Cooling System Issue

prosbloom225 · April 13th, 2009, 07:18 PM

So my car is overheating and I get no heat from the heater. Temp sensor is fine, tested and working. Replaced the water pump. Replaced the thermostat twice(had a nonworking one the first two times, finally got one that passed the boil test.) The upper radiator hose is hot and pressurized when the car is heated up, leading me to believe the water pump and thermostat are working just fine. I ran the car to red line on the heater gauge and the upper radiator hose was burning hot, yet the radiator was ice cold, along with the loser hose and the heater core hoses. Is it possible that I have a clog in the radiator AND the heater core lines, or if it's in the engine how am I getting hot fluid to the upper rad hose? I've been working at this for over a week now and I'm stumped. Anyone have any thoughts?

347Strokr · April 13th, 2009, 07:22 PM

What year car? Check the lines going into the firewall for heat, at the heater core. Does the blower come on when you turn in on? Check your vac lines going to the back of the heater control panel. If they are not hooked up, you won't be able to select the heat.

347Strokr · April 13th, 2009, 07:32 PM

Scratch my response, no clue on this one.

stephen · April 13th, 2009, 10:54 PM

If the heater isn't working, the coolant level is probably low. You should bleed the cooling system by removing the bleeder bolt and adding coolant till it overflows. Also remove the radiator cap and add coolant to the radiator till it overflows.

If that doesn't help perhaps the radiator core is clogged.

prosbloom225 · April 14th, 2009, 05:08 AM

If the radiator is clogged, that shouldn't make a difference as far as the heater core is concerned, as it branches off the system before the radiator. I'd say the block is in the engine, but I'm getting hot coolant out the upper rad hose. My best guess at this point is there's a block in the heater hose, and the radiator, which would be highly unlucky. Am I understanding this right, or am I missing something easy?

stephen · April 14th, 2009, 09:59 AM

My experience with the V6 Mustang is that if the heater doesn't work it is almost always because of low coolant. There can be enough to cool the engine but none in the heater hoses. I would bleed the cooling system first.

Next you might remove the radiator hoses and run water into the top of the radiator to see if it flows through.

prosbloom225 · April 14th, 2009, 01:57 PM

I popped open the bleeder valve and noticed white smoke coming out, looked at the exhaust and its the same thing. I checked the oil and it doesn't look like theres any coolant in it. Is it still possible that I have a cracked head gasket thats not allowing my coolant level to get high enough to pump to the heater core? And how would that affect no coolant flow in the radiator? Seems kind of unlikely to have a blown head gasket and a blocked radiator.

stephen · April 14th, 2009, 05:58 PM

If there is white smoke (steam) coming out the exhaust that sounds like a head gasket. It won't necessarily get water in the oil. It can be confirmed by checking for exhaust gases in the coolant. I believe it is common with a bad head gasket for the coolant level to get low enough to not have the heater work.

prosbloom225 · April 14th, 2009, 08:51 PM

Yea, its a bad head gasket, started her up and got the thick white smoke, and coolant in the oil, etc.

April 13th, 2009, 07:18 PM	#1
prosbloom225 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 8 iTrader: 0 reviews	Cooling System Issue So my car is overheating and I get no heat from the heater. Temp sensor is fine, tested and working. Replaced the water pump. Replaced the thermostat twice(had a nonworking one the first two times, finally got one that passed the boil test.) The upper radiator hose is hot and pressurized when the car is heated up, leading me to believe the water pump and thermostat are working just fine. I ran the car to red line on the heater gauge and the upper radiator hose was burning hot, yet the radiator was ice cold, along with the loser hose and the heater core hoses. Is it possible that I have a clog in the radiator AND the heater core lines, or if it's in the engine how am I getting hot fluid to the upper rad hose? I've been working at this for over a week now and I'm stumped. Anyone have any thoughts?

April 13th, 2009, 07:22 PM	#2
347Strokr Regular 91 LX Notch Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 55 iTrader: 0 reviews	What year car? Check the lines going into the firewall for heat, at the heater core. Does the blower come on when you turn in on? Check your vac lines going to the back of the heater control panel. If they are not hooked up, you won't be able to select the heat. __________________ http://www.sinisterstangs.com Last edited by 347Strokr; April 13th, 2009 at 07:27 PM.

April 13th, 2009, 07:32 PM	#3
347Strokr Regular 91 LX Notch Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Springs, CO Posts: 55 iTrader: 0 reviews	Scratch my response, no clue on this one. __________________ http://www.sinisterstangs.com

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April 13th, 2009, 10:54 PM	#4
stephen Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,181 iTrader: 0 reviews	If the heater isn't working, the coolant level is probably low. You should bleed the cooling system by removing the bleeder bolt and adding coolant till it overflows. Also remove the radiator cap and add coolant to the radiator till it overflows. If that doesn't help perhaps the radiator core is clogged.

April 14th, 2009, 05:08 AM	#5
prosbloom225 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 8 iTrader: 0 reviews	If the radiator is clogged, that shouldn't make a difference as far as the heater core is concerned, as it branches off the system before the radiator. I'd say the block is in the engine, but I'm getting hot coolant out the upper rad hose. My best guess at this point is there's a block in the heater hose, and the radiator, which would be highly unlucky. Am I understanding this right, or am I missing something easy?

April 14th, 2009, 09:59 AM	#6
stephen Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,181 iTrader: 0 reviews	My experience with the V6 Mustang is that if the heater doesn't work it is almost always because of low coolant. There can be enough to cool the engine but none in the heater hoses. I would bleed the cooling system first. Next you might remove the radiator hoses and run water into the top of the radiator to see if it flows through.

April 14th, 2009, 01:57 PM	#7
prosbloom225 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 8 iTrader: 0 reviews	I popped open the bleeder valve and noticed white smoke coming out, looked at the exhaust and its the same thing. I checked the oil and it doesn't look like theres any coolant in it. Is it still possible that I have a cracked head gasket thats not allowing my coolant level to get high enough to pump to the heater core? And how would that affect no coolant flow in the radiator? Seems kind of unlikely to have a blown head gasket and a blocked radiator.

April 14th, 2009, 05:58 PM	#8
stephen Hardcore Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 1,181 iTrader: 0 reviews	If there is white smoke (steam) coming out the exhaust that sounds like a head gasket. It won't necessarily get water in the oil. It can be confirmed by checking for exhaust gases in the coolant. I believe it is common with a bad head gasket for the coolant level to get low enough to not have the heater work.

April 14th, 2009, 08:51 PM	#9
prosbloom225 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 8 iTrader: 0 reviews	Yea, its a bad head gasket, started her up and got the thick white smoke, and coolant in the oil, etc.

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