Flushing A Heater Core
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- čas přidán 5. 05. 2017
- Come along with Eric O. at the SMA shop as we diagnose and repair this 2013 Ram 3500 Cummins that came in with a complaint of no heat out of the dash vents. We diagnosis it as a restricted heater core and show you how we flush them out in the shop.
Dual Channel Digital Thermometer : amzn.to/2pS1VJv
Thermocouple Probe Temperature Sensor : amzn.to/2ph4Sl2
Blast-Vac Multipurpose Cleaning Gun : amzn.to/2qb0Gbm
Infrared Thermometer Temperature Gun : amzn.to/2pRykC2
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THANKS A MILLION!!
--Eric O.
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Disclaimer:
Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, it cannot guarantee against unauthorized modifications of this information, or improper use of this information. South Main Auto Repair assumes no liability for property damage or injury incurred as a result of any of the information contained in this video. South Main Auto Repair recommends safe practices when working with power tools, automotive lifts, lifting tools, jack stands, electrical equipment, blunt instruments, chemicals, lubricants, or any other tools or equipment seen or implied in this video. Due to factors beyond the control of South Main Auto Repair, no information contained in this video shall create any express or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. Any injury, damage or loss that may result from improper use of these tools, equipment, or the information contained in this video is the sole responsibility of the user and not South Main Auto Repair. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
I haven’t had real heat in my truck for 2 winters now. This truck had the exact symptoms as mine so I followed the steps in this video. I now have full heat again. Thanks so much!!!
A sunny Saturday evening here in Bonnie Scotland, UK. Beer and a new SMA video.
*cheers*
Cheers!
Join us! :)
And a relaxing evening down here in the Midlands, UK, also getting my SMA fix. Cheers! 🍻
A beautiful evening here in Northeast Arkansas, USA relaxing with a rum and 7, watching SMA and waiting on the main event fight between Alvarez & Chavez. Cheers all!
Sipping Irn-Bru in the sunshine makes a change.
You are the man. Man I have the 2014 Ram 2500 6.7L Cummings. Up until about 30min ago I had absolutely no heat in the truck. I was lucky enough to get it done with a garden hose with a high pressure tip on it, NO airlines at all. You should've seen the clumps of calcium that came out. I could've sworn that I was going to be pulling the dash out today. So again thank you man for saving me the time and money. I thought I was going to be knee deep into a rats nest of work. To everyone watching and reading this. I highly recommend doing this, its easy, also saves time and money. It took me about 30mins tops..Thank you
I have the same issue with my heater as well so I hope I can fix it like you did.
Thanks for the heads up
Who has been working on your car? Don’t let them touch it again.
Well, I totaled the 2014 Ram 2500. Now I have the 2016 Ram 3500 dually, same motor 6.7 Cummins. Hopefully I don't have the same issue anytime soon.🤞I can say this though, that mofo gets a five star crash rating from me that's for sure. Now for the new Malibu Ss, not so good damn people had to get cut out of the car.
this guy can do anything the best on you tube loyal viewer always
I discovered your show last week and have been hooked. I love how you take us along with in the troubleshooting. Thanks
I just wanted to drop you a huge thank you. Had a heater core in a ram 2500 that was putting out 80 degree temp, this was after a recall at the dealer, they claimed it was that way when it came in, really. I dont think so, quoted me 2100 to change.
Bought the otc tool, and 45 minutes later I have 151 degree coming out of vents now. Flushed entire system completely, works awesome, and I spent 28. To fix it. I thank you sir for the great video.
2 years late, but no way you spent $28 to completely flush your system.
@@yourface3154 28 for the tool, not including antifreeze,
Saturday morning at work here is Maryland. Taking a few minutes to watch SMA just makes all the stress melt away. Thank you Eric O. I definitely need one of those creepers for working on my SUV.
Watching all the many auto videos on YT, Eric, youer's are the best. You have the right tools, you don't replace parts first, your shop is very clean & you make it fun to watch! A true professional.
Plus, where else can you hear those great middle American expressions, like "chip, chop, chip, "grins & giggles" and others I can't remember!
Thanks!
Have a 2015 ram 3500 6.7 Cummins.Had little heat for a year.Purchased tool from Amazon and flushed.Heater is back to factory.Thanks saved a lot of time not having to pull the dashboard.
Just did this procedure on a '13 Ram 3500 6.7L H.O. First time using the (Matco Version) of this tool. I was impressed, as was the owner of the vehicle. Great video! Always try this first before replacing the core, and check both sides for temp difference.
Hello Eric, just became a fan of your channel as a side mechanic. Went to school for Auto Mechanic but pursued other things in life. Still tinker around with cars. Love that you're a down-to-earth mechanic. If you don't know it, you admit it. But yet, you will go and methodically troubleshoot for the answer. You're very smart. You made me go out and buy a few tools from the links you post on your vids :D Please keep posting these links for tools so we know what a pro like you uses. Keep up the good work.
I paid to have a heater core replaced once, didn't know about this trick. Neat tool you cleared it with.
I bought the otc gun and followed your directions. It worked flawlessly! Thank you for the great video.
Just wanted to send along a thank you for your video. I also ordered the OTC gun and followed the steps outlined in your video and I too have heat again! It was negative 4 here two days ago so its a good thing to have! Thank you again, deeply appreciated!
beer in hand and sma video I’ve done my mechanics today love watching eric at work
I live in west TX and the heater core was clogged with calciumcarbonate CaCO3. I soaked the heater core with 9% vinegar for 24 hours and flushed it, then refilled and continued for nearly a week! The outcome was great!! I get HOT air (131 F or 55 C) when the outside is 30F (or -2 C).
How have I never seen a topside creeper before. That thing is BA.
You got to love being able to lay over the top of the motor
@@ethand3577 The British finally got something right
I'm gonna need one if I'm going to flush my Malibu's heater core. Its nipples are right in the middle of the firewall rather than at the top where you can access them easier. But that's GM for ya...they pride themselves in making a 3-day job out of a 20-minute one.
If I didn't know any better I would think this guy is calling me a derogatory name lol.
drinking a cold one watching my favorite repair channel on a Saturday morning.. #Thelife
I got Jack and Old No.7.
Found this channel almost 5 years ago with this same problem, tried many things including flushing the heater core several times. Ended up needing an HVAC box. 1500.00 later fixed. Last year solved all my Dodge/Chrysler problems and got a Tundra----- TUNDRA TIME!!
Excellent fix, Eric O. And thanks for the links to the Thermometer and Probe. I'm going to order that right away. Nice tool.
Eric on my 97 jeep Grand 4.0 I unhooked the hoses at the thermo housing. I drained all the coolant out of heater core flushed with garden hose both ways. Then I bought a bottle of Vanish Toilet bowl cleaner, CLR works good too. I put some water in through the hose then poured about a 1/4 of a bottle of vanish in the hose. Lifted 1 hose while lowering other hose, back & forth for about 5 mins. then flushed it out with garden hose both ways CLEARED MY HEATER CORE BIG TIME.
Good video! Still doesn't come close to the extreme flushing on the Pontiac. Thank you for all that you do!
Saturday Morning. Got my coffee and a new SMA video! Great video Eric!!!
thanks for another great video Dr. O !! btw it was good to see u posting on your other channel again !! i know you see your kids every day but they are really growing up fast !!! and Trinity is looking more and more like Mrs O !!
Mr. O. You are a `super` smart guy. I enjoy watching your videos.
This was extremely helpful to me. Thanks very much for doing this.
I want to thank you for your videos. Been watching for about a year now in Southern Oregon. I have a 2011 Frontier and was having symptoms like this and was told I needed a heater core. An 1800 job. After watching this, I asked the shop to do.a flush. They did an entire coolant system flush and it seems to have worked. I can start it and put the defrosters on and the ice on the windshield melts now.
The facial expression at 10:40, that's like the day after eating taco bell.
Your vids are awesome brother!! I am glad i am found you!
Thanks for this video , it helped me out greatly. Great idea with the extra hose lengths. 👍
This reminds me of flushing heater cores on pushrod motor tortoises. People that wouldn't do the cooling system maintenance and sometimes the cars would overheat too. I just had a garden hose and dishwasher hose that fit perfectly over the heater core tubes. Just like air-conditioning repairs this fix always yield positive results for people… They were always happy to have the heat back!
Awesome video, very informative!!!
Your videos are awesome and very educating.
Good demo did same to our blazer in the driveway years ago I had put one hose in a bucket see want came out and I found this gel like gooey material come out it may have had wrong antifreeze put in it before we bought it used higher pressure water hose and air separately was fine lots of heat blazer need to burn the air out is a common problem too, good job Eric
thanks
SAL
Also a mechanic for a small shop. Father son, kinda whole family one in a sense. My dads cousin used to repair those old radiators what could be with some solder and know how. He stopped because with the times he wasnt busy enough with it and he had a nice job elsewhere anyway but we were left with a relic of the old age. Same thing as that nice tool you got there but fabricombled together with some solder and pipe. difference is water side valve is actuated with the same knob you see on your hose from the house and the air is actuated with a pair of vice grips. We do it exactly the same way you do, and yes be careful. When you flush a whole system is worse because sometimes its not that you were too aggressive. Sometimes, the crud you blow out helped keep a gasket seeping rather than pouring. If youre too aggressive, sometimes its just your fault and youre putting a water pump on an 88 f150 for free.
Oh we also do it outside you nut. Sucks in the winter but our shop floods so not as much as that sucks
The heat is on, i can feel the fire! Nice job
Thank you. You give me the confidence to do this stuff myself!
my home water pressure in over 90 psi. this is a great how to do it flushing video. that flusher would work well on the radiator as well.
"Thank you" for displaying my sticker. (I meant to mention that before and forgot). I always read the comments and I see a few of them liked the top side creeper. I must say I'm eyeing that myself. I have three 1 ton trucks and getting over the hoods is a pain in my back. I learned something about heater core flushes to boot!
for air flow should use a hot wire set up,what is used here is for checking surface temps on bearings and a/c lines doing superheat and sub cooling.bit more accurate though.especially with air fow/volume.excellent work
brian
The thermocouple will give you a more accurate temperature reading, because the bulb is directly in the air flow and reading only the air temperature. The infrared temperature gun looks as several different parameters, like emissivity of the surrounding material and not actual air temperature. The emissivity of the material needs to be known so that it can be taken into account when determining the actual temperature.
Looks like they Dodged a major repair.
Is that like a pun?
At least it wasn't rotten to the core
they almost got rammed on this one
SMA had an Intrepid mechanic
He has no Stratus fear
Just used you link for that multipurpose air/water gun for coolant system flush. Thank you!
very good I need to buy that flushing tool thanks Eric
love watching your videos good job!
You are on a roll with those Mopar's lately.
You did that car that no coolant was filled with radiator seal and blew everything in your face lo...that was the first video I saw of you and am hooked ever since.
Loving the Topside Creeper! :)
Very helpful and clearly explained, thanks!
Top shelf as always.
finally a 6.7 ctd vid! more please!
Aquafina in my RTC Wal-Mart brand Yeti.LOL on a beautiful Sunday after church. Great Video!
and welcome back to the dodge main auto channel!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dodge - keeping mechanics busy.
MOPAR- my old pig aint running
For Eric O's place - DODGE - Do or Die Garage Experiment.....
2013ebruggeman Dodge the father ram the daughter
Defective on Delivery Garaged Eternally
AC button on never helps...Great Video.... it helped me with my Chevy truck.cleaning out the heater cord....Thanks again....
Just did that to my 95 Grand Cherokee....worked like a charm! I got plenty of heat again., without having to pull the whole dash out to replace core...win win!
Yeah just wait till you add too much air pressure and you develop a heater core leak then you will be replacing it
That top side creeper looks cool!
That topside creeper is cool never seen one before I’m definitely going to look into buying one
Thank you Eric
I just did a heater core flush on my 2003 f150. I hooked 2 hoses to the heater core and flushed out the coolant. Then filled the heater core up with CLR and let it sit for about 10-20 minutes. Then gave her a good flush. My truck gets toasty warm now.
I'm a tall guy and I love that Topside Creeper as well. A great tool. Also picked up a Aluminum folding step stool @ Harbor Freight a month or two ago that folds up to take with when I work on stuff away from the house.
Prowling tonight and will certainly find a video as my wife's car , 06 impala with no heat even when engine is warmed up. It has the manual controls but the dual zone. Trying to figure out if they have separate heat door actuators or a single one with a dampner for making one side cooler or warmer than the other.
Dale N topside creeper + front deflated tires
Sweet! Just came in for a late lunch, and a new SMA vid is up. :)
Soon as I'm done this comment here, I'm buying that thermocouple. I've been using a TINY dial gauge for A/C work, and I have to get my face about 3" from the damn thing to see where it's at - not very safe when hurtling down the road at 45 MPH, lol. I like the nice big display on it. Was always concerned about accuracy with those electronic ones, but if it's working for you, then it'll work for me!
Love that pressure blaster too - I haven't come across too many instances where I'd need that, but would be a good service to do during a flush. The wheels are turning ... :D THANKS!
Eric, My infra red thermometer has settings in the menu to compensate for the type of surface or material you are testing. On say setting "A" if I point at boiling water it will read 100 deg c if I point it at the boiling stainless steel kettle it reads 35 deg c It's something to do with the way different things, even colours reflect the heat.
Awesome and very informative video on heater core flushing. I wish your shop was in the NYC area I would be a loyal customer indeed. Not to many detailed videos are put out with this type of info. Kudos to SMA. Now for my dilemma I own a 2005 Honda Odyssey with heat only blowing from the passengers side vents and nothing from drivers side nor rear overhead vents. Been to many Honda Odyssey forums and there isn't much of anything in detail to address my issue. Was wondering if you can help out by posting a video of an Odyssey with my symptoms.. Nothing remotely close to this video of an Odyssey on CZcams. Btw those gadgets you have are freaking insane, your shop has all the right specialty tool for any job... Makes me want to own a shop like yours. FYI, I wanted to thank you for the post of the J - Series Honda Engine Timing Belt and Water Pump replacement. That video was so detailed that I actually saved some serious dough and did my own replacement job. Your video was step by step and easy to emulate. Took me only 4 hours to complete my job. Thanks a million!!
Wow, Dr O strikes again! I got notification on my CZcams. half of my day, came home, made my coffee, buttered my muffins and sausage. Roku my CZcams channel, turn on SMA channel on with my surround sound. lay back on couch and watch you do your magic!!! I love your vids Eric O. I'm even subscribed to your other channel. you and your wife and kids are the genuine kind of people. I'm staying here waiting for your next vid :)
Josh Benney which other channel is it?
Miguel Arellano "outdoors with Eric O"
Josh Benney ok thanks just found it!
Awesome video!
I liked your video watched it to the end , found a new tool. You got a new subscriber.
No one seems to have gotten the infrared vs thermocouple problem yet, so I will take a stab at it. The magic word seems to be emissivity. It is the property objects have where they emit infrared energy. Metallic objects and dark colored objects (like the black plastic vents and ducts) have a very high emissivity compared to light colored non-metallic objects. Higher end IR guns allow you to pre-program the emissivity of the object you will be testing so that this is taken into account on the readout from the gun. Emissivity can enter the visual spectrum on some very hot objects, like when a piece of steel is heated up red hot. Hope this helps. Wikipedia has a good article on emissivity for more information.
Yes the cheaper IR thermometers are calibrated for building materials brick, breeze block, concrete, steel but the surface finish, condition and texture makes a really huge difference .
www.engineeringtoolbox.com/emissivity-coefficients-d_447.html
The thermocouple produces a voltage which is correlated to a temperature. The gun is measuring infrared radiation. Materials reflect, absorb, and radiate infrared radiation differently. In this case the gun is measuring the amount of infrared radiation being radiated from the plastic fins of the air duct, whereas the thermocouple has the temperature it has from being heated by the air.
Thank you Mr Goodwrench.
"Metallic objects [...] have a very high emissivity"
No, they dont! Carefull! The shinier the metall, the more you are going to measure whatever is being reflected off the metall. Pretty much any organic material (so including all paints, no matter what color) will have a good (high) emissivity. Be carefull when IR can go through something or is reflected off the surface.
@@andrewwmacfadyen6958 Nice reference. I started using this website you posted about two years ago
Dodge Ram 2500 used to be dream truck, I'd sworn to have one someday... until I started watching repair vids on youtube LOL!!!!!!
great video Eric
cool water air gun
I’ve always noticed if you hold the button down on an IR probe the temperature always climbs or decreases based on cold or hot those are designed to be an instant read thermometer press and release when you hold the button down it continuously send a transmission and give erroneous readings
Thanks for another good video.
Last year did this to a ‘16 Ram 3500 with cummins, also put a small block (cardboard) in front of rad , also a plow truck, seems to have worked fine cause didnt hear back about it. Guy is my daughters bf so I see the truck alot.Recommended flushing whole system when plow season over. He talked about trading up to new truck so we didn’t do anything , also decided to not plow again. Come September he began signing up plow contracts. First cold day and snow he said it wasnt as hot again , did the quick flush , lots of sediment but only gained about 10 degrees . All along I told him I wasn’t wanting to pull the dash, im semi-retired and no equipped to do that ( maybe could have let freon out to air) so sent it to a friends shop. He just got the truck back, 3 days it took ( tires as well ) , havent heard about the heat .
Thank you! Used your link to buy the water gun.
Keep up good work. Nice video. Like your sense of humour . That judo chop on starting the ignition made my day. U should put judo Chop at start of video.
I am burning up just watching. Another great how too video.
With some older stuff where the tubes from the heater core come out of the firewall right next to each other the home gamer out in the snowy driveway quick fix is just to reverse the heater hoses at the heater core . The flow reversal flushes out the crap in the heater core tubes . Next winter switch them back the other way . This really works well , might take a bit of driving for the full effect .
Bro I did the flush and still no cigar, I'm going to try your method, if it works I will post another comment.
@@blueshirthandyman8460 Surprised to see a reply to my five-year-old comment. The hose reversal has worked well for me over the years. I live up in northern Canada and I've done this outside at -30 when I was desperate for heat. Good luck.
Robert, I only poured bleach, I think, reversing the flow once. I let bleach clean my F150. I think I reversed a couple of times. I must've fluked it right because it worked. It wasn't quite -40°F, but it was cold. The hoses were easy to get at in the large engine bay. I only used a pair of players.
@@davidweum David , Glad you got the heat working . With one of my old work/bush trucks I'd reverse the heater hoses once late in the fall then back again after mid winter . Kept me warm .
Doesn't the crap end up in the rad or engine that way ? Better to dump it on the ground so you can see what came out.
Nice video, Eric- thank you, and the "anonymous 3rd hand" you employ.
I've never seen that Top Side tool. pretty cool.
I was working on a Cadillac that had a plugged heater core and I hooked up water hose to the sink faucet on the hot side and run hot water through the heater core that way it really helped then I would pinch off the hose and let loose again and give it a burst that helped a lot...
Eric, watched that "other" video where you used the OTC gun. Ordered one! My truck was very marginal last winter. Used the gun and came out with readings very close to yours when done. Also, the initial blast produce some rust colored water. Expect to experience a much warmer winter this year. Thanks for Sharing!
Thanks for the video.
Very educational, thanks.
Hey, I have the same Made in China, 2 channel temperature gauge. I use it to reflow solder for motherboards.
ETCG ended up with a face full of antifreeze when he tried to unclog a heater core. I would have thought that you would have some special concoction similar to panther pee.
The probe is reading the temperature of the air, while the infrared is reading the surface temperature of the vent.
On my old Civic I used CLR. Poured it in there and let sit for an hr while I changed oil. All the minerals and rust flushed right out and avoided passing high pressure through it. Cheap and no tool needed.
First time I see a topside creeper. What a relief on the back.
@4:44 Scotty Kilmer with a chainsaw makes a comeback on the whiteboard!
The thermal coupler is reading raw air temp. The thermal gun is reading coolant temp. Don't forget your heater core has coolant passing through it. Two different tools for two different applications. The thermal coupler is more accurate for air temp. The thermal gun is used for way more different things. It can be used for air and coolant temp. In the event for diagnosing vent temps, I'd use the thermal coupler.
IR reads the surface temp of the heater core (if it can "see"it). The temp. probe is reading the temp of the heated (cool) air that blows through the heater core fins. If the probe cold reach and touch the core it would read the same temp as the IR. Imagine the reading on an IR pointed at the red-hot nichrome ribbon in a hair dryer or heat-gun and at the same time the reading from a thermocouple probe placed in the air blowing out of the device. There would be a huge difference in the temp readings. My IR only reads to 700 deg. F and a heat-gun's coils go way above that! And, yes, the heated air will be plenty hot, but not nearly as hot as the wire coils inside the dryer/heat-gun!
Hey,thanks for your input.lotta problems solved. Ear stuff.
Sent to my neighbor, he's being riding all winter with no heat. LMAO. Local dealership wanted to replace it at the tune of $1200. Hope this helps him. Thanks, great video.
Infrared sensors look at the surface you point it at; the thermal couple is looking at the air temperature surrounding the probe. There is a temperature drop from the hot surface to the ambient air which is why the inframeter reads higher than the thermocouple.
infared thermal gun is measuring the temperature of the plastics of the heat ducts and the thermocouple is measuring air temp.... ive found the readings you get with the thermal gun right when you pull the trigger is going to be the most accurate temp
Bingo. In fact if you look back at the first shot of the gun, you will see that what you said is the case. If you could stop the laser from going "through" the air to the first physical object it comes to, it would be consistent with the thermocouple.
Great Job and share!Thank U
@23:13 I loved the way you noticed the (ac) was on, that was funny as hell!!!! (watching old vids)!
Great video thank you
I wish you had showed us what came out, but thanks for the vid 😊
Everything, its a dodge, everything falls out
Cool creeper! I never knew there was such rig...
amzn.to/2pRn8pb
Yea, I always wondered how mechanics worked on pick up trucks without screwing their backs up.
December 2022, 2016 Ram 2500. Truck was blowing what felt like A/C with the heater cranked. Wife and kids needed blankets anytime we went somewhere. Just flushed it same as the video and heater is back. I have no clue what was clogging the core or why it happened but everything seems to function 100% now. Took about 1hr bought the OTC tool you will need to supply you're own air fitting. I used 5ft 5/8 hose cut in half with 2 5/8 male to male fittings. Caps were 5/8 as well had to buy a large assortment pack to get them all in I was about $110.00 USD and it took about an hour. Way better than the dealership having the truck for a week and charging $1200.00 for a new core. Hopefully the issue does not come back but I don't know why it happened to begin with so time will tell. I will try and remember to update. Hope this helps someone good luck.
Update 1-25-23
Worked for a couple weeks than slowly started cooling off. Heat is back to blowing cold air looks like I'm off to give the dealership a ridiculous amount of money.
Yes sir, S M A on a sat-ur-day!!
I am STUNNED to see by the comment's, That so many people do not know to flush their heater core? Simply amazing! It's either you flush them or, They rot out & take a leak onto the passenger side floor board & you get that sweet ethylene glycol/anti-freeze smelling interior within one's vehicle! That spray gun was cool, That I do not own & Need to get! I have a daiwoo/ Chevrolet Aveo which belongs to my Lady friend, She needs a water pump & radiator & lucky me, in the middle of winter without a garage, I am concerned about flushing the engine with water because, Unless I were to pull the freeze plugs, The engine will fill with water & if I do not complete all of the work at once & before nightfall, The temperature will fall below freezing. This will be my first water pump timing tentioner ordeal. instead of a normal timing tensioner. It requires a 41mm crows foot but, I am wondering if I can get away with using a different tool so that I am not purchasing a tool for more then likely a ONE TIME USE! At work, They sell a tool within the plumbing department which should work as long as I have enough room to maneuver it, It operates kind of like a cresent wrench, utilizing a thumb screw, I believe it is made by Irwin.