Heater Not Working

[Cyprs]

hello, this spring I bought a 1986 Toyota Truck 22R 4X4 with 150,000 kms or 100,000 miles. I believe the heater worked when I bought it, now it stopped.

The dash heat controls seem to be working fine, I did change the coolant a couple months ago, I did put in some bars leak as I was losing some coolant, (I later realized that my hose clamps were all loose so I tighteded) Now my heater hoses do not get very warm near the fire wall when the heater is on.

I am wandering how to go about diagnosing, are there bleeding valves to release air on this 22R? sound like plugged hose? anyone have similar problem in past with a mid 80s 22R?

thanks,
Cyprs

 

[97f150]

Try flushing the heater core. Follow heater hoses to water pump, or where ever they lead on this model, and flush both ways with a garden hose. My feeling is that the stop leak, stopped the flow through your heater core. Also be sure all air is bled out of system as this can cause an no heat situation as well.

 

[HTSS_TR]

If the heater inlet hose is much warmer than the outlet hose then you have a plugged heater core. If you have a plugged heater core then follow 97f150's directions.

 

[Cyprs]

hello and thanks 97f150, how can I bleed the coolant system?
Cyprs

 

[fdcg27]

Does the engine reach normal operating temperature?
You might have a thermostat that is stuck open.
Also, is the heater control valve actually opening when you adjust the dash knob for heat?

 

[Cyprs]

Hello FD Yes it does reach normal heat range, I do fully warm the engine up and carefully take rad cap off, the coolant is circulating hot and not circulating in warming up process. My temp guage has been showing hot at times, I have chalked this up to electrical glitch because the temp gauge was rising instantly along with reving of engine and then going down as reving stopped. Possibly there was problem, now the temp guage is perfectly normal all the time. Possibly that problem was air in coolant system?

Cyprs

 

[97f150]

To "burp" the system, park truck with nose as high as possible and remove radiator cap. Start truck and turn heat on, let it warm up to operating temp. When thermostat opens, any air will "burp" out of open rad cap.

 

[Cyprs]

thanks 97f150 and all, The rad cap is pretty high on this truck but I will elevate it and run it. I will remove the glove compartment lid and make sure the heat control is working. I will do this burping/bleed method too and if problem persists then I will go to flushing the heater hoses from the pump thanks all for the help, gotta a few courses of action now.
thanks again,
Cyprs

 

[Chris142]

1. Verify that the cable is opening the heater valve. If it is.

2. Back flush heater. Still no heat?

3. Pull water pump off and check the impeller.

 

[mechtech2]

After you worked on it it had no heat.
So air pockets or the Bars Leak are likely.

But coincidences DO happen, and like others mentioned, make sure the valve/door is working. Then check flow through the core - hot in, cold/warm out is a clue.

 

[Cyprs]

thanks again guys, will do,
Cyprs

 

[Cyprs]

THANKS ALL,

-Checked all linkages and cables, worked fine.

-bled the system, got a bit of heat, not much.

-pulled off the main and return lines heater lines, tried flushing heat core with water hose, no luck, just a few drops. then got out pressure washer, did not use an attachment on end of wand, fit wand inside hose and I had to flush for 2 minutes before a steady flow of clean water, then reversed procedure. Sure enough there was a large pool of brown bars leak slime floating on top of anti freeze drain pail, the bars leak did clog the heater core as most you suspected it would.

Heater works perfectly now, thanks all again,

(guess sometimes a purceived fix is worse, I will not use high quantities of bars leak or the like if needed in future)

Cyprs