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Cooling system woes

I flushed my '96 3.8L cooling system with Prestone and there was a bunch of junk that drained out with what used to be orange now brown coolant. 95k miles but >5 years so I figure I better get it done before cold weather set in. Problem is, I now do not have heat and the engine temp rises unusually high. I have used the bleeder screw to be certain no air pockets exist and have hand-squeezed hoses at the radiater and heater core in/outlet(s) to be sure as well. I can feel heat on the hoses so after it cooled a bit, I power-flushed the heater core, put a new 192 thermostat in and added coolant (had just water before to help clean extra junk out). Any ideas as to why I still don't have heat and the engine starts to overheat or suggestions to fix? The thermostat works and is not clogged with any junk, the heater core flushed fine. BTW I hate the reservior...:-)

Reply to
Phil Izor
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of junk that drained out with what used to be orange now brown coolant. 95k miles but >5 years so I figure I better get it done before cold weather set in. Problem is, I now do not have heat and the engine temp rises unusually high. I have used the bleeder screw to be certain no air pockets exist and have hand-squeezed hoses at the radiater and heater core in/outlet(s) to be sure as well. I can feel heat on the hoses so after it cooled a bit, I power-flushed the heater core, put a new 192 thermostat in and added coolant (had just water before to help clean extra junk out). Any ideas as to why I still don't have heat and the engine starts to overheat or suggestions to fix? The thermostat works and is not clogged with any junk, the heater core flushed fine. BTW I hate the reservior...:-)

do you still have the reservior in the car? do you have to keep adding fluid to it? if so i think your looking at a blown head gasket..

also check the oil to make sure it doesn't look like marshmellow. if it does then the water is getting into the oil.which could be many things

Reply to
S.S.I.N.

Seems I no longer have an issue. I took it out for a drive last night and it did not over heat the engine and I am getting heat now. Miracle? Maybe an air-pocked bled out the reservior? Any event, I don't have water in my oil nor a leak so I'll keep an eye out this week and next.

Reply to
Phil Izor

"Phil Izor" I don't have water in my oil nor a leak so I'll keep an eye out this week and next.

sounds like some crud loosend up and got lodged somewhere cutting the flow.

when ever i do a cooling flush i empty the system of all coolant. by running it and putting in water through the rad and taking out the old crap from the upper rad hose. when it is straight water i empty in a whole container of C.L.R. (calcium,lime,rust...remover found at wal-mart) then run the car for 20 minutes. this will disolve allmost all of the crap that builds up in there. you can even watch it open pluged radiators !!!!.

after 20 minutes i then again run it and add new water to the rad and empty the old stuff out the upper rad hose.make sure it's all out of there cause C.L.R. can eat the aluminum rads if left in for a few weeks. this opens the flow right back to the day it came from the factory.

and your new fluid will last much longer.

Reply to
S.S.I.N.

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