car overheating, may be related to heater core

[Foxfan88]

ok yesterday i was tinkering around and i had a a heater hose bust, one of the ones coming right out of the heater core. was spewing water all over and smoke was getting into the cabin and water ont he floorboard.

today i replaced the busted heater hose and there are no leaks, none in the cabin or anything but the car runs hot, once the coolant starts flowing it just starts heating up. doesnt really overheat just runs way too hot. there is water in the upper radiator hose, so the tstat is working. just heats up and the idle kicks up to try and cool the car down. driving down the highway will not cool it down.

i am thinking the heater core is clogged?? i will try and bypass it tommorow and note the changes.

just seeing if someone would chime in.
thanks!

 

[BK_CAULEY]

the heater core could be stopped up.

 

[ALMOSTFINISHED]

Bypass the heater core and then jack up the drivers side of the car, throw a jack stand underneath for safety then run the car and refill the cooling system. With the car being jacked up it will help get rid of any/all air pockets that are trapped throughout the system. Sometimes it takes a few times to get but it should get em all.

 

[jtfairlane]

What he said ^. Air in the system is the usual culprit once you introduce it.

Another method that I've used, and simpler in my opinion, is pulling off one of the coolant hoses that attaches to the EGR spacer with the motor running (be careful). It's just about the highest point in the coolant system. I hold a cup underneath the metal tube to catch any coolant but you can hear the air escape most of the time when you pull the hose.

 

[Roland69]

leave your car running with the rad cap off and keep filling it when the coolant goes down. You should see it drop a fair amount when the stat opens up and lets a bunch of air out. I have a funnel that has different rad cap fittings that connects the funnel right to the rad so I just fill that and run the car till the stat opens and make sure the temp gauge is normal and the air is all out. Pluss the funnel is way higher than any other coolant system component witch allow's the air to naturally go out the funnel.

 

[Mustang78]

i have the same problem recently but never thought a plugged heater core would cause the car to run hot..isnt that what the little 90* hose is for that runs from the intake manifold to the water pump?

~Mark~

 

[ddranger]

a clogged heater core will not cause a car to over heat. you most likely have air in the system like said above

 

[enyawix]

most likely have air in the system, but I would put some UV dye in the system to be sure. UV dye is cheep at the auto parts store.

 

[Foxfan88]

hmm i bypassed the heater core and it still does it. i will drain and and refill the system. i havent changed out the anti freeze in a while.


whats the best way to fill it up preventing air getting into the system?? assuming i drain it all out and put in new coolant.

 

[RsStanG1987]

a clogged heater core will not cause a car to over heat. you most likely have air in the system like said above

i would like to take you up on this bet.. Ive been there and done it .. A little safer way the running the car on a jackstand.. Is pulling the drivers side tire up on a ramp or a curb.. I would never run a car on jackstands too many things can go wrong..

 

[5spd GT]

I think it is an air bubble as well, secondly, something is blocking coolant...

Jack up the driver side a bit as stated, and keep the cap off while the engine runs. Watch the coolant get pulled in the engine, and fill as often as necessary. Then put the cap back on...

Just letting it run without the cap helps 'burp' the system...

 

[Foxfan88]

i guess it had a bunch of air, plus there was hardly any water in it. once the thermostat opened i had to add a couple gallons. i guess its never been FULL because it cools better now than it did before. its always the dumb crap lol

thanks for the help guys!

 

[sivart]

to make sure that no air is in there, well not alot, is goto a shop and let them refuil it.......