Heater does not work

[dballard18]

I have a 2002 Toyota Corolla. I have vented the cooling system, however the heater does not work. The heater door is opening, the top heater hose is hot, the bottom heater hose is colder. I have replaced the water pump and thermostat as a PM move as the car has 144,000 miles. I flushed the cooling system, including the heater core and refilled with new antifreeze. The heater does make one quick blast of hot air then turns cold.

[viper_cole]

is the motor blowing air? there are a few things it could be.

air in the system (heater core is highest spot)
blocked heater core
bad t-stat

remove the rad cap / pressure cap and let the air bubble out while topping up the anti-freeze, make sure the heat is max and the fan is on high,
(this will help with bleeding)

to check the heater core remove one line and blow air into it, and depending on how many bubbles come out the other end then its not block (or not blocked badly) and the t-stat can be tested with boiling water, thermometer (so you can see the temp of the water) and it should open up at the temp rated on the t-stat normally 195 degrees

[dballard18]

I spent the day on the car. Pulled the thermostat and all heater hoses, flushed everything with a garden hose. I verified the air doors were opening. Still had cold air.

The end of the story, I accepted that I had some pluggage of the heater core, more than the little water pump could overcome. I pulled the heater hoses again, flushed the heater with water, blew out with air then backfilled the heater with Liquid Plumber. After 15 minutes, I rinsed and repeated the liquid plumber. Then I rinsed and vented all of the air, and hooked everything backup.

The heater is fine now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Buurin]

Originally Posted by dballard18

I accepted that I had some pluggage of the heater core, more than the little water pump could overcome. I pulled the heater hoses again, flushed the heater with water, blew out with air then backfilled the heater with Liquid Plumber. After 15 minutes, I rinsed and repeated the liquid plumber. Then I rinsed and vented all of the air, and hooked everything backup.

The heater is fine now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THIS IS EPIC!

Congrats for getting that fixed and thanks for this tip. This needs to live on,

[Bitter]

did the liquid plumber seem to take out alot of crud?

[dballard18]

I flushed it slowly at first, there seemed to be some brown water, no clumpy stuff.

[Milky]

Originally Posted by dballard18

I spent the day on the car. Pulled the thermostat and all heater hoses, flushed everything with a garden hose. I verified the air doors were opening. Still had cold air.

The end of the story, I accepted that I had some pluggage of the heater core, more than the little water pump could overcome. I pulled the heater hoses again, flushed the heater with water, blew out with air then backfilled the heater with Liquid Plumber. After 15 minutes, I rinsed and repeated the liquid plumber. Then I rinsed and vented all of the air, and hooked everything backup.

The heater is fine now!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

i got to say i just died laughing when i saw the liquid plumber. as funny as it may be, if it worked then good job.

[dballard18]

I would laugh as well. It was either a "Think Outside the Box" or undertake a big job. And it worked VERY well, a $4 bottle vs. Parts and Labor, it was worth a gamble. I never had any luck with the flush chemicals available at the parts houses. BTW, I had the heater fully disconnected, all hoses off when I did this.

[dballard18]

I have another vehicle, a Dodge Dakota, daily driver with 405,000 miles. It too had a heater that was not working very well. The temperature as measured at the upper vent was about 75 on a low fan speed. No much on a high fan speed. It was very chilly truck in Ohio on a cold day.

I disconected the heater, flushed with water, blew out with air, then backfilled with Liquid Plumber, did this twice. I believe a key here is to blow out with air so the entire heater was saturated with the chemical upon backfilling. Flushed again very well with the garden hose.

The temperature now as measured at the upper vent is 115 degrees with the fan on HIGH.

I saved another $1000 job with a $4 bottle. I am laughing all the way to the bank...... And staying warm in Ohio.

[Buurin]

Originally Posted by dballard18

a Dodge Dakota, ... It too had a heater that was not working very well. ...

I disconected the heater, flushed with water, blew out with air, then backfilled with Liquid Plumber, did this twice... Flushed again very well with the garden hose.

The temperature now as measured at the upper vent is 115 degrees with the fan on HIGH.

I saved another $1000 job with a $4 bottle. I am laughing all the way to the bank...... And staying warm in Ohio.

So very true. Liquid Plumber, the two-hit wonder.