2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission no heat

[Nyoest]

I tested some of my "kidney stones" against some flushes we had laying around. They wouldn't even begin to soften it and neither would CLR I used some industrial grade stuff from the local hardware store. I've "fixed" three trucks with heat problems with this procedure.

 

[nauidvr1]

Care to tell us what the "Industrial Grade Stuff" is that you used from the local hardware store?

P. S. I never had to remove my air box, I did it all by cutting into the air box with a Dremel, in the locations of the doors, as described on the Heater Treater dot net website.

 

[Nyoest]

I'll tell you for a small fee.

I don't recall. It's in my box at work, thirty miles away. I can look Tuesday and will report back. Honestly I just picked it because the label looked somewhat plain, dangerous, and it had a squirt top that fits the heater core hose perfectly.

 

[Cliffman]

Okay, will I guess I'll give that a shot.

 

[nauidvr1]

I'll tell you for a small fee.

I don't recall. It's in my box at work, thirty miles away. I can look Tuesday and will report back. Honestly I just picked it because the label looked somewhat plain, dangerous, and it had a squirt top that fits the heater core hose perfectly.

If you would be so kind on Tuesday, I would really appreciate the name of the "stuff".

Just an update on my heater issue - still not solved -might help someone else also having this problem.

I replaced the Control unit (PN 55056321AE) and still had no heat. Pulled the water pump to see if the impeller was spinning on the shaft - it wasn't, couldn't budge it. I was at my wits end, and went to a Dealer to have the HVAC doors re-calibrated with the DRBIII Scan Tool, since this was the only thing I had not done. They tested the whole system and the actuator motors too. Nice thing is, they only charged me a $30 diagnostic fee!

(Nyoest, I should have read your post above closer, cause your gonna laugh and say "I told you that in my above post!")

Dealer seems to think the heater core is the issue. They are saying it is possible that the heater core has good flow, but several of the channels could be blocked. In other words - the heater core is like a radiator in design and I could have good flow because the water entering (when flushing or during normal operation) maybe be able to pass thru a few clear channels, unrestricted, near the beginning of the core and exit, which would look like a good flowing heater core, but not allow a good radiation of heat because it's not flowing thru the whole heater core. One thing I did find out is that the passenger side is blowing "warmer" air than the drivers side, even though I cut out the divider in the air box. This does lend some truth to there theory of a partially blocked heater core, thinking that by the time the air makes it to the drivers side vents it has cooled back to ambient temp, while the path to exit the passenger vents may be shorter and a small amount of heat can be felt. Or that the passenger side of the heater core actually does have some channels that the hot water is flowing thru, but the drivers side has none.

The tech's suggestion was that I remove the heater core hoses and with the heater core filled with water, blow air (at about 25-30 psi) through the heater core, both forwards and backwards several times. Also, to hold a shop rag over the discharging hose to capture any particulates (if any) to see if I am getting any thing out. He also said I could also attempt to use some kind of chemical to assist in breaking things loose, by filling the core with it and letting it sit for 30 minutes then blowing out with air again, both forward & backwards. He said that he has done this a few times before and was successful.

If that doesn't work, then it looks like a heater core for me.

 

[Nyoest]

Here's the stuff I used. Picked it up at surherlands lumber yard.

 

[nauidvr1]

Thanks! Now I gotta hunt this stuff down. Called the company but they don't have any Distrubitors in my area. They said to try ace hardware, if no luck I can call them back & order a case of 6 bottles for about $51.

 

[nauidvr1]

Can't find the stuff on the East Coast. Called and ordered a case from the manufacture.

 

[nauidvr1]

Just an update.
I received the above chemical "Tuff Stuff" on Christmas Eve, finally got around to using it New Years Eve. Results - It worked! It broke loose all kinds of stuff (calcium scale, lime?) from the heater core. I now have heat like when the truck was new.

I bought two 6ft lengths of heater hose & 5/8" hose mating nipples & extended the heater core lines out of the engine compartment so I could work standing on the ground. I filled the heater core 3 separate times, with flushing in between, flushing both backwards & forwards, and sometimes using shop air set to 50psi to blow the water out and create agitation. The 1st time I put the chemical in and let it sit for 1 hour, the 2nd & 3rd times 30-45 minutes.

Don't let the chemical set in the heater core for to long, and be sure to be gentle when you blow compressed air thru the system.

 

[nauidvr1]

Another update:
Went outside this morning and noticed a small puddle of liquid under my truck on passenger side, touched it and knew as soon as I rubbed my fingers together that it was antifreeze. Found that the heater core had leaked on the passenger side of the cab and the antifreeze found its way out the bottom of the cab. The whole under side to the passenger floor mat & carpet was soaked with antifreeze.

So now I have great heat, but a leaking heater core. Found a dealer to change the heater core for $800. I am so done with this crap! I don't have a heated space to work on my truck, or the time right now, so I am just letting the dealer do it.

What really gets me is that the truck is 6 years old with 70,000 miles on it and the Heater Core got clogged with calcium & white scale! This should not happen in a truck with this age and so little miles. Makes me think that when the truck was built they used well water to mix the antifreeze with. Why else would I have calcium & scale in the heater core?

 

[Cliffman]

Another update:

Went outside this morning and noticed a small puddle of liquid under my truck on passenger side, touched it and knew as soon as I rubbed my fingers together that it was antifreeze. Found that the heater core had leaked on the passenger side of the cab and the antifreeze found its way out the bottom of the cab. The whole under side to the passenger floor mat & carpet was soaked with antifreeze.



So now I have great heat, but a leaking heater core. Found a dealer to change the heater core for $800. I am so done with this crap! I don't have a heated space to work on my truck, or the time right now, so I am just letting the dealer do it.



What really gets me is that the truck is 6 years old with 70,000 miles on it and the Heater Core got clogged with calcium & white scale! This should not happen in a truck with this age and so little miles. Makes me think that when the truck was built they used well water to mix the antifreeze with. Why else would I have calcium & scale in the heater core?

800. 00 bucks to change a heater core! That's a screeing deal!

 

[PFlory]

Wow. I've been getting beached at for two years about my wife's 2001 Grand Cherokee not having heat. Iv'e been through most of the above with no success. I guess it's time try the flush on the heater core to see if I can get her cookin' this winter.

To bad Christmas is past because I could have probably gotten the Mag Hytec diff. covers and trans coolers from Geno's I been wanting if I had gotten this resolved earlier!

 

[Tractorat]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever had the coolent serviced since it was new ?

 

[nauidvr1]

Just out of curiosity, have you ever had the coolent serviced since it was new ?

No, not needed as our coolant (3rd Gen Truck) is extended life coolant 5 years/100,000 miles - (Mine was 5 yrs 8 months, 70,000 miles - so technically I was 8 months late in changing the coolant)

 

[Nyoest]

Naudivr that is truly unfortunate. The three hour soak might have been a bit long. At least this way it will be repaired properly and you shouldn't have to worry about it any more.

 

[nauidvr1]

Naudivr that is truly unfortunate. The three hour soak might have been a bit long. At least this way it will be repaired properly and you shouldn't have to worry about it any more.

Yep, I admit it - I musta screwed the pooch real good on that one!

 

[nauidvr1]

I have heat! After Dealer changed my heater core - cost $893. It's cold, snowing, wind is blowing like hell, but I have heat - all is good.

 

[Tractorat]

, not needed as our coolant (3rd Gen Truck) is extended life coolant 5 years/100,000 miles - (Mine was 5 yrs 8 months, 70,000 miles - so technically I was 8 months late in changing the coolant)

Ive heard that its probably not a good idea to take even the "5 year" stuff out that long. It goes bad much sooner than advertized.



Just wondered if you might have accidently mixed the long term stuff with the green stuff (turns it into oatmeal). But is sounds like that wasn't an issues.

 

[KrisKringle]

Reverse the hoses?

Well, the cab is starting to smell like anti-freeze, and the stuff is disappearing in the over-flow bottle... however, I had the same problem with no heat... when I got the truck, I did a Ph test of the anti-freeze... it was over 14 Needless to say, I flushed the system, but still had no heat. As for the Air bubble theory, I parked the truck on a 50% grade, and ran the heck out of it... a few burps, but no heat. In the end, I swapped the hoses. Guess what? I had heat. Not the blistering kind that everyone is talking about, but enough to get warm. (Over here it seldom gets below 15 degrees F)...



Now the cab stinks like Anti-freeze. Oh well, I needed to replace the dash cover anyway, and I have a core in stock... more as things progress... . Jonathan.