Heater not as Hot!

[flashlight]

What could be causing the issue of my heater not blowing as hot as it did before? I've checked coolant levels and they are all full. Any suggestions on what I can do to get the heater to work better.

[leonbentz]

It's most likely plugged up. If you back flush it, then you should be fine.

[idmetro]

You can find more info here:
http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=35173
http://www.teamswift.net/viewtopic.php?t=35096
Good Luck.

[Johnny Mullet]

Have you done any changes to the cooling system before the low heat? I installed a Kats block heater and the longer heater hose effects my heat even though the temp gauge is reading halfway like normal.

[flashlight]

I haven't done any aftermarket changes to the heating/ cooling system. I've only done the usual. Drain the antifreeze and replace it after getting a new radiator. And topping it off when all the bubbles were gone.

[SchlockRod]

Is the coolant temperature gauge reading normal?
If it's reading cold, you probably need a thermostat. Make sure you get the factory (Suzuki or GM) part with a small hole on the top edge with a jiggle pin in it. This allows air to bleed out of the system as you fill it. Otherwise, remove the coolant temp sensor in the pipe near the thermostat as you fill, to allow air to escape.

If the temp gauge reads normal, or moves into the hot range with the low heat condition, you may have a blocked heater core that can be fixed by flushing or may need replacement.

I think I have a blocked heater core because I just did a flush/fill and replaced the thermostat, but I am getting an intermittent no-heat condition.
Another clue to this is that I noticed my temp gauge move into the hot range when the no-heat occurred (heating the cabin with the heater adds to the cooling of the engine).

[DOCTORBILL]

I posted something about this on this forum a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

11-15-2007 6:22 AM One of many others + pictures posted by GM Rat Line.
http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...d.php?t=765465

You can have a cooling system that someone has contaminated with fairly large
chunks of whatever - usually rubber pieces broken off of old rubber pipes that
degenerated.

They wind up getting stuck on the INPUT side of the heater core OR the input side
of the Radiator Core where the tubes get smaller than the rest of the system.

ONLY backward flushing will get them out ! Nothing else can remove them...
only fast moving water under pressure.

After all they've been stuck in there HOT and for a LONG TIME.

Flush into a clean white plastic bucket so that you can recover and examine this
garbage to prove it to yourself - and maybe post pictures HERE....to vindicate my comments.

Figure out which tubes going into the Heater Core are fluid IN and fluid OUT.

Disconnect both of the the Heater Core tubes and run water from a hose into
the OUT tube to flush the system BACKWARDS.

I had chunks of RUBBER stuff (?) stuck in my Jeep Cherokee Heater Core that no amount of
normal flushing would have removed - they were solid chunks of material that won't
dissolve in any flushing fluids!

Once that blocking rubber crap was pushed out backwards, my Heater became
toasty warm.

DoctorBill

[leonbentz]

I wonder if there is a way to install a sediment catcher in the heater core line, to keep that crap from going in. Of course an anual flush does wonders to prevent this, but some things do break loose in the block and migrate.

[flashlight]

Do you guys have any suggestions on how I can flush the system if I don't have access to a hose? I'm living in an apartment complex.

[DOCTORBILL]

Leon - if you don't do a backward flush, all the Radiator Cleaners in the world
can't remove some crud stuck in a tube somewhere.

Gotta push it out backwards.

Flashlight - When I lived in an Apartment, I saw taps around the building
so they could water trees, shrubs and some grass.

Talk to the Manager.

DoctorBill