No Heat!

[nauidvr1]

Just an update.
I ordered the chemical "Tuff Stuff" (made by MARC), and received it 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?

 

[Mark.Smith]

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?

That sucks! That's why I asked you if you changed the coolant on time in the other thread, I don't understand where the scale came from either, especially since our trucks use the extended life coolant. Mine has about 112K on it and when I changed out the coolant at about 105K it looked fine and so does the portion of the radiator that I can see.

 

[Blakers]

Using 50% well water with the antifreeze should not deposit that much scale, unless the water is absolutely full of lime! That sounds more like you'd find in a boiler that has had thousands and thousands of gallons of water put into it and only steam taken out.

Anyway, if you are going to have a dealer change your heater core, I would order the Heater Treater doors and have them change them at the same time as well.

 

[Prairie Dog]

Well water can be the worst if it's hard and full of minerals. Distilled is cheap!

 

[nauidvr1]

Anyway, if you are going to have a dealer change your heater core, I would order the Heater Treater doors and have them change them at the same time as well.

I have already swapped out the doors for the Heater Treater ones, but thanks for the reminder - it's good advice.

 

[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.

 

[Blakers]

I have heat - all is good.

That's the most important part! Sure makes it nice to have heat.

 

[Blakers]

Distilled is cheap!

Just never use distilled water without antifreeze because it is really corrosive and will eat any metal it can!