Odd Heating Issue

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Nov 15, 2013 | 05:35 PM

Spotty

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Laughing Gas

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 1,098

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From: Minnesota

Odd Heating Issue

My 98 has about reached her life span. The heater core started blowing steam and I am NOT pulling the dash out. Radiator has a small leak also. Trying to milk it out a little more, I dumped in some plug-er-up. Heat is good, no leaks, radiator good also. But an odd issue has developed. On a cold morning it warms up nicely as I drive away but about 2-3 miles down the road I see the heat gauge start dropping and it starts blowing cold. After a mile or two the gauge will spike to full hot and stay that way for a mile or so then drop back to normal instantly and it blows hot air. It's fine then for the rest of the day. Happens every morning at almost the exact same place on the road...I pulled out the original thermostat today and put in a new one...maybe that will help...don't know till tomorrow when it is stone cold for the first start. I hate using any kind of stop leak but hoping it gets me by until I find another truck....Any ideas??

Nov 15, 2013 | 05:46 PM

vaper

More Turbo

Joined: Aug 2011

Posts: 544

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Hopefully the thermostat will do it Spotty
If not maybe some combustion gases getting into the cooling system?

Nov 15, 2013 | 06:01 PM

steve(ill)

Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2005

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It blows cool when there is no water in the heater (antifreeze) . Make sure you have the radiator tank full... you have an air bubble inside.. may still be small pin hole that puts combustion gas into water.

Nov 15, 2013 | 06:02 PM

steve(ill)

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look at the old thermostat.. There is a 1/8 inch vent hole with a ball / pin in the hole. That lets some water circulate when thermo is closed. IF the ball gets plugged up with sealer, you will get the results you are seeing.

Nov 15, 2013 | 08:23 PM

Spotty

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 1,098

Likes: 11

From: Minnesota

Quote:

Originally Posted by steve(ill)

Yep...that was my thought also and the reason for pulling it out. The jiggle pin was OK though. I don't know why it is fine the rest of the day unless it is a head gasket issue that in fact does put gases into the coolant and caused high pressure and made an old heater core and radiator leak...Then once it warms up the head seals and all is good...

I use it in my service business and I think she needs to be retired at 251,000 miles...

Nov 15, 2013 | 08:27 PM

Spotty

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 1,098

Likes: 11

From: Minnesota

I also noticed the other day that if I let her warm up 10 minutes first it did not do it. I think I'll try that again next time and see what happens

Nov 16, 2013 | 11:54 AM

Spotty

Thread Starter

Laughing Gas

Joined: Jan 2006

Posts: 1,098

Likes: 11

From: Minnesota

No dice with new thermostat. I guess I'll keep driving it if it doesn't get any worse. Truck shopping not going well.....

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Nov 16, 2013 | 01:04 PM

steve(ill)

Hotshot

Joined: Jul 2005

Posts: 11,931

Likes: 180

I like this because you can mix with antifreeze.. Works good.

Liquid Copper™ Block Seal Intake & Radiator Stop Leak

<DL class="clearfix basic_dl"><DT>Part Number:</DT><DD>1109</DD><DT>Dosage:</DT><DD>Use – 1/2 bottle in a small cooling systems, such as 4 cylinders with no A/C. Use 1 bottle for regular size systems, which are most 4, 6, 8 and 10 cylinder engines. For larger systems, use 1 bottle for every 6 gallons of cooling system capacity.</DD><DT>Size:</DT><DD>18 oz. (510 g)</DD></DL>Bar’s Leaks® Liquid Copper™ Block Seal Intake & Radiator Stop Leak seals larger leaks regular stop leaks won’t.