TheBush Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Just wanted to clarify if my thinking was correct. Do I need a new heater core? Heater TECHNICALLY works (as does window defrost), but its only hot/warm for like 10-15 seconds. Then its cold. If you turn it off, wait a minute and then turn it back on, you get heat again for 10-15 seconds. Is it the heater core? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SubaruWagon87 Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Whats your temp gauge doing when the heater gets cold? It sounds like it could be a plugged heater core. It wouldn't hurt to disconnect one of the lines and flush it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 all i can say is, probably, but I don't really know. Try backflushing the heater core and see if that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durania Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Gonna go ahead and mention the importance of using an OEM thermostat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 sounds clogged. pull both hoses to the core and run water through it until it comes out clear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 A OEM thermo, Maybe that's why when I'm driving I never get really hot like in other vehicles? And My temp go's to about half after like 10 minutes of driving and then drops to a little below half and stays there. Do you think thats because I bought a Thermostat from Autozone? I'm not trying to hijack a thread, But it justy came to mind. Thank's! BTW yeah I would see about a heater core Flush anyways, Good luck! -Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 yeah flush the heater core out my 1980 wagon did the same thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Whom are you talking to? Me or Bush? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBush Posted December 9, 2007 Author Share Posted December 9, 2007 I guess I can try flushing the heater coreeee.... I just replaced the theromstat this past week, but it had the problem before and after. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLoyale Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 When you replaced the Thermo did you get all the air bubbles out of you're system? And did you add more Water/coolant to make sure it's full? But I'm still just guessing its something blocking you're core, Give her a good flushing with water and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Probably the core, yeah. Make sure the radiator is full of course. You can try back flushing the core, but that often doesn't work. Takes about 6 hours to do a heater core. Remove the dash - replace a lot of the foam on the ducting and get a chance to clean it out with lysol, etc. It's worth the time to do it right if the car is nice. If the car is a beater.... light the passenger seat on fire. Harbor Frieght sells those little 12v electric heaters that plug into the cigarette lighter. Cheap option.... A propane camp style heater could work too... just be careful how you mount it GD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomRhere Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 I agree that your heater core is suspect. Drain the system and pull both hoses going to heater core and flow some water thru both hoses. Get you some "Mac's Radiator Cleanser" from NAPA, and run it in the system. Directions say for 20 minutes, but you can run it longer if you feel the need to. It's the best system flush out there and it works great. Will it clean every clogged core? Probally not,, but it's worth the time and money spent to try it, vs new core and pulling dash to replace core. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subaruguru Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 i know that using your garden hose probly isnt an option this time of year but mine had enough pressure to unclog my heater core. I just unhooked both hoses and got an adapter to conect the garden hose to one of the heater core hoses (i swaped it back and forth to both hoses) but scince it was fastend with no leaks it blew what ever was in there out. justa thought but w/e. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Probably a clogged heater core. But....... Just something to think about. How old is you're water pump? What is the condition of the antifreeze/coolant? Ha the car ever been kept with just water in it for any length of time? Reason I say this, is that a Waterpump with rusted, rotted away fins can present the same issues. Pump shaft spins but very little water circulates. Now a OEM style pump has a cast impeller, that basically can't rust away(give it 50 years and maybe), but aftermarket ones often have crappy stamped fins. Those are the ones that do rust away. if you have one of those, and you had just water in 'er for any time, then this might be you're problem. I doubt it, because overheating ussually occurs as well with this type of problem. But it is a possibility. Does she get hot at stoplights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Beast I Drive Posted December 9, 2007 Share Posted December 9, 2007 Probably the core, yeah. Make sure the radiator is full of course. You can try back flushing the core, but that often doesn't work. Takes about 6 hours to do a heater core. Remove the dash - replace a lot of the foam on the ducting and get a chance to clean it out with lysol, etc. It's worth the time to do it right if the car is nice. If the car is a beater.... light the passenger seat on fire. Harbor Frieght sells those little 12v electric heaters that plug into the cigarette lighter. Cheap option.... A propane camp style heater could work too... just be careful how you mount it GD Itried the propane heater in my old chevy, it didn't work out that well. There is no fan on it, so the heat just stays over by the heater, and I just kept freezing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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