Anyone do heater core flushing?

[05caddyext]

I need to flush the heater core on my 98 Dakota. 99% sure this is why my heat doesn't work, read a few articles, watched a few youtube videos. This seems to be the culprit, all the symptoms are the same. Looks super simple, problem is its 5 degrees outside, I don't have access to running water and a place to let it drain without making a frozen lake. Says you have to let it flush for at least 5 minutes. Anyone got a heated shop interested in doing this without costing an arm and a leg? It's a beater winter truck, does me no good without heat. Let me know, I'd appreciate any information.

[awsomeears]

I did this on my van, expect to possibly have leaks after the flush, sometimes the SHIT inside can plug up the heater core. I did my flush 2 months ago and found the previous owner put in some leak stop. That stuff is nasty.

Pissed me off so I just bought a new radiator, I figure I'm going to keep this new Van for years why not just replace it, any who I removed my Thermostat and flushed in and out and I even took off my heater core lines and backflushed them.

Now my heat is nice and hot.

Again don't be shocked if you open a can of worms ( leaks or new radiator )

[05caddyext]

Yeah I kinda figured that could happen. The radiator hoses are new last year, water pump was replaced also. Radiator is also only a few years old, so fingers crossed this will work.

[awsomeears]

Are you sure you just don't have a bad thermostat that is sticking open all the time ?

When you on the freeway is the heat better or the same ?

[05caddyext]

I am pretty sure it's not a t-stat. Heat never works. Truck runs and temp comes up where it should, I just never get heat. Watched a ton of videos and read a bunch of forums and am pretty convinced its the heater core that needs to be flushed. Everything else works just fine I even fixed the ac last summer. All vents work as they should, and when I change the heat dial from cold to hot it just never gets hot, but it does get super cold. Looks like a simple fix, at least im willing to try it for the few bucks it will cost to have it done. Just need a place to do it, as it does me no good to do it myself when it gets warmer out.

[awsomeears]

Cable broke ?
Get the engine warm and actually feel the heater core hoses, they should be hot, if one is hot then its possibly your inline valve is not working ?

[spooln30]

Unless your coolant was once super old and turned into mud I would say it's either the t stat or the heater control valve if it has one. Another thing to check is the blend door operation. Make sure you can actually hear it switching from cold to hot. GL.

[05caddyext]

The inlet hose is pretty hot, the outlet is cold, which is what makes me believe it's the heater core plugged up. And I can hear it switching from cold to hot when I turn the dial, and physically feel probably 10-15 degree difference in temp when switching it.

[spooln30]

Does it have a heater control valve on one of the heater hoses? It would be the hot one.

[awsomeears]

Sometimes the knob you turn is on a meshed gear, those can snap, my 91' Accord would do that on the knob itslef

[LIL EVO]

Cant you just clamp a garden hose on one end and turn it on? I'd think that would be enough pressure to get things moving in there

[05caddyext]

Sure you can. That's exactly what I want to do. One problem. It's 7 degrees outside. That's why I asked if anyone does it, like someone that has a shop that's heated. I am 99% sure it's going to work, flush with a garden hose for 5 minutes, and im pretty sure I will have heat. I just can't do it right now, it's way to cold to do it outside.

[Gregor]

Dude do it anyways and keep your man card.


I flushed mine out in this temp by hooking it up to the hot water heater and running a hose out the basement window. Flushed out the water heater and fixed my wife's explorer heat problem. Yes this is a bit Red Green but it worked. Got a ton of rust and shit out of the heater core. What you will be maybe soaked for 10 min max?

Or just take to a garage and pay them to do it.

[pashtrd]

I know the post is a month old, but did you get this fixed? Dodge trucks are very common to have the heater cores plug up. disconnect the heater hoses, pour a bottle of CLR into the heater core. go inside warm up for about 15-20 minutes. come back out flush some clean water in both directions- problem solved.

[05caddyext]

I sold the truck last week. Had too many other issues I just didn't have time to work on. Ill keep that in mind though if that ever happens on another vehicle. On a side note I had to have my Chrysler 200 in the shop for almost a week for a similar issue. They have been having problems with coolant gelling. Not all the cars are affected and it's just random apparently. They had to replace my heater core, radiator, overflow, thermostat. Was a huge job, tech sent me pictures of the entire dash out, I wanted to make sure they actually did the work, I've had a few issues with this dealership in the past. Car only has 20k miles on it.