Totally get shot man... dont make the situation worse by plugging up your radiator with junk. By-pass the heater and get another when you can, see about getting a used one if you cant afford a new one. Like others have said it could be a leak in the core or a bad connection.

Until you can do any of that, keep the heater off and keep an eye on your coolant level.

 

Wait a week.
People may have spilled antifreeze fixing it and it smells from the engine compartment.
The condensation on the windshield is probably condensate from the A/C running
even when the heater is on to do de-humidification.

Sometimes best to just chill and observe for a week.

 

Yea stay away from stop leak fluids for ANYTHING. I'd only run that stuff in a junker that was going to be drivin till it stopped then sold for scrap.

You could bypass the core, but thats a good amount of liquid in there that will be out of the cooling loop. If I did that I'd do a few trial runs idling and driving around watching the temp meter like a hawk.

 

The mist on you windshield is from a leaking heater core and the antifreeze is coming up threw the ducts. Your heater core is bad guaranteed. When the windshield is getting the mist touch it it will be slimey and will smear.may not deposit coolant on your floorboard if its a small leak. But leak will get worse.

 

Not that I'm an expert but condensation on the inside of the windows and a wet floor could be due to plugged AC drains... might be time to squeeze your nipples to verify they are not full of moldy water.

Also the coolant smell could be a leaking throttle body heater, very common.

Check out your window "mist" to see if it is just plain water or not. clear those drain nipples.

Just saying there are a few other things to check off the list before buying a heater core.

 

I'm very appreciative of all the responses I have gotten on the matter..After making the 35mile drive home tonight the coolant smell wasn't as strong as it was lastnight when I brought it home from the shop. Really thinking I'm gonna do like jfall said and calm down for a week while keeping an eye on things. Dave035 the throttle body heater was fine, it was actually the first thing I checked after having to fix the leaking one on my 99 last weekend but your right it wouldn't hurt to check my drains....As of the three amigos that came on after the car wash I moved my rover about an hr after I got home and when I started no lights. Not sure what could have gotten wet to cause them but I'm gonna cross my fingers that they stay off. Nothing like a Land Rover to make a hypochondriac out of the most calm and collected people!

 

I'm starting to experience similar issues. I noticed my UG Eng. Temps rising as I come to stops the past few days up to 220-227 and back down to 197-198 once it gets going again). Today was the first day my heat has really been on and the coolant smell was pretty strong. There is not any leaking in the engine bay and my coolant levels are correct. I haven't noticed any misting and the passenger floor board isn't wet. Well, not yet anyway.

Guess I know what I'll be doing this weekend. I've been waiting for an excuse to install a Motorad 180 thermostat, ordering now. I will inspect the heater core and hoses before ordering anything else.

Definitely grateful for the wealth of information available here.

 

If temp is rising when you reduce airflow (slow down), inspect fan clutch. Should feel like peanut butter inside when spun cold and released, go a partial turn. When warmed up, if same test goes more than one revolution, clutch has lost internal fluid and is not providing the air flow needed. Also, at those temps you electric fan should have been on, even if AC not used. Check fuse for fan, and give those blades a spin, they should spin freely and not be binding. An electric fan that is siezing up will usually blow the fuse. Also consider replace radiator, which can be sludged up (and a flush won't cure it) and impractical to rod out because of brittle plastic side tanks. This shows up as lower fins being more than 10F cooler than upper fins.

 

227 is way way way to hot causing damage hot. going to need to inspect your head gaskets also.

 

Thanks Savannah Buzz & lr2001silver, will add a block test and testing the fan clutch to my 'to do' list.

Added SB's Cooling Sys Probs to my Chrome LRDII Bookmarks!

Well, my problems have now shifted to the water pump. It's now mysteriously leaking from that vicinity (drip drip). Oh boy, hope I can find replacement parts locally to avoid a rental.