Heat issue after coolant drain and fill

[88mkIIIproject]

When I changed my timing belt the other week, I removed the radiator, and filled it back up with 50/50 mix, almost 2 gallons worth.

Now when I turn on the heat, it always blows luke-warm, from 65-85. When I change the temp, I can hear the slight clicking of it changing the amount of coolant allowed into the heater core. When I squeeze all of the coolant lines (including to and from heater core) I can see the coolant level changing with the radiator cap off.

It has been running at normal operating temp, and never gets hot. The needle acts normal, and works fine I'm pretty sure. I don't think there are air pockets in the system, because I let it run a few times (including initially when I did the work) with the radiator cap off until normal operating temp (or when the coolant rises), and have cycled the heater temp from 65-85 many times. I've always thought this was the normal procedure, but I could be wrong. Coolant level stays the same.

What could my problem be??

Thanks in advance.

 

[Brady]

what about that lil vacuum line up in the back left? near the charcoal canister. thatd make the heater not work / blow luke warm

 

[ILikeCarsYesIDo]

Raise the front end of the car as high as possible and have the heater blowing full blast. Gotta burp it to get any air pockets out of there.

 

[eman2289]

When you put the coolant back in, you are supposed to have the heat on the highest setting. Did you do that? if not, there could be an air pocket.

 

[88mkIIIproject]

what about that lil vacuum line up in the back left? near the charcoal canister. thatd make the heater not work / blow luke warm

That vacuum line is attached, and the valve seems to be operating correctly when I change the temp between 65-85 (it is making normal noises when it adjusts).

Raise the front end of the car as high as possible and have the heater blowing full blast. Gotta burp it to get any air pockets out of there.

so engine running, front end jacked up, heater on full blast, but with or without the radiator cap on? does it matter?

thanks

 

[88mkIIIproject]

When you put the coolant back in, you are supposed to have the heat on the highest setting. Did you do that? if not, there could be an air pocket.

I may have not had the heat on the highest setting WHILE adding the fluid, maybe just after I started it up...I guess that is most likely my problem, I will try jacking it up and letting it run.

thanks

 

[ILikeCarsYesIDo]

I got the engine up to temp with the radiator cap off and heater going full blast at 85. Then jacked it up and watched with a pitcher in-hand as bubbles rose up and spewed coolant.

 

[CyFi6]

i leave teh cap on halfway so if it wants to overflow at least most of it will push into the overflow tank.
BTW, be careful, i had this same problem and it cause me a massive overheat. There was air in the heater core even though i had the heater open during fill up, i let the car run a good 10 mins idleing with everything like you should do, still no heat, then i started driving home and pow all of a sudden i got a blast of hot air, not thinking much of it i keep going, watching my temp gauge, then all of a sudden the needle spikes and the coolant fill light comes on. I pull over and coolant is boiling, im just like oh god BHG is in my future! Luckily, and somehow, no BHG to this day. Just be careful not to overheat, once that air pocket gets out thats coolant from your engine going into your heater, leaving air in your engine.

 

[88mkIIIproject]

thanks to everyone for the tips, I'll post back here with what happens (hopefully I will still have a semi-clean engine bay, working heat, and NO overheating!!)

 

[88mkIIIproject]

I forgot to mention that this is a 1JZ, not 7M, I hope that doesn't make a difference (then again, I do...)

Well, after a half hour of idling with the nose in the air, I didn't get anywhere. Luke-warm air at best.

Radiator is full, temp is normal, heat on high blowing luke-warm, heater control valve operating correctly, and the rubber hoses to/from the core are cold...the upper and lower hoses are of course warm, as well as the turbo coolant lines (more like hot). There is def. enough coolant in there for the engine/radiator, but it won't get into the heater core.

I'll go check the 2JZ tsrm, which I probably should have done already...I looked in the MK3 tsrm, but that was no help.

Any other tips?

 

[ILikeCarsYesIDo]

Did you drive it around? After having the nose in the air and burping it, the air was still cold until I put the radiator cap back on and drove it. Then it got hot as hell as 85 should be.

 

[88mkIIIproject]

Did you drive it around? After having the nose in the air and burping it, the air was still cold until I put the radiator cap back on and drove it. Then it got hot as hell as 85 should be.

I didn't drive it around right after I tried burping it, but I did drive it after it cooled back down. There is a small difference in temp between 65 and 85, but thats it.

I guess I will try again tomorrow, and drive it immediately...

 

[TurboStreetCar]

you need to raise the rpm to maybe 1500-2000 and let it drop quickly, it will surge the coolant. Also squeezing hoses while doing this process helps aswell.

 

[turbodriz]

Did you make sure the vacumm line is on by the charcol canister? If it is maybe the valve is bad. Try to manually open it.

 

[Poodles]

I had to full throttle it and get it in the upper RPM's to blast the air pocket out on mine...

Take a good, hard spin around the block, come home, let it cool down, and pop the cap and check the level...