New valve installed and the system is leak free again.

The carpet and padding dried out well, no oily residue. Surprisingly the padding has held up well so I reinstalled it, ready to soak up the next leak!

I did a bit of searching on the padding and discovered there are many things to consider. Phil pointed them out in an earlier post on this thread.

Thanks again for the help. And now on to the next issue...

Based on all the great feedback, I decided to pull the carpet and padding and wash them (gently). It only took about 30 min to get things out. I found standing coolant in the driver well, and fortunately it was not up the tunnel foam.

The rubber backing on the foam is brittle and no longer rubber, and some pieces fell off. The butyl stick'em stuff is used to secure the carpet in some places. It was also used for the foam.

I'd like to replace the foam as it shows signs of previous leaks and is pretty ratty. Any suggestions are welcome.

Things are now drying, and I'm waiting on a new valve so I should have things back together this weekend.

Here are some pics: 93 240 Heater Valve

Thanks again for the active dialog!

Hi,

I will say it’s best to remove the mat with the carpet and inspect the bottom. The coolant will rot the rubbers below the carpet.
Trouble is, getting the rubber mat out intact and it not cracking or crumbing.
Bending it all backwards was not an intention to be done at this age.
The seat removal idea is best as you will be shocked with what you find under them. Wood shavings (?) or Especially any spills on the brake/switch console. 😵‍💫

Plan on being gentle and cunning while lifting it out. Slide you hand under it gently to feel it out.
The older the car the more likely the above will happen as the older cars used butyl to stabilize wiring harnesses down tighter in places. That stuff oozes into the foam. Surprisingly the carpet can get shot of it.

The coolant that is slightly oily and has probably is already gotten on the backside of the windshield.
It promotes streaks and smears when cleaning.
You will need a “stick on” window cleaner to break it down.
I recently had two windshields replaced and my installer used an aerosol “SprayWay” product. They packaged about 2500 different products.
It is obtainable in Walmart stores.
It sells reasonably for @ about $3 a can in the automotive section.
Mine and his were scented so don’t pay more for less. Elsewhere the prices are crazy!
It says it’s used to do more than glass and leaves a nice fragrance for a short while.
I have been an Invisible Glass fan but with all things considered, it beats them. IMO.

We are enjoying your posts. Keep them coming!

Phil

Living in a region where road salt is used I do clean the front carpet every few years. I mean that I remove the carpet and under pads and wash these with soap. It takes just 15 minutes to remove, other posts describe how to do it.

I lay the carpet on a polythene sheet on the driveway asphalt. I use the garden hose to rinse well and hang to dry in the sun.

Good occasion to check for water leaks while you drive a couple days without carpets, under the rain if possible.

Roland

I've had coolant soaked carpets on a number of occasions and done along the lines you're thinking, either a carpet shampooer attachment with good suction or repeated rinsings with water and extraction with a shop vac. A shop vac can work well for this, especially in odd corners, even using a crevice tool. Start by blotting as much as you can with cloth and paper towels, squeeze hard. For the underpadding, do similar, lifting the carpet for access. Removing side panels and pulling up the plastic sill plates is worth the effort. On some models you may even need to unbolt the seat rails and lift the front to pull carpet tabs out (or just cut the tabs).

For everything, use water (like from a spray bottle) and suction/blot dry. Repeat rinsings until there is absolutely no more sticky feel of residual coolant, even if it means soaking the carpet.

If it's been there a while, use dilute bleach to kill and prevent mould under the carpet. If it's been there a really long time, check very carefully for any hint of surface rust and treat properly as needed. 240 floor pans are a known rust area (mosly the older models, 140s were the same).

To prevent smells or freshen, sprinkle baking soda underneath when you're done (I still see white powder when I lift the carpets, no harm done).

To speed drying, I'll prop a few short sticks under the carpet to keep it raised so the underneath and padding can air dry. Open the windows and doors (don't forget about the dome light). Use a fan/fans overnight as needed, even for a couple of days. Occasional heat will help it dry faster, like using a hair dryer or heat gun on low, but best not get carried away or leave heat unattended. I will admit to using heat lamps in damper weather, but I'm extremely careful to use extra shielding to eliminate any possible hazard.

If it's really bad, remove the entire carpet section and clean it properly using carpet cleaning equipment, hanging it carefully to dry so as not to stretch the formed carpet.
--
Dave -still with 940's, prev 740/240/140/120 You'd think I'd have learned by now

I hate it when things like that happen! I think just a good rinsing of the carpet and padding with plain water would be adequate. The materials are all synthetic so they should be fine. I don't think coolant is dangerous unless you drink it. You might want to check the label. As for cleaning the metal floor I think just a rag with soap and water is good. I would inquire here for advice on changing the valve. I would have good ventilation in the car for a while when driving as any fumes may a hazard.