[dddcccmack]

I dont think the heater problem had anything to do with your washing. It was just your time to enter heater hell with the rest of us. Most likely junk in the core . . . maybe a worn pump.
You can flush out the core and it will most likely work . . . for about a month!
Wash out . . drain some coolent out then remove the hose on the water pump. (passanger side 3/4" black rubber hose, goes back and over to the firewall to a "T" the t is a bypass hose which i think, by design, is where the problem is. Follow the bypass hose to the other end (another T) disconnect the other end at the engine. Here what I did . . . use a air hose at either end of the hose ends and blow out the water and some junk. now pinch off the bypass hose and blow it out again. Buy a can of coolent cleaner fill the open ended hose until it begains to run out the other end. Let that sit over night then use a garden hose on either end of the hoses then reverse the garden hose to the other end (back flushing) DONT use to much garden hose presure you dont want to damage the core. Then in about a month you get to do it all over again or until summer. What might help is in stall a filter in the "in" line. theres a cheep filter on the internet somewere . . . Itt or TII industuries ??? Good luck . . Have a happy Holiday.