not blowing hot air

[bluebeamer]

So i was driving tonight and my car stopped blowing hot air, if the dials all the way to the hot it blows warm. I pulled over not leaking any coolant. I turned the car off, let it cool opened the resivor and it was full. Turned car back on and the coolant gauge had gone down a lot in the 5 minute period. What do you guys suggest to check?

[dnguyen1963]

Your heater core might be blocked if you are not getting any hot air.

[ahlem]

There is an electric valve by your gas pedal foot that might need a tap or two since it's been doing nothing all summer. It's inline between the rubber hoses going through the firewall and the heater core. You might also check the air bleeder screw on your thermostat housing to be sure you don't have an air bubble in the cooling system.

[bluebeamer]

awesome ill check both and get back to you guys, could the thermostat be stuck open as well so the coolant doesn't warm up enough ?

[dnguyen1963]

awesome ill check both and get back to you guys, could the thermostat be stuck open as well so the coolant doesn't warm up enough ?

If the t-stat is stuck open, it will hurt the engine efficiency in the first ten minutes or so. After that, the engine should generate enough heat to blow hot air.

[bluebeamer]

Your heater core might be blocked if you are not getting any hot air.

is there a ay to flush the cooling system ?

[estoguy]

It's a good idea during the warmer months to turn the temp knob over to hot for a few minutes every now and again to keep that valve working. Once it gets really cold up here, I make sure it's on full hot before I turn off the car. A couple times I've turned it down to cold to cool off my windshield to prevent snow from melting on it, and the valve did freeze up a bit, but eventually freed up once the car warmed up.

[dnguyen1963]

is there a ay to flush the cooling system ?

Why don't you feel both end of the heater hoses coming in and going out of the heater core. If the going out one stays cool then it is most likely to be clogged. You can disconnect both hoses, connect some flushing hoses, and use water from a garden hose to back flush the heater core. Just make sure that you do not spray water all over your engine.