix.
I think she's low on coolant myself causing the overheating!

 

i'd agree with this

 

thanx guys

 

A easy sign of a heater core leak.

Do the window fog up after the car has been driven and sat for a bit with the windows up???

Some times you don't see a leak. But once shut off the heat/pressure that builds once shut off will fog up the inside.

 

you'll smell it too. My girlfriends sisters car just had a busted heatercore. The windows fog like Gumby said. There was a stink in the car from it too because she drove with it busted for a while.

 

Another way to check low coolant: Does she get heat when she turns on the heater? If she doesn't get heat at idle, but gets heat when she revs the motor up to 2000 rpm, then it's low coolant.

And of course low coolant could be caused by a bad hose or a busted heater core