Can't get air out of my heater core

[JCDriller]

Can't get air out of my heater core *UPDATE* Heater is HOT!, Engine still cool...

I'm borrowing a 2.3l 94 ranger from my wife's parents because she totaled her Jetta and at this time we are in the middle of a life transition with lots of unknowns. Anyway this truck has really been neglected. It's got 140,000 on it and it never gets up to temp, the gauge barely moves to the top of the C.

I started looking around the the coolant was dark brown so I changed the thermostat and flushed the system multiple times. However, now I can't get the heat to blow hot, all hoses are warm, except the return from the heater core. When I squeeze this hose it's soft and I can feel air/fluid moving. I've burped it several times on flat ground and on an incline with its nose up, the hose is now getting kind of warm as is the air, but I'm still not getting all the air out of the core. Any ideas?

I've done A LOT of searching, I'm not a mechanic and everything I've done to this point has been turned up via searches. Hopefully, this hasn't been covered before...

 

[YZ250Rider23]

I'm not sure if yours is the same, but on my 98 2.5 I have to bleed the air from the system by loosening the clamp on the heater hose where it attaches to the engine at the thermostat housing. Loosen the clamp, slip the hose back a tiny bit and you'll hear it let out a big fart, and once you get coolant coming out slip the hose back on and tighten the clamp. I'm surprised you didn't have any overheating issues from a lack of coolant flow. My 2.5 will start to overheat in no time if I don't get all the air out.

 

[JCDriller]

I'll try this tomorrow, the heat is actually blowing warm so I think the bubbles are working out on their own. Over heating might be a problem if it wasn't <20* outside. right now it's 0 and 10" of snow on the ground. The ranger isn't going anywhere for a while, that damn thing is a death trap when it's wet/snowy.

 

[modelageek]

I'm borrowing a 2.3l 94 ranger from my wife's parents because she totaled her Jetta and at this time we are in the middle of a life transition with lots of unknowns. Anyway this truck has really been neglected. It's got 140,000 on it and it never gets up to temp, the gauge barely moves to the top of the C.

I started looking around the the coolant was dark brown so I changed the thermostat and flushed the system multiple times. However, now I can't get the heat to blow hot, all hoses are warm, except the return from the heater core. When I squeeze this hose it's soft and I can feel air/fluid moving. I've burped it several times on flat ground and on an incline with its nose up, the hose is now getting kind of warm as is the air, but I'm still not getting all the air out of the core. Any ideas?

I've done A LOT of searching, I'm not a mechanic and everything I've done to this point has been turned up via searches. Hopefully, this hasn't been covered before...

what t-stat did yo put in?.......it is highly recomended that you use the motorcraft 192? if you cant then the Stant would be the only other recomended one. I believe you want the bleeder hole at 12:00.........if it ends up being your heater core. yours is a $25/20 minutes fix. in 95+ you need to pull the dash it is 6+ hours.

 

[COPPERHEAD85]

Sounds like the core is stopped up.

 

[modelageek]

Sounds like the core is stopped up.

that what i was thinking. since he has the 1994 if that was my truck I would just change the core.....it is not much more work than back flushing it and it only costs $25..........

 

[JCDriller]

UPDATE:

I got more air out and now both heater input and output are warm and the air is blowing hot!

However, the engine sill isn't coming up to temperature according to the gauge. I don't think the gauge is broken, because it moves from way below the C when cold, to just above the C when warm. Therefore I'm going to swap the temperature sending unit and radiator cap today. Car Quest said a 13psi cap was factory even though it has a 16psi cap on it now, hope they are right.

If the above doesn't fix it I'll change the fan clutch. The damn fan runs 100% of the time. I would think it was locked up, but when the truck is turned off I don't have any problems spinning the fan without it turning the pulley it's attached to, so I would think this means it is spinning freely and not locked up. Any ideas?

 

[modelageek]

These engines run cool. It is not the fan clutch and prob not the sender. I ASKED YOU ALREADY PLEASE ANSWER. WHAT TSTAT DID YOU PUT IN BRAND AND DEGREES

 

[modelageek]

My 1999 is a 16 psi cap. I amalways leary of the Parts stores advice

 

[modelageek]

for what it's worth I looked your rad cap up on rockauto.com and they have it listed as 13psi also........that might help get the temp gauge up a little...

 

[JCDriller]

These engines run cool. It is not the fan clutch and prob not the sender. I ASKED YOU ALREADY PLEASE ANSWER. WHAT TSTAT DID YOU PUT IN BRAND AND DEGREES

Sorry it was a car quest brand 195*

 

[modelageek]

Sorry it was a car quest brand 195*

the degrees is fine. next time get the MC. that might have been why you had the bleeding issue.......try the new 13psi cap.......you have some cold temps there and these engines run cool........put some cardboard over the radiator that helps some.....

 

[dorman68]

These engines run cool. It is not the fan clutch and prob not the sender. I ASKED YOU ALREADY PLEASE ANSWER. WHAT TSTAT DID YOU PUT IN BRAND AND DEGREES

I agree with modelageek. These engines do run cool and both of mine barely reach the "C" mark on the coolant gauge, even after a 45min stop-and-go traffic commute to work. The only time my truck makes it 1/4 t way up the gauge is during the summer and I have been driving on the highway nonstop for at least 20 miles. It sounds weird but that's the way my truck's temp gauge always behaved.

 

[Ranger44]

Simple.

Undo both heater hoses. Get ur hose and flush it both ways. Hopefully u get some crap out. Then refill the system.

Jack that front up and make the cap the highest point in the system. Leave the cap off,and let it run. Turn the heat to a middle setting and look for heat. See if it gets any better. If not u might just be looking at another heater core to fix ur problem.