2010 Heat problem

[spgirard30]

Hello everyone, first time posting after spending a few hours going through all the posts on the heating problems with these cars.

 

I have a 2010 Journey with he 3.5 and 94k miles.

My daughters car, she overheated it the other day and the only code I had was the coolant temp sensor.  

Replaced temp sensor, thermostat, and pressure cap.

Now I have no heat.  worked before the overheating issue.

I thought maybe air lock so I refilled the coolant with a vacuum filling tool.  

Still no heat.  

I then attached a coolant fill funnel to the tank and a 1/4 inch hose to the bleeder screw and started working the hoses and burping the system.  got some air out. but still no heat unless its just sitting inside the warm barn and up to operating temp.  Then I get a little bit of warm air out of the front.  I drive it and lose the warm air.

 

Replaced the radiator too just because I decided I am throwing the parts cannon at it against my better judgement.

 

I can drive it fine and the temp needle stays dead center on the gauge.

 

It passes a pressure test 16 psi holds steady for over an hour.

 

I finally took it to a shop and talked to a few mechanics and they all seem to think I have a blend door issue.

 

I take it home and pull the dash and heater box out which wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I replaced the heater core about a year ago where I just cut the tubes and connected it with heater hose under the dash.  

 

Well now I have the heater box out and all the doors are intact and seem to be working as they should.  Except the passenger side which I need to replace the blend door.

 

While I have this out I am going to put a new heater core in it and AC evaporator in it too.

 

Am I just dealing with an air lock?  I was thinking of bleeding it like I use to bleed old snowmobiles by parking them on a hill and let gravity help.  I read that someone else did that and it worked.  

 

Also the bleeder valve on this thing is in the worst spot, its under the throttle body pointing to the rear of the vehicle.  I have to remove the throttle body on to get a wrench on it to open it.  Can I tap the top of the housing and add another bleeder screw?  

 

 

[tsteves5]

I used to get air lock issues like this on occasion with other vehicles in the past.  After I switched to a vacuum filler I never had those issues again.  Since you used a vacuum filler, I'd be hesitant to think that it's an air lock issue.

 

Can you feel the heater core tubes/hoses when the vehicle is running and you're expecting to get heat but not getting heat?  That would tell you if that particular coolant path is working.

 

It's a little too coincidental that this happened after it overheated.  Maybe something is floating around in your coolant system, like a chunk of thermostat or gasket, etc.

[spgirard30]

16 hours ago, tsteves5 said:

I used to get air lock issues like this on occasion with other vehicles in the past.  After I switched to a vacuum filler I never had those issues again.  Since you used a vacuum filler, I'd be hesitant to think that it's an air lock issue.

 

Can you feel the heater core tubes/hoses when the vehicle is running and you're expecting to get heat but not getting heat?  That would tell you if that particular coolant path is working.

 

It's a little too coincidental that this happened after it overheated.  Maybe something is floating around in your coolant system, like a chunk of thermostat or gasket, etc.

 

I put it up on a lift while running and the heater tubes going to the back got warm.  I am not sure how hot they should get but didn't feel as hot as I think they should be.  

 

I am thinking about ordering a tool to do a reverse flush on the entire system while I have everything apart.  

 

I ordered new evaporator and heater core that will be here Thursday or Friday so I have a few days to try some flushing tricks.