heater core

[jlat]

hello people; Any of you turbo heads try to open up the HC with the products they sell to do this? You pour it in, let it set for a while then flush it out? My van's heat really sucks when it's cold as hell and I really have to do something about it.
IBBY

 

[John Larkin]

Just backflush it with a garden hose. My neighbor's Ranger pickup had no heat for two years until we talked about it. He ended up with a air pocket in it somehow. Once we flushed it and burped the system it made all the heat you could stand. To burp it, you can loosen the top hose at the heater core until a little coolant comes out. Then you know there is no air in the system since this should be the highest point. Give it a try, nothing to lose but some time. Keep the water pressure from the hose down - don't want to create a leak.

 

[jlat]

hello; Crazy weather here in Mass. as the temps lately are a bit on the high side of normal for this time of the year. So I tried the back flushing of the HC with a garden hose. It was clear and the water flowed with nothing slowing it down both ways and the heat is about the same. I think the thermostate is good as I might just replace it and see what happens.
What do you think does a HC were out? I've never replaced it and with 272 plus thousand mile maybe it's done. As long as the ambiant temps are OK I'll deal with it.
IBBY
PS; one hose comming out of the HC is warm and the other is not so there has to be a clog but with the flushing it showed no clog.

 

[John Larkin]

What is your water temperature when the car is at operating temp as in when the radiator fan comes on? Does the top radiator hose get hot? It should get hot enough that you cannot hold it for very long.

 

[jlat]

hello; Top rad hose is hot and the van has no rad fans to come on. If the factory digital gage is correct the van runs at 200 degrees winter and summer. I might just change the stat and see what that does but when it's bitter cold that's when the heat sucks most.
IBBY

 

[John Larkin]

That's the cheapest first thing to do so good luck. If that doesn't work, then I guess you have to start taking hoses apart to look for a clog in the heater lines or maybe the water pump outlet to the core. Who knows until you look. But I hope you get heat soon!