squeals99

iTrader: (8)

alright well ive noticed that my heater isnt blowing hot at all.. like barely warm and it takes forever for my car to warm up inside, so i think its about time to either replace the heater core... but i want to try first to just blow it out and see if it helps any so i dont have to end up replacing it, so i was just wondering which lines going into my firewall are my heater core lines, and what can i use to temporarily plug up the other end of the lines? or wlll all of my fluid actually drain out of the lines, or will there just be a small amount of fluid in these lines and the motor have to wait on the car to get hot enough for the tstat to open before it will start flowing through those lines? or is it almost required to drain all the antifreeze before doing this? i changed the fluid about 3 months ago, so i dont think im really in need for new... but any help on this would be appreciated
thanks

gatorhead

iTrader: (4)

They are the two lines that are closest together. You could go here and it will give you a step by step instruction. www.shbox.com

rickyracer25

iTrader: (11)

Man this may sound dumb but make sure you actually have enough coolant in the system and make sure to bleed off the air bubbles(that happen to get in there when you flush and fill), My car did the same thing but I added coolant and blead the system and now it gets hot. Just a suggestion.

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Pull the two lines off the engine end. Using a water hose held against the heater hose with your hand, run water into the core. Alternate both heater hoses. This'll get messy, be prepared to get wet (watch that Opti!). You'll see all kinds of black junk flushing out. When it runs clear, put the hoses back and fill the radiator. When it's good and hot and the thermostat is open, top it off and cap the rad. Bleed those bleaders. Top the overflow tank to the stick line. Enjoy hot air.

Red1996SS1519

iTrader: (7)

Hey man.
Listen, you do not have to drain all the antifreez out (Unless you want to go by the book), simply (It's not very simple) take the two hoses off, top one first and be ready with a paper towel and a duct tape, as soon as you take the top hose off simply stick paper towel in it and tape it, try to keep the end of it upside that way nothing is gonna leak. Same thing with the bottom line. The moment you take the hose off of the heater core you'll have antifreez leak a little even if you're a dealership employee and do it all like in the book (Unless you drain in all first).

These two lines are going to most likely be a bitch to take off as they are there for the car's entire life if the core was never replaced, so you'll need to TWIST them (Or with a SHORT screw driver between the rubber and the metal to "Break" it loose if you have enough room from the firewall) to get them loose and then take them off. You'll have some antifreez in the engine compartment but no big deal, put a towel under the lines before you start and you'll be just fine believe me.
The BITCH is to get the core out of it's place, and when you do so make sure you also have a towel in that area under the dash, EVEN if you drain the whole damn system, the antifreez that was in the core WILL STILL BE THERE so when taking it off, no matter what you do, you'll most likely have some antifreez on the carpet, but no big deal really especially if you prepare yourself with a towel first. Same thing on the fire wall, prepare yourself with a towel and some duct tape so you can tape the tip of the hose with the paper towel in it and you can forget about more leaking.
I've done it on three Camaros so far so believe me, that's the easiest way IF YOU'RE ALL BY YOURSELF .
As for bleeding the lines, what the guys mentioned here is from experience. Good luck man, just thought to try and help with my opinion.

sprayed_z

iTrader: (2)

Did you check your thermostat first?

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

well i figured since it came up to temp and didnt really fluctuate any on temp that it was alright... but i may end up changin it next weekend just because i know sooner or later i will be needing one im sure

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

alright well first im gonna try to bleed the system, but i have a question....
https://ls1tech.com/forums/attachmen...0&d=1203170010 sorry, i had to steal someones engine bay pic, but what is that thumb screw deal that is behind he alternator that is directly to the left of the oil cap?

01ArcticFormula

lol...i had the same issue....had it looked at and here there was a ****** mouse nest plugging it up

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

"but what is that thumb screw deal that is behind he alternator that is directly to the left of the oil cap?"

WHAT?? Exactly, what item are you referring to?

If your heater core is not leaking, in all likelyhood it's clogged internally. Flushing it out should do the trick. Don't consider going through the work of removing it until you've flushed it and you still have the problem. A lot of gunk builds up in there over the years.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

well i havent thought about changing it out yet, and i want to flush it out to see if that does the trick, but its too cold to work with water outside right now lol...
but ill try to explain what i mean more here about that deal i am talkin about lol...
well first question... in that pic i posted up, are the heater core lines the ones behind the oil dipstick in that pic that are like crammed up against the firewall?
and the thumb screw deal i was talkin about... i guess another way to describe where it is is like 3/4 of an inch to the left of the oil dipstick in that pic... there are two metal hoses, and one looks similar to the coolant bleeder hoses... it has a black cap on top of the line there, and both of the lines run to the back of the firewall, but its easily visible in that pic...
lol i wish i knew how to edit and post up pics on here but im not smart enough haha

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

It sounds like the A/C lines.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

k ya i think thats what it is.... because i looked a little harder and i think one of the hoses runs from the ac condensor, and the one i am talkin about looks like its comin off the radiator.... so are the heater core hoses the ones to the right of that?
and if they are, where will the lines disconnect from one another so i can hook the hose up to it? is it right by the firewall where they will come apart?

Paul Bell

iTrader: (9)

Hey Squeals, just wondering what you ended up doing and how it worked.

squeals99

iTrader: (8)

well, im kinda hesitant to do so because from talking to some different people, mostly mechanics around here, a lot of people have told me that flushing either the radiator or heater core normally causes leaks because some of that gunk has built up in there has sort of rotted the lines out and the gunk is all that is stopping it from leaking... i dunno what im gonna do at this time really because i want to make sure i have enough money to buy a new heater core just in case the one that i am flushing starts leaking, but it may be a spring break project, which starts this weekend
so if i do it, which i have a feeling i will just because i guess one way or another it sort of needs to be done, ill let ya know how it goes

ThoR294

iTrader: (6)

make sure your temperature door is moving too. could be stuck on cold

does it eventually get really hot, or no?

also, there are a few bleeder screws for the cooling system, one right before the thermostat, and one on another line right in front of the alternator. its like a brass plug with a flathead tip.

djjab57

iTrader: (17)

This Is What My Problem Just That Dang Door Stuck On The Cool Side Also What Thermostat Do You Have If You Put In A 160 It Will Not Get Hot Enough I Have To Put The 180 Back In In The Winter Time