2001 SS

So I noticed today on the way to work I had hardly any heat and it was luke warm at best. I also kept getting the "low coolant level" light. So at lunch I removed the cap and started the car and noticed the radiator was waaaay down. I poured over half a gallon of coolant into it. Now the heat still feels "luke warm"? I have a new thermostat as of about a year ago. I noticed the upper radiator hose is hot and of the two hoses going into the heater core the bottom one (I think it was bottom) was hot and the top was cool. The temperature gauge inside always read about 180 - 185º I believe it is? Its the large hash mark just below half it reads a little above that now and always seems to.

I was able to open the radiator cap without any pressure after filling up the radiator a second time. No coolant sprayed out like it should have although it was to the top. So do I have a bad radiator cap? Would that cause the heat to be "luke warm"? I also notice the coolant level is always down like a couple inches and also doesn't seem to swap with the overflow tank? They are cheap enough so I'm thinking of going to Autozone after work and picking one up.

Suggestions/thoughts?

 

I've got an '03 with almost 200k miles on it. Counting the original ones, I'm on my third radiator and water pump, but the original heater coil. I have had the same issues as you and found that it's best to replace the radiator and the pump together. Both of my pumps impellers were completely rotted away and weren't moving any water, to speak of. The pump is cheap and easy to change.

If yours is like mine, it makes a rusty, muddy paste that forms at the top of the radiator filler neck. I can't help but think that stuff is partially clogging my heater coil but it still heats sufficiently.

 

Hmm my nephew thought that I had a leak at the top of the radiator so I may have to look into replacing it.

YES you are correct I have a rusty sludge like substance at the top of the radiator neck?

I am going to buy another cap tonight just for the hell of it....at $7 at Autozone I figure it can't hurt anything. But if its like you describe I need some more serious attention targeted at this radiator and possibly the water pump.

Thanks for the info.

 

It sounds like you need the radiator and heater core ..Or a full cooling system flush/fill. That just may cure your heater issues...
But the fluid loss is going somewhere...
By chance... Does the exhaust have a funny sweet smell? It could be a sign that it may need the upper/lower intake gaskets replaced.

 

agree with stumpmi. gotta love that rusty sludge like substance! dexcool for the lose again! i always say a very good flush and run green prestone coolant and this sludge buildup issues will be gone!

 

hey now, ive used dexcool and ive had no problems yet

 

With the "fluid loss" could it be that the cap was not building pressure and it was sucking air from the overflow?

The guy at Autozone actually told me to get a flush too. He said he wrenches on the side. Both hoses from the heater core were warm when I stopped in there to buy a radiator cap tonight and of course the upper radiator hose from the radiator was hot.

I am wondering about the water pump? I have heat....but it just doesn't seem "hot" enough. Plus its hotter when I run the heater on dash instead of running it on the defrost setting OR the floor setting. The floor setting has almost no heat coming out at all its barely warm....the defrost setting is luke warm and the dash setting is the hottest. Not sure if this means anything or not?

I have not noticed a sweet smell from the exhaust. I will add this though....I had an oil leak and my nephew replaced the oil pan gasket. Now it seems to be losing oil like crazy after he did that. He said he thought I would probably need a valve cover gasket done. Not sure if that would have anything to do with anything?

Thanks for any advice.

 

The heat from the dash (AC vents) is exactly that...The AC compressor is producing that heat.. That has nothing really to do with the cooling system heat..
On that note...
Your heat issue is definitely a clogged/dirty cooling system...
You need to completely flush out the system... and start fresh! Be sure the heater is on so it also flushs out the heater core... Make sure also its up to temp and the thermostat gets a chance to open...

Or for the sake of flushing it out with out restriction... You could remove the thermostat all together... Once its thoroughly flushed out..Then reinstall the thermostat. and then fill the system with a 50/50 mix..
(Half antifreeze and half water) Just be sure to burp/bleed the air out of the system out several times after the refilling process with the bleeder that's on the thermostat housing.

Warm the car up to running temp.
Turn the car off and open the bleeder allowing the air to escape. (NEVER BLEED THE SYTEM WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING)

Once you no longer getting air/pressure out of the bleeder..Re tighten the bleeder.... Restart the engine/motor and allow it to once again get up to running temp (Build pressure) and repeat the process of bleeding the air out. You may have to do it from as few as 3 times to as many as 10 times to get all the air completely out of the system.

Then drive it for around a week and do the bleeding process again..
You may or maynot get any more air out of it... But at least you can be sure the system is back to normal.
Hope this helps!

Before you flush the system..you may want to pressure test it for leaks.... That way if there are leaks...you can fix those first.
So that you don't defeat the whole process of flushing and refilling the cooling system.

 

Excellent advice thank you and you are mimicking what the guy at Autozone said. He said he thinks I may need to flush the system. I'm seeing my nephew in a week or so to have him repair an ABS wire harness that is shorting out so I'll talk to him then about flushing the system. I hope he can pressure test it too maybe.

 

If you're smelling coolant from the exhaust you probably have a leaking intake manifold gasket or a leaky head gasket. A pressure test of the radiator, a carbon monoxide detection test or a dye test can verify leakage from these and other locations.