About to do a heater core flush. Need guidance - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

GuyWhoDoesStuff · 02-16-2019, 12:42 AM

I just bought a 2013 2SS 6M and the heater started blowing cool a few days ago. Checked all fuses and relays. Next step is to try a core flush. Need to know which hose from the water pump is heater core inlet. Also, would greatly appreciate any advice on anything I need to be aware of with this model.
Thanks in advance for your time and help.

Pluto · 02-16-2019, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyWhoDoesStuff

I just bought a 2013 2SS 6M and the heater started blowing cool a few days ago. Checked all fuses and relays. Next step is to try a core flush. Need to know which hose from the water pump is heater core inlet. Also, would greatly appreciate any advice on anything I need to be aware of with this model.
Thanks in advance for your time and help.

I would say check your blend door before anything and make sure it isn’t broken. Go in from the driver side footwell and look up on the HVAC. You’ll find an actuator. Check and see if it is functioning and see if the door is broken on it or not. If so, I’m afraid you’ll have to pull the dash to replace.

Avenging Orange · 02-16-2019, 08:58 AM

Have you checked coolant level also?

GuyWhoDoesStuff · 02-16-2019, 04:01 PM

Coolant level is good. Blend door is good. Checked hoses from water pump. Rear hose is firm and hot, showing good flow. Front hose is very soft and warm at best. Seems the easy first step is a core flush to try resolving the problem easily and cheap.

hunter1660 · 02-16-2019, 04:36 PM

The blend door is actually the flow valve that controls on ....water passes thru heater core,fan forces air over core. We have heat. And off...no water flows thru heater core. This is correct ?

Pluto · 02-16-2019, 09:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyWhoDoesStuff

Coolant level is good. Blend door is good. Checked hoses from water pump. Rear hose is firm and hot, showing good flow. Front hose is very soft and warm at best. Seems the easy first step is a core flush to try resolving the problem easily and cheap.

If your heater core is plugged one hose would be hot and one wouldn’t be so hot. The hottest one would be your inlet.

Russell James · 02-17-2019, 06:10 PM

Was there a ton of crud under the radiator cap? If not, I doubt the heater core is plugged. Just about everything floats in Dexcool, and when they gunk up from lack of maintenance, it is most prevalant under the radiator cap.

What is your engine temp running? Someone may have put a 160 t stat in it and it'll take a long time to get much temp into it. I would also try to burp any air pockets out. Start engine cold with rad cap off, hold at about 1500 rpms for a few minutes while a helper tops off the radiator and watches the flow. If it flows like crazy right away, the t stat is stuck open. It should take maybe 5 mins +/_ a few of not much movement in the radiator, then it start rushing when the t-stat opens.

Holding the RPMs up a bit on a cold start with the rad cap off is a good way to burp any trapped air out. You need the water pump speed to push any air pockets out.

xc_SS/RS · 02-18-2019, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell James

Was there a ton of crud under the radiator cap? If not, I doubt the heater core is plugged. Just about everything floats in Dexcool, and when they gunk up from lack of maintenance, it is most prevalant under the radiator cap.

What is your engine temp running? Someone may have put a 160 t stat in it and it'll take a long time to get much temp into it. I would also try to burp any air pockets out. Start engine cold with rad cap off, hold at about 1500 rpms for a few minutes while a helper tops off the radiator and watches the flow. If it flows like crazy right away, the t stat is stuck open. It should take maybe 5 mins +/_ a few of not much movement in the radiator, then it start rushing when the t-stat opens.

Holding the RPMs up a bit on a cold start with the rad cap off is a good way to burp any trapped air out. You need the water pump speed to push any air pockets out.

Just to add: if you're going to replace the coolant it's best to fill the engine up from the upper radiator hose to ensure coolant gets into all of the right places. Not sure why this is the case but it definitely helps avoid air pockets

GuyWhoDoesStuff · 02-18-2019, 08:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell James

Was there a ton of crud under the radiator cap? If not, I doubt the heater core is plugged. Just about everything floats in Dexcool, and when they gunk up from lack of maintenance, it is most prevalant under the radiator cap.

What is your engine temp running? Someone may have put a 160 t stat in it and it'll take a long time to get much temp into it. I would also try to burp any air pockets out. Start engine cold with rad cap off, hold at about 1500 rpms for a few minutes while a helper tops off the radiator and watches the flow. If it flows like crazy right away, the t stat is stuck open. It should take maybe 5 mins +/_ a few of not much movement in the radiator, then it start rushing when the t-stat opens.

Holding the RPMs up a bit on a cold start with the rad cap off is a good way to burp any trapped air out. You need the water pump speed to push any air pockets out.

A little crud under the cap and on the coolant dipstick. Not a 160° thermostat. Live in Florida and temp runs around 190_200. Fan doesn't run excessively. Looked under dash and can see blend door actuator move when I turn temp knob. Car has 51k miles, so good time to do a coolant flush/replacement anyway.

Rock-It Man · 02-18-2019, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GuyWhoDoesStuff

Coolant level is good. Blend door is good. Checked hoses from water pump. Rear hose is firm and hot, showing good flow. Front hose is very soft and warm at best. Seems the easy first step is a core flush to try resolving the problem easily and cheap.

When you say coolant level is good, do you mean you have looked into the radiator?

Some people assume that filling the surge tank is all they need to do, but in fact, you may have a low level in the radiator. You have to take off the radiator cap (when cold) and check the level. If low, leave the cap off and run the engine until the thermostat opens. Then keep adding coolant to achieve the correct level in the radiator.

sixty9fordkiller · 02-18-2019, 05:24 PM

hopefully for your sake its not the blend door

my car throws kinda warm air when the heater is on at the highest heat setting and kinda cold air when the AC is at max......blend door. Ugh. $1700 to repair. Its going in next month

CamaroFred · 02-18-2019, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hunter1660

The blend door is actually the flow valve that controls on ....water passes thru heater core,fan forces air over core. We have heat. And off...no water flows thru heater core. This is correct ?

That's what I am thinking. AFAIK, that is different from the blend door.

On my old work trucks ('70-80s) with no A/C I put a manual shut-off valve in the feed line. Close it in the spring, open it in the fall.
If they are still operated by vacuum it may be a leak or kink in the line.

02-16-2019, 12:42 AM	#1
GuyWhoDoesStuff Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 19	About to do a heater core flush. Need guidance I just bought a 2013 2SS 6M and the heater started blowing cool a few days ago. Checked all fuses and relays. Next step is to try a core flush. Need to know which hose from the water pump is heater core inlet. Also, would greatly appreciate any advice on anything I need to be aware of with this model. Thanks in advance for your time and help.

02-16-2019, 08:58 AM	#3
Avenging Orange Drives: 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Clermont, IN Posts: 3,297	Have you checked coolant level also? __________________ 2010 Inferno Orange 2SS/RS M6 Black Leather, Sun Roof, OBX Headers, Borla touring axle back, Cold Air Inductions CAI , non synthetic fluids, BMR total bushing upgrade/1" lowering springs, DSE 32mm rear sway bar. GM fe4 shocks/struts/LCA's, AAM 3.91 diff, Vertini RFS1.8 20x9 +30. Conti ExtremeContact Sport 275/35/20. sjm autoprod ABL dash kit. Mike Norris tuned 413/419. Avenging Orange: 43 years of not buying into the Hype........and damn proud of it!! https://youtu.be/9JD9it6SmB8 https://youtu.be/xmelTlEzI34 KICKING CANCERS ASS SINCE 2015!!

02-16-2019, 04:36 PM	#5
hunter1660 Drives: 2011ss/rs camaro Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: florida Posts: 1,261	The blend door is actually the flow valve that controls on ....water passes thru heater core,fan forces air over core. We have heat. And off...no water flows thru heater core. This is correct ? __________________ . OBX LTH,Rotofab,Magnuson Heartbeat.AEM wideband, HP Tuners

02-18-2019, 05:24 PM	#11
sixty9fordkiller Donkey Dick Cam Camaro Drives: 2010 2SS/RS LS3 M6 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 2,000	hopefully for your sake its not the blend door my car throws kinda warm air when the heater is on at the highest heat setting and kinda cold air when the AC is at max......blend door. Ugh. $1700 to repair. Its going in next month __________________ Bone Stock

02-16-2019, 04:01 PM	#4
GuyWhoDoesStuff Drives: 2013 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Tallahassee, Florida Posts: 19	Coolant level is good. Blend door is good. Checked hoses from water pump. Rear hose is firm and hot, showing good flow. Front hose is very soft and warm at best. Seems the easy first step is a core flush to try resolving the problem easily and cheap.

02-17-2019, 06:10 PM	#7
Russell James Drives: '15 SS 1LE, '69 Z28 drag car Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Mich Posts: 4,483	Was there a ton of crud under the radiator cap? If not, I doubt the heater core is plugged. Just about everything floats in Dexcool, and when they gunk up from lack of maintenance, it is most prevalant under the radiator cap. What is your engine temp running? Someone may have put a 160 t stat in it and it'll take a long time to get much temp into it. I would also try to burp any air pockets out. Start engine cold with rad cap off, hold at about 1500 rpms for a few minutes while a helper tops off the radiator and watches the flow. If it flows like crazy right away, the t stat is stuck open. It should take maybe 5 mins +/_ a few of not much movement in the radiator, then it start rushing when the t-stat opens. Holding the RPMs up a bit on a cold start with the rad cap off is a good way to burp any trapped air out. You need the water pump speed to push any air pockets out.