no HEAT, after waterpump seized....help!

[evil_twin]

Is your coolant hoses going to the heater core correct?

[Yonkers320is]

I have the same problem, no heat too. But in mine the heat dissapears when on the highway or anything over 30mph. In traffic jams or city driving the heat works fine. Changed HC and three thermostats, bleed the system like 5 times. I have no air in the system. I still think there is something wrong witht the thermostat, either too cold or broken. All from bavauto, will see if a local store has a different brand of T-stat....

I hear you can use water and vinegar to remove gunk from the radiator. as for using the garden hose to back flush the heater core, it should work, as long as the valve will let you fill the heater core with water......

[gearheadE30]

Doesn't sound much like a head gasket to me. In that failure mode where there is exhaust gas getting into the coolant, the car will read as running hot, will get dramatically hotter under acceleration, and the coolant will often have air in it or will boil. Also you often will end up with a big cloud of coolant smoke on startup if the car sat for awhile.

Sounds a little to me like a bleeding issue, but jlevie had it right, and you did tilt the car and such, so that's kind of ruled out. Aside from that heater switch, I'd point to either your clog or the t-stat. There is a chance that it was installed incorrectly or something, and the cold weather is masking temp issues. I had bad heat for awhile before I traced it back to air in the t-stat housing from a tiny leak, actually.

[payney8]

Get a t-kay test if you want to confirm the head gasket isnt leaking.

[u3b3rg33k]

+1 for CLR; it's amazing stuff.

[audiquattrot]

I have the suspected same problem; don't throw it out just yet. Cap the bottom opening and pour CLR - not diluted into the rad. Let it sit for a day. It should get the gunk and calcification out. it's worth a try before buying a new or used rad with the potential of happening again and a bottle of CLR and a little time is much less $$$$. I am going to do this in the spring as soon as the weather warms up? anyone getting -20 degree cold yet?

Btw, Jlevie, I really like your input on a lot of the discussion and problem solving. :-) no I am not being sarcastic here.

thanks for the tips. I agree jlevie and the ppl in this thread have been very helpful as far as problem solving.

[Ceeker]

You can drain the radiator by removing the bottom hose. The chances of successfully cleaning that radiator are pretty slim. it would be a lot better to just replace it.

I have the suspected same problem; don't throw it out just yet. Cap the bottom opening and pour CLR - not diluted into the rad. Let it sit for a day. It should get the gunk and calcification out. it's worth a try before buying a new or used rad with the potential of happening again and a bottle of CLR and a little time is much less $$$$. I am going to do this in the spring as soon as the weather warms up? anyone getting -20 degree cold yet?

Btw, Jlevie, I really like your input on a lot of the discussion and problem solving. :-) no I am not being sarcastic here.

[audiquattrot]

Find this.

GM P/N 12346500

Do what the can says. Read twice, work once.



P.S. - The acid neutralizer is in the bottom of the can.

You can drain the radiator by removing the bottom hose. The chances of successfully cleaning that radiator are pretty slim. it would be a lot better to just replace it.

thanks for the advice guys!

[jlevie]

so a friend and i were ready to replace my heater valve today. we went to drain the radiator first (to avoid coolant from gushing out into the cabin) and no coolant came out, so i couldn't even replace the valve today. The radiator looks to be plugged w/ gunk at the very bottom. we stuck a metal hanger to see if we could free stuff up, but there was no trace of coolant. Car doesn't overheat, so I suppose there is coolant running thru it. I know there is hot coolant going to the firewall since that hose leading into the heater core is HOT. Is there a way I can flush this radiator enough to drain the coolant (so I can replace this valve?).....or is there another explanation you know of as to why there isn't anything draining at all? The coolant tank is full at all times.

You can drain the radiator by removing the bottom hose. The chances of successfully cleaning that radiator are pretty slim. it would be a lot better to just replace it.

[Farbin Kaiber]

Find this.

GM P/N 12346500

Do what the can says. Read twice, work once.



P.S. - The acid neutralizer is in the bottom of the can.

[audiquattrot]

the car doesn't have to overheat for there to be a problem. If the car is eating coolant, there won't be coolant in there so the sensor won't read the temperature of the car. What color is the gunk? Is it milky? Sounds to me like the headgasket is still gone.

This is what I think you should do. Before you go and try to replace this valve, fill the car up with water. Bleed the system out. Let the car cool down, remove the radiator cap (carefully as it still might be under pressure). When the cap is removed, start the car. If there is air bubbles in the tank, your HG is bad. Smell your coolant tank and see if it smells like exhaust.

the gunk looks like wet shit (literally). its brown (not oil) & thick w/ sediments...(prob a mixture of all types of diff coolant from the prior owner)....but the coolant tank is full at all times. Checked for air bubbles several times since the first time (and absolutely no bubbles anymore). How do you suggest I go about flushing the system out w/ the tank already full to the brim?

i was thinking of back flushing the heater core by removing both coolant hoses going in/out of the heater core and taking a garden hose to it.

[Jean]

E30 cooling system is pretty simple, looks like you found half of the problem., I would start with removing the radiator, removing the valve and removing the heater core and flushing these out or replace with good parts.

Did you check if the seized waterpump had all of it's blades or did some go swiming in your cooling system?

Did you ever or PO use any stop leak systems? Possibly a reason why your radiator is clogged.... and maybe heater core as well.

[evil_twin]

the car doesn't have to overheat for there to be a problem. If the car is eating coolant, there won't be coolant in there so the sensor won't read the temperature of the car. What color is the gunk? Is it milky? Sounds to me like the headgasket is still gone.

This is what I think you should do. Before you go and try to replace this valve, fill the car up with water. Bleed the system out. Let the car cool down, remove the radiator cap (carefully as it still might be under pressure). When the cap is removed, start the car. If there is air bubbles in the tank, your HG is bad. Smell your coolant tank and see if it smells like exhaust.

[audiquattrot]

so a friend and i were ready to replace my heater valve today. we went to drain the radiator first (to avoid coolant from gushing out into the cabin) and no coolant came out, so i couldn't even replace the valve today. The radiator looks to be plugged w/ gunk at the very bottom. we stuck a metal hanger to see if we could free stuff up, but there was no trace of coolant. Car doesn't overheat, so I suppose there is coolant running thru it. I know there is hot coolant going to the firewall since that hose leading into the heater core is HOT. Is there a way I can flush this radiator enough to drain the coolant (so I can replace this valve?).....or is there another explanation you know of as to why there isn't anything draining at all? The coolant tank is full at all times.

[audiquattrot]

With regards to your case: the system is simple. Coolant flow has to be there to keep the motor at opr temp. Also for flow to get to the heater core so you get heat. did you also change the thermostat? and if so was the right temp range chosen as there are about 4 diff ones. get the 80 degree one. I had a cooler one in mine and it wasn't allowing the car to warm up enough and didn't get as good heat.

yup thermostat was changed to an 80 degree one. I'm going to try to unplug the electrical switch that controls the coolant flow to the heater core to see if it opens up. From what i read, by doing so, it allows the valve to open once unplugged (assuming there isn't another issue causing it not to open aka. clogged heater core).

i know coolant is flowing thru one of the hoses b/c it is hot, but not the return...so i've narrowed it down to some valve (opening/closing) issue....i think.