Running way cooler after heater core flush

Alright guys, as you probably know. I just did a heater core flush
For the second time (because the first was 1/2 assed)

And the heater works great. Stays on constant now, But I think that is
only because when i was done with the heater core, (I read through a couple of posts) and
made the front of my truck higher than the back, and the passenger side higher than
the drivers side (to get air out of the system), and then filled it up with regular hose water.
So now the radiator is full, and you can actually see the water running through it.

But i was driving along, just making sure that it ran, and everything was hunky-dory
and noticed that my tempature gauge only got half way in between 100 degrees and
210 degrees. And I am pretty sure that 210 degrees is the running tempature, correct?

Whay isn't it getting to normal running tempature? And I am not 100% sure but, I think that I
heard somewhere, that if your car is running to cold, that your car will feed more gas to it
to make it warm up. It that true?

Let me know what you guys think.
Thank you
Chad

The OEM temperature for the Thermostat to open is 195* you may have a fault thermostat or sensor. It should read 210*. Also if the car is cold it will use more gas.

Sometimes these Blazers run cold on the factory gauge.  On my 2000 the gauge has NEVER reached 200 let alone 210, but the engine is running at normal temps.  On a scan tool the computer sees 200, and using an infared thermometer, it is running at the correct temp.  So to be 100% sure you will need to use other temp reading devices to see where your engine is running.  HTH

quote:

ORIGINAL: c0a8l0v6i8n9

The OEM temperature for the Thermostat to open is 195* you may have a fault thermostat or sensor. It should read 210*. Also if the car is cold it will use more gas.

 
This is true, also I would go with another source to measure your actual temp to be on the safe side!!

Yeah, but I am pretty sure that my tempature gauge is correct though. Because
Before I added a bunch of water into the radiator, It always got up to operating
tempature. And I just went out side and drove it for 30 minutes. Just to make sure
and did part freeway and part city driving. And the best I got it was... Maybe
160 degrees. I dont think that the thermostat opened up because
I cranked the heat, and it was just blowing warm air, Not hot, but warm.

Kind of like if you breathe on your hand lol.

What do you guys think that I should do?
Is it possible to put too much water in your radiator?

Because I always thought that if you put too much water in your radiator, then it would
get hotter and cause the water to boil? But now, it is too cold lol?

Let me know what you think.
You guys are awesome
Thanks
Chad

So I went to the mechanic today,
And had him use the infared tempature gauge on my engine
and cooling system lines and hoses.
(because I didnt want to go drop 50 bucks into a thermometer)

They were ALL running no more than 130 degrees
Including the hoses that were going in and out of the heater core.

So i guess I have to go by a thermostat today, or, maybe when I get paid.
And change that out. Then he said to continue to do the flushes.
Maybe once a month. He said that because he noticed how nasty my
coolant was. I told him that it was flushed about 5 months ago and
After they were done it looked, slightly better that what it is now.

When I buy a new thermostat, and install it, will it make my
truck go back to operating tempature, and not at 130 degrees?

Thus, improving my gas millage?

Soo... Is that what I should do you guys?

Yeah you should change the thermostat first. It's relatively cheap, easy and can be done in less then half an hour. If that doesn't fix it post back...I have another idea of what the problem could be.

Have you been running it with JUST water in it?
 
Not the best for proper operating temps...
 
But I'd change the thermostat just on principle, and because it's cheap :)
 
Then fill it back up with the proper coolant mixture with distilled water.

Alright guys, I am about to go buy the thermostat..

I thought that no one was going to post.
I will let you guys know if it works or not.

Because I am suppose to go to dinner tonight with my
grandparents at 6. which is about 45 minutes. But I think
that I might pass and just have my parents go.

But thanks guys. Ill let you know when I am done

Okay... well good, bad, and .... wierd news!

Okay, I went and bought the thermostat, and I caved in
and bought a infared thermometer, because I just so happened to stumble upon them
in pep boys, played with it. and got addicted. The things are so damn cool hahahahah.

Well I came back home, and took of the part were the thermostat should be.
and I got worried, way worried, because I didnt find the whole thermostat.
The middle was completly missing and it looked like it got CHOPPED off.
(pics)


How it is supposed to look

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/1263/thermostatkz2.jpg














My first thought was.
The rest of it, is inside my block. So i went and got the turkey basster (spelling) and took
some of the coolant out of the hole. And i couldnt see anything. Well... I mean, I didnt find anything
that was loose in there. So I just continued. And became less worried because it actually looked like
somebody sawed off the rest of the thermostat because they were too lazy to change it out or something.

Well. I finished installing it an everything. made me the passenger side higher than the drivers side, and then the front higher than the back, and let all of the air out of the system untill the thermostat opened up.

I went driving with the heater blasted and it wasnt blowing hot air. And it was just a tiny bit under 210 according to
my dash. Witch was correct.

So, I am kind of confused.
Here are the temps:

radiator- 200 degres F
the hose that rins to the thermostat - 204 degrees F
And BOTH lines going into the heater core- 130 degres F

BUT, the air coming out of the vents was only 84 degres F.
I just did the heater core flush, so I dont think its that. But. I dont know for sure.
What do you guys think?

Nobody knows why ther heater wouldn't be working right after I changed the thermostat?

I added some dexcool today. (got a chuckle when I read the bottle, "fight againts corrsion, 150K miles" hahahahahaha)
My cooling system proves that WAY wrong. lol

But My engine is running at perfect tempature, right at 200-205 degrees.
and I am happy about that, I just want heat. 30 degree mornings are a BUMER.

Then, I have to fix my air conditioner, there is a leak somewhere.
I think i am going to use the "stop leak" freon that they have.... when it gets hot outside.

your heater core could also be bad.....any smell of something sweet coming thru the vents when the heat is on????  also what temp thermo did you put in??

195 degree thermostat.

and nope, nothing sweet

Could just be excess air in the system...

I'd have gone green, myself... Though, you have to really follow the change schedule with the green, or it can start corroding the aluminum if left too long
 
 
BTW, air in the system is what kills a dexcool setup... If you can keep air out of the system it will definitely out last the green stuff (maybe not the extended life but still...)
 
Air + dexcool = gunk and intake manifold gasket go bye bye

Please man, patience!!  No need to post consecutively unless the post falls off the first page of the section its in...  Please use the edit feature if no one has replied.

Anyway, it looks like someone cut your old t-stat as there is nothing in the cooling system that would make grind marks like that.  If parts were to fall off, they would end up in the radiator as the upper hose is the outlet of the radiator.

About your heater not working afterwords, soudns like there is something else wrong.  If there was adaquate flow through the heater core, there should be a temperature difference between the hoses.  Sounds like there is still a restriction in the heater core.

kyles last sentence in his reply is the way i`m leaning to this heat prob also.....

Maybe do an entire cooling system flush instead of just the heater core...

I am leaning towards the core being bad and restricted at some point!!

Alright, so I guess that I should do a whole cooling system flush according to
what you guys are saying.

hahaha, the heater core flush is all that I know how to do.
Anybody care to let me in on how to do a entire cooling system flush.
I tried searching for a thread, which I am sure there is one.

But for some reason, the search box isn't working for my computer.
 I dont want to go spen 100 bucks to have someone else do it.
Plus, I want to learn!
Thanks guys.
Chad

welp the way i do it is, open the drain plug at the bottom of the radiator, take the plug out completely..  The water will hopefully start to drain out all over your hands and down your arm into your sleeve LOL  anyways,  take off the radiator cap get a garden hose put it in the cap opening not full blast but strong enuff flow to keep the level kinda high, start the eng and let it run... The eng will heat up the thermo will open and let the water flow thru the block with the hopefully good working water pump pumping it .. as the eng heats up you`ll start to notice the water coming out the bottom of the radiator steaming...  bring up the idle a little bit to help push the water thru the block. try to keep the water level close to the top of the cap fill so it doesnt run out of water.... if ya have to turn up the water pressure enuff to have water run out the top also.. when you see clear water coming out without any thernostat pieces included the block should be pretty much flushed out. ok to finish, shut the eng off !!!   take the hose out of the radiator and shut water off so you dont flood the sewer in the street let the remaining water drain from the radiator completely...  reinstall the plug at the bottom put antifreeze in it, normally it should hold about 2 gallons.. Ya may need to add sum water again to top it off, you`ll prob have air in the system for a bit so keep an eye on the level again when your done....   Also start doing the flush when the eng is cold...  does this help??  I hope i didnt confuse ya...... 

It helped ALOT. Serious. hahaha

But there is a drain on the radiator that looks like the bolt that is on the
brake calipers that you use to bleed the brakes right? I heard that is what it looks like..

and what side was it on the drivers or passenger side? Because i have a TON of stupid skid plates under my truck.
and I want to know which one to take off.

But thats all you have to do? open the drain. put hose in top of radiator.
crank the heater and start the car and let it run for a while after the thermostat is open?
hmmm seems WAYYYY easier than I thought
I will probably end up doing this tuesday. I dont have work that day...


OHH, yeah. You said 2 gallons of coolant? Will that leave enough room to make
the coolant to water ratio 50/50?

Because I noticed you were in rhode island and I think its colder up there, which
means that you guys use more coolant so it doesent freeze right?

THANK YOU GUYS
Chad

i`m on long island not rhode island.same diff tho lol..   its an island...  they actually sell prestone antifreeze thats already mixed 50/50  green antifreeze.. when you take off the skid plates, you`ll prob see the plug i`m talking about, its normally a plastic type of screw. I havent had to flush my system in my blazer yet so maybe they changed it i havent even looked .. mIne isnt 4wd with skid plates so i`m not familiar with your specific model blazer.

Yeah, I will be doing that as soon
as I can then. I will let you guys know, maybe I will do a
D.I.Y on how to do a coolant flush for people like me,
who have never done one before. AHAHAHAHA I am probably
the only one on the forum. lol

I've never done one