Heater core?

Country_Guy · Post by **Country_Guy** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:45 pm

Ok I have a question and or a potential problem.
I don't work on A/C or heater core stuff so I need to know if this sounds right.

I just tryed my heat and defroster for the first time this morning (We are starting to get morning were the window need some heat to clear the fog off) and the very first few minutes it was on (I had it on defrost and floor with a fan speed of 2) it sounded as if water was running inside the dash (only on the passenger side). I don't smell or taste anti-freeze. My floor is dry and looked up under the dash with a flashlight and there is nothing wet. It only is doing it when its just come on and only last for a minute or so, then goes away. When you shut it off its doing it for just a minute. Again there is no wet spots and not smell or taste normally associated wth a leak.

One guy said the sound is often associated with a partially blocked heater core.

Now the major question can I get one more winter out of it????

I heard it is a major expense since I don't mess with that crap. I don't want to come out to no heat and no way to defrost my windows as we get a ton of ice and little snow. I don't have a lot of money at the present time and I am worried that it will create problems.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 6:59 pm

Deal with it now.

Air in the cooling system. "SOLVED"

If you have the "orange coolant" dump it those sounds are the death cry of Dex.

Get a new cap, flush the system and go green before it is too late.

Country_Guy · Post by **Country_Guy** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:15 pm

I have the green coolant and now that you say that I took it to the shop to have the water pump changed because I didn't have time to mess with it myself and when I got it back it had a cheap cap on it not the one that it had when I took it there. They said the old one was bad so I didn't think anymore about it well I guess now I need to get a stant cap. Also I noticed that once in awhile (not very often) the resivior is low. I keep it filled like it should be. So now I need a new cap, flush and to get the air out.

Post by **HenryJ** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 12:48 pm

Keep the reservoir full to the hot level. Loosen the cap, or flip the lever and squeeze the upper radiator hose to purge the air to the expansion tank. Repeat as many times as it takes to purge the air.
Then once it warms up and cools down it should be good.
Parking with the nose up, or jacking the front way up can help raise the cap to the high point.

Country_Guy · Post by **Country_Guy** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 4:35 am

When I got my truck it had dex cool in it and I think thats why the water pump shot craps, I now have the green prestone in it. Although after 2 years its now got crap floating in the tank (resivior). Just started like 2 -weeks ago. I am going to take the resivor off tomarrow and clean it out and then flush everything else in mine totally tomarrow with the garden hose then fill it with antifreeze and drain it again.

I had an issue with the heater core making a water sound (like water running throughout the glovebox side of the dash) and Henry J suggested I flush and get a new radiator cap. So I stopped the other day and bought a 16 lbs. cap with the vent and lever. and after topping the tank the noise went away. I had to leave yesterday and the noise returned but more like a noise I can barely her floor board is still dry and I can't smell anything (be stopped up with allergys doesn't help). But I was told no matter how stopped up you are you would notice it big time so I have to work tonight and I will be home before I have to use the heat so. First thing tomarrow its getting cleaned.

I hope its not to late as I cannot afford to have the heater core replaced and I don't have time to do it myself. If thats the case looks like no heat for me this winter.

Do you guys recommend anything for this? I don't have a lot of money (I just started a new job), as long as I can manage one more winter next year if it needs replacing thats fine.

EDIT: My dad suggested before the engines on drain the radiator and start filling with straight water or 50/50 then turn the engine on while filling the radiator w/ 50/50 so the flush goes through the system. Is it a good idea? I called a few places and asked about a power flush and the 3 I called said with the mileage of the vehicle they didn't recommend it as it could cause a leak in the system (heater core or radiator). All of them said just to drain and flush. The places that do a drain and or power flush want $125.00 and up, unless its accompanied with another service.

BADs Crew · Post by **BADs Crew** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 1:36 pm

Don't panic. If you flushed the system and installed new green the air should work its way out. It took a few weeks for mine to work its way out.

12bridn · Post by **12bridn** » Fri Jan 18, 2008 4:24 pm

So, I can use regular old ethylene glycol in the system? My heat failed last week, same symptoms as above, gurgling sound and all. My truck is mad at me fo trying to sell it, I guess. I reall yneed my heat fixed. I wrecked the van that was to replace the truck. Being cold here, I have no defrost, and this morning my driver side wiper broke because it was frozen to the windshield, so I really can't see out of the cab at all.

And I need to put new bearings all around the rear. Yay.

AZS10Crew · Post by **AZS10Crew** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 5:12 am

You can use regular green coolant in your truck, just make sure the Dex Cool in entirely flushed from the system before you add any green stuff, because the two do not mix. Most people usually flush the system twice before replacing Dex Cool with green.

Torskdoc · Post by **Torskdoc** » Mon Jan 21, 2008 6:19 pm

Couple more things. Keep the overflow tank filled ABOVE the HOT LINE!!! CHECK IT EVERY MORNING for a week and keep the level UP.

Get a prestone flush and fill kit and install it. Probably the best way to flush the whole system including the heater core.

BUT KEEP THAT TANK FULL!!!

Larry

12bridn · Post by **12bridn** » Tue Jan 22, 2008 6:06 pm

I flushed it several times on an open systems, running till the thermostat opened and repeating till only clear water ran out. I then used the prestone (I think, yellow bottle?) flush fluid and got a lot of brown gunk out. I ran clear water again for a bit and flushed that and then added green.

The heat worked during the time I used the sodium citrate flush, but only marginally works now. I am going to try to flush again, and if that gives no change, I will have to remove the core.

Torskdoc · Post by **Torskdoc** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:38 am

12bridn: It sounds like you're not getting all the air out. Flush the system out with the flush & fill kit. It has a fitting that gets inserted into the heater hose (it has a cap), hook up to water hose, turn on hose and pressure flush out the system INCLUDING the heater core. Go ahead and use the cleaner fluid, let it sit for a bit longer than normal and then power flush it out with your garden hose hooked up as above. Power flushing will get most all the gunk out, AND fill the system with clear water.

Drain the system, then fill with 50/50 GREEN(heater on full hot and fan on high). Keep filling even after the thermostat opens up, revving the engine slightly and adding as the level drops(it WILL do this for a while). Once it won't take anymore, install cap prior to dropping to idle. FILL THE TANK WAY ABOVE FULL HOT! Keep checking everyday for a week and add as necessary. It'll settle down by then.

Larry

Post by **HenryJ** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 10:37 am

You can purge most of the air by hand as well.
It is easy with the lever style pressure relief caps. Flip the lever up and squeeze the upper radiator hose to push the air to the expansion tank. It will suck coolant back in. Repeat this until air has been purged.
Warm the engine up and that should push what is left to the expansion tank.
As mentioned keep the tank full to the hot level, even when cold. Watch it for a few days to see if the supply needs to be replenished.

border man · Post by **border man** » Wed Jan 23, 2008 5:03 pm

I just flushed my system this weekend, with the above mentioned method. I was not getting good heat due to a bad thermostat(stuck open I guess). I did the hose squeeze method, and now I have HOT heat and no air noise. After the new OEM thermostat, my truck quickly gets up to operating temp in this COLD New Mexico weather. I never noticed the bad thermostat back home in AZ, because I had never used the heater.....