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A while back my heater core went out. I replaced it. It was heating fine for a little while after that, but stopped.
I recently changed the thermostat and flushed and changed the antifreeze.
I was heating fine, just after flushing the system.
The next day, My temp gague would never reach the "normal" level. It would fluctuate between "cold" and just before "normal". And I cannot get any heat from my heater. Could I just need a new radiator cap or would this be something else. Any help is appreciated. thanks.
Sounds like an air pocket in the system. Take the heater hose loose from the heater core that goes to the intake and fill the radiator to full, reattach and start the truck then see if you need a little more in the radiator, fill it and put the cap back on. Take it down the road and see if this helps.
I've found that purging/filling the cooling system is much easier if the front of the vehicle is sitting higher than the rear. I do this by parking accordingly. When you fill the cooling system, have the engine running and monitor the coolant level as it warms up. Add as needed. Eventually the thermostat will open and the coolant level will drop a good amount. Top it off, then cap it. Monitor the coolant level on a cold engine at the burp tank over the next handful of drive cycles. BTW, have the heater turned on when filling the cooling system.
*You can see if warm coolant is available to operate the heater by feeling the heater hoses with the engine warmed up and running.
Is there coolant in the plastic reservoir? If you take the radiator cap off, is it full of coolant? Sounds like an air pocket to me, fill it up while running, with the heater on. And, as Bill said, be sure to monitor the level for a few days after you think you get it full.
With what should be a fully warmed engine are either of the heater hoses warm? How about the upper radiator hose? I'm thinking maybe a bad t-stat (sticking open).