I got no heat!?!?!?

[NotDadsW41]

Yeah it's summer time I know.... The water pump just took a crap. I replaced it, the upper and lower radiator hoses and the heater control valve. Started it up to check for leaks and burp the system. Turned the heater on to full blast and let it run. The van warmed up, the thermostat opened, I added more water and left it running for a while, leaving the radiator cap off to burp it good. I went inside the van and it's blowing cool air. WTF???

Upper radiator hose is warm to the touch so I know the thermostat is working. The bottom of the hoses running to the heater control valve is warm. The top is not.

I pulled on the lever on the valve and I get no change in the heat inside the van, nor on the upper of the heater hoses... WTF?

The heater control valve is a new AC-Delco part. I expect it to be fine but one never knows.

The water pump is a new, not rebuilt, unit from NAPA.

Suggestions????

[mdmead]

I think you still have air in the system. I remember years ago when I had no heat and then discovered a low coolant level. I had to top the coolant off two or three times over the next few weeks to finally get all the air out and my heat fully back. Driving it around worked out all the air bubbles.

[Kidhauler]

my 99 blew the water pump and it took days to get the heater core to burp. you could hear it sloshing when you accelerated hard.

[NotDadsW41]

Really? I've let thing run in the driveway for like 30 minutes....

I guess I'm off for a drive around town real quick.

Hope I make it back...

[NotDadsW41]

You guys rock!

I started it up, backed it out of the driveway and accelerated to about 20mph. Didn't even make it 50 yards before a wave of heat came blasting out the vents.

I knew it had to be something simple that I was missing. Just too tired tonight to figure it out I guess.

WooHoo!!

Thanks again guys!

[mdmead]

you could hear it sloshing when you accelerated hard.

I had this sloshing issue for about a year before I finally put it all together regarding the low coolant level.

(But I still had heat when the sloshing started so it wasn't obvious.)

[Kidhauler]

Yeah I still had heat as well just not lots of it. I think it is the momemtum of the van accelerating that forces the fluid to burp the heater core.

I had to do that a few times before it was all good. Keep your overflow tank a little on the over full side for a while so when it burps it will suck more coolant into the rad.

On a simular note if you need to check your system for leaks and don't want to get the special pump to pressurise the coolant system pull the overflow tube off the tank end and use a airline to blow some compressed air into the tank it will pressurise the system and you can look for leaks. That was how I finally spotted the leaky water pump gasket on my van. It was blowing the coolant out behind the AC and powersteering pump bracket. Everytime I got under it when it was hot the boiling coolant was more than I could handle to see the leak. once the coolant was cold pouring on me then it was much more pleasant. (I think)