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Unclog a heater core...

Yeah, no valve on later S10s although it is a common mod to add one as even with the HVAC panel set to off it will still cook your feet. Nothing useful to add though, it sounds like you have it under control. Did you find out what the blockage is?
 
Yeeeeah... not under control at all. It didn't do anything. It's completely clogged. I'm debating just paying someone to replace it.
 
When I pulled my adapter hoses off, I saw that the inlet port was crushed/damaged by the hose clamp I'd used. So that's it for that core as far as I'm concerned. Oh well. It was worth a shot.

I'm going to study a few videos detailing pulling the dash back. You don't have to completely remove it to get the core out. So that's the route I'll take.

Luckily the m-m coupler I bought is a perfect fit for the two stock hoses as one side is smaller. As if it were designed for bypassing the core. At least I can drive it to work tomorrow.
 
Here's an alternative for you:

RTR2XJR8.jpg
 
I had one of those VW gas powered heaters--a time bomb waiting to go off!..many old bugs burnt to the ground that had them..

It did heat the car up nicely though--much better than the exhaust fume fogger the factory heater did...

I think the gas heater used more gas than the engine did though!..
The scariest part was getting the igniter to work properly..it had some kind of a built in delay,the gasoline would spray into a chamber for a few seconds ,then the igniter would go off,and it often lit with a "WHOOF_BOOM" kind of noise,that always made my testicles retract in fear..:eek:...

I sold it to another VW enthusiast I knew for a lot more $$$ than I gave for it..the person who sold it to me said "good luck,I don't trust these things much"..felt guilty for charging me anything for it!..
 
If you have any flow through the core, this might work....
In the past I have had to circulate descaling fluids through various types of coils/ heat exchangers. What I used was a bucket or some type of drum, a small circulation pump
and the cleaning agent. I have used caustic soda,,,,Tri sodium phosphate,,,,dishwasher detergent...and other proprietary chemicals depending upon the task at hand...
I've used pool pumps, submersible pumps, even cheap drill driven pumps...
Basically create a loop from the bucket thru the pump, thru the coil back into the bucket and let it run....my personal go to for cleaning out a cooling system after a blown head gasket where there is oil in the radiator is TSP or dishwasher detergent....both are non sudsing,,clean well and flush out and neturalize easily with some baking soda...

Hope this helps!!
 
Well... an update. The heater core is totally FUBAR.

Midas wants $1157 labor on the core alone, not including cooling system flush/refill, new heater hoses, new thermostat, recharging the A/C, etc...

So I need to see how much of this I'm willing/able to pull off myself.
 
Well swapping one is not hard per say, just takes a long time.
 
His is an 05, not as easy
 
Ive only ever pulled a s10 heater core out of a 91. They are easy. Im not familiar with the 05s...
 
Basically yes. The dash can be hinged back enough to do it without actually removing the whole thing. But the "heater core in an hour" videos on YouTube have misleading titles.

Those videos start with some dash parts already removed and really only accomplish pulling the dash back the rest of the way in an hour or so. The comments indicate it was still a 4-5hr job minimum.

And I didn't realize the A/C had to be discharged to pull it all apart.
 
If I can find a good detailed step-by-step guide, complete with info like what size sockets are needed where... I think I can do it. But I'll still need to have a shop recharge the A/C and do a full flush on the cooling system.
 
Yeah, already a step ahead of you there. It's already bypassed. I'd install the core and then take it to be flushed before connecting the new one.
 
Yeah. Those things work really well. I think @ryoken put one in his K5 years back. A Mojave as I recall.

The problem is plumbing the thing. Seems I'd be able to replace the core with less effort.

Temporarily solution: bought a ceramic heater tonight + a 12ga extension cord. Gonna fire it up 20-30mins before I leave for work tomorrow morning. Just gotta pre-heat it enough to keep my 2yr old son warm on the ride into work. I drop him off at day care.
 
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