Help!
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Junior User
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Help!
After battling a little or no heat prob in my 2000 expy since November, I may have found the problem. While doing another rad. flush, I noted the amount of coolant that came out. Approx 4 gal. The book says depending on single or double row radiator or rear aux heat, 22-24 qts. My thousand dollar question, How do you get that much coolant in the system?? I fill it to the top, start the engine let it warm up and then top it off again. I even filled it to the top of the neck yesterday after driving for over and hour. I need any and all suggestions, my heat is intermittent and maybe not having a full system would cause this. The needle always runs in the middle. Thermostat already replaced and multiple flushes done already.
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Junior User
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I have worked on this all day!! I changed the thermostat again and change out the radiator cap. I let it run until the temp gauge is at the normal range. I squeezed the top rad hose to burp the system and kept adding coolant to bring the level up to full. I put a thermometer in the vent and it read almost 120 deg. Not too bad I thought until I tried it in my Maxima and it read 150! There is a difference in temp between the two heater hoses going thru the firewall. I can tell my t-stat is working because the top rad hose will heat up and get firmer. But it never gets HOT. After running 30 min I can take the cap off and put my finger down in the coolant reservoir and its barely warm to the touch. What is going on??
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: New Jersey
Originally Posted by MSB6
Its a 192 from Auto Zone.
You might have bought a defective one.
I test all new thermostats before installing just to be sure their accurate.
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Hmmm... no coolant odors from inside the cabin?
If you've got a new thermostat and the coolant system is cycling properly, there really isn't a while lot to the heating system. Maybe try a different coolant mixture during the winter. Have you owned this expy in previous winters and the heat worked good? I know the heat in my 03 works good (plus the heated seats help), but it does take a few minutes to heat the entire cabin.
Since the truck isn't overheating, I'd say you could rule out the thermostat, air in the system, water pump, or any of those typical overheating issues. If the coolant in the engine is heating to 192, the the coolant in the core should be in that area.
So, I'd say either your NEW thermostat is bad (I have seen this before), coolant is not circulating through your core, or you have a cold air leak or open vent causing some cold air to be combined with your warm air.
If you've got a new thermostat and the coolant system is cycling properly, there really isn't a while lot to the heating system. Maybe try a different coolant mixture during the winter. Have you owned this expy in previous winters and the heat worked good? I know the heat in my 03 works good (plus the heated seats help), but it does take a few minutes to heat the entire cabin.
Since the truck isn't overheating, I'd say you could rule out the thermostat, air in the system, water pump, or any of those typical overheating issues. If the coolant in the engine is heating to 192, the the coolant in the core should be in that area.
So, I'd say either your NEW thermostat is bad (I have seen this before), coolant is not circulating through your core, or you have a cold air leak or open vent causing some cold air to be combined with your warm air.
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Junior User
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I probably should have checked the t-stat before installing but its acting just like the one I took out. Someone out there put a thermometer in you dash vent and see what the max temp you can get. Also why is the temp in the reservoir not hot to the touch?? Why does the top rad hose not get so hot that you have to let go of it. It was 50 degrees here today.
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Nope no odors of anti freeze. The air coming out of the vent in the front and back is warm, and on a warm day like today (50 deg) I almost think its working fine. But yesterday was 37 and the air coming out just aint warm enough! What is a vapor management valve? I found that somewhere on this site. Dont know what is has to do with my problem though. This has always been the wifes car so I didnt pay alot of attention to the heat in years past.
Senior User
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78 more days!!! Been a LOOOOOONG year! My daughter turned 2 on friday. That was a downer day! haha
Hopefully someone can test their air temp for you. Only thing I can think of if it's blowing colder than it should it that you have a cold air draft getting to your blower. Kind of like a stuck open air vent or something? But not fully open, just open a crack. Just enough to cool your heated air down a little
Hopefully someone can test their air temp for you. Only thing I can think of if it's blowing colder than it should it that you have a cold air draft getting to your blower. Kind of like a stuck open air vent or something? But not fully open, just open a crack. Just enough to cool your heated air down a little
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Joined: Aug 2004
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Maybe I missed it but what coolant ratio are you using? There still could be air trapped in your coolant system. Low coolant (or an air pocket) will also cause cold or cool air to blow through the vents. Have you tried squeezing the upper hose to see if bubbles come out in the resevoir?
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Yep I have squeezed it a ton trying to get all the air out. As far as a ratio I am probably less than 50/50 right now. I have searched the F150 4.6 threads and found a story about the fan clutch. Should the fan spin at idle when cold?? I also cant figure out why my coolant temp is not getting hot to the touch? If I had a weak impeller on my water pump wouldnt the engine run hotter than normal? Maybe it is a water pump? Another guy had all my probs and solved it with a Ford t-stat. His brand new one from Pep Boys does the same thing my Auto Zone one does.