How to Flush a Heater Core Safely (with a garden hose)

[@willk008]

I used a 2 liter bottle of water, an empty bottle to catch old fluids, a pair of pliers, a funnel and an electric tire pump. I literally just finished, took me 30 min (mostly removing hoses) I'm no mechanic. Worked like a charm and saved me some cash!! Went from no heat, to yea let me turn this off its gettin really hot in here lol. Thanks Bro!!!

[@mullerp5235]

Hello, I'm trying to flush my heater core but I don't have access to a garden hose. How did you connect your pump to the hoses??

[@N12Gautam]

Muller P watch the video

[@richb5478]

Good shit bro

[@evanarnold580]

"I used a 2 liter bottle of water, an empty bottle to catch old fluids, a pair of pliers, a funnel and an electric tire pump. I literally just finished, took me 30 min" -That's what she said

[@calvintek1976]

@@evanarnold580 lo {4

[@HumbleServant3777]

I just flushed my heater core for the first time at the age of 35, thanks to you. It was a complete success. This was the first time I've ever tried to work on my car myself. I learned it all from you. Next, I have to replace my radiator. Thank you very much. Keep up the great videos!

[@josemaldonado7257]

Chris! You literally saved me a whole lot of money and time. I lost heat last week and was freezing to death on my drive to work for a few days. I 1st watched your trouble shooting video, and tested my blend door, Thermostat, and Heater Control Valve, all were good, so moment of truth, I purchased 5/8 connector, clear hose, and reverse flushed, forward flushed, and reversed flushed again.....and wala, I have super hot heat. You’re amazing bro. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much 👍🏼👍🏼😃😃

[@cat22_a1]

*voila (its french)

[@LearnItalianCVC]

It's* ​@@cat22_a1

[@michaelespinel9674]

Hey we just did this to my 05 Acura MDX and It worked!!!!!!!! I went 3 winters with poor to no heat...I had tried everything from thermostat to fuses to radiator flush and nothing so it came down to the heater core.. I thought I either was gon sell my car as is or spend 900 for the heater core replacement..till my friend told me about your reverse heater core flush.. we just tried it and a big glop came out.. unbelievable!!! We closed it up and Bam we got heat!!!!! Thank you so much you saved me hundreds of $$$ God Bless you !!!!

[@wmluna381]

Great story 😊

[@joeyofblades]

Something I recommend that you may want to start saying is: take a picture of how it looks before hand! I can't tell you how many times I've done a job where I forget how something goes - my clutch cable took me 3 extra hours because I couldn't figure out how it was routed originally. It's easy to say you won't forget, but I advise anyone doing a job where you have to disconnect/reconnect things to take a picture before hand or mark the hoses/wires so you can remember where they're supposed to go. Great video though Chris, definitely going to try this method sometime!

[@chrisfix]

***** This is a good tip and I actually do say that on my more complex videos. For two hoses, I didnt think it was necessary, but good tip none the less!

[@jonrump4460]

THANK YOU! I just used your method on my 1998 Jeep Wrangler and it worked perfectly. The hardest part was disconnecting the hoses - they'd never been disconnected before. If I can do this, anyone can! I'm not a mechanic or even close to one. $10 in parts and an hour under the hood did the job. Keep up the tips!

[@caribbeanqueen5589]

Hey did you flush the radiator before doing the heater?

[@bobsbarnworkshop]

Chris Fix is great! One thing, turning the hose valve on 1/4 turn will NOT regulate pressure, it will just control how fast it flows. If there is a blockage, the pressure will rise to the household pressure at the hose value.

[@fazelpatel9398]

Ah good old fluid dynamics. I didn't even think of that. Direct correlation (inversely proportional) between pressure and volume of water. Similar to what happens when you put your thumb at the end of a hose.

[@Greenrosettas]

Yup. Absolutely correct.

[@jack765ful]

Totally agree.

[@MusicIsMyOxycontin]

Well, I'm sure how quickly that rise is depends on the rate of flow so the same caution is still recommended, right?

[@pismo6111]

Yep,you would have to turn down you regulator.Way down.

[@adamciborowski9059]

I never comment on videos but I have to admit that this worked perfectly for my 2008 Jeep Liberty. I wasn't getting any heat on the driver's side (the only side you actually care about) and little to no heat on the passenger side. I decided to do this exactly like the video and I had amazing results!!! I'm not the most amazing handy-man either so I would give this a 3 out of 5 difficulty. The only issue I had was getting the hoses off but everything else went smoothly. Thanks for the help!

[@NorincioAgnaran]

Every problem or project I decide to do brings me across one of your videos. Guide 10/10 Explanations 10/10 Preventative Measures mentioned 10/10 and my favorite thing about you is you don't ramble, stutter or droll on about unimportant stuff. As always, thanks for the best video we can ask for!

[@chrisfix]

+Justin Heater I try my best to cover the important and common problems and I am glad the videos have been helpful!!! Thanks for the feedback Justin!!!!

[@joeybernal9719]

I found this channel last year. Just bought a 2018 F-150 3 weeks ago and the heater went out last weekend. Your instructions through all the heat problems were perfect. Flushing the core did the trick. I was nervous but it worked! Thanks for all your videos sir!

[@thatrandommexicanguy]

You’re a great guy. Saving all these people money and helping them take pride in their vehicles. I never thought I could maintain and fix a car like I’ve done to my vehicle but you make it so easy. Bringing back good old school do it yourself America. Thank you Chris.

[@mollielambert9501]

I pray this is what I need to do. Thank you for being detailed. My heater has to be at 90 and just a puff of heat.

[@stevemacqueen4946]

Man , I fixed my heat issue in less than 1 hour ! You make people save money ,give clear instructions ,Couldn’t be more grateful,you make look things so easy to do 😎 cheers mate

[@mauricetaitt1041]

very good, I am going to start fixing my own vehicle.i will continue to watch your videos.you are a very good teacher.thank you.

[@kenworthsmith9142]

How to hey dash off

[@kenworthsmith9142]

How do I get heater core out

[@artboyee]

Wow!!! It worked!!! I no longer have luke warm heat... followed this video and saved a ton of time and money on my 21 year old Cherokee!!

[@LibertyFreedom1787]

Great vid! Just did this to my 97 Civic LX and the hose location was nowhere near as easy as it was on this truck. Instead of buying hoses/adapters I just disconnected the two tubes on their opposite ends since they were much easier to get a grip on there. I did have a problem with air in the system so I took the radiator cap off and revved the motor until the coolant went down and I topped it off some more. After a few cycles of that the heat finally started kicking in. Went from 107F to 145F. Huge difference!

[@wmluna381]

Great info! How do / did you determine that air was a problem in your system after the flush? I have heard this mentioned a number of times in the videos I've watched thus far, but no one ever details that car acts a certain way or if there is a specific dash reading that comes up that will flag this problem.

[@edwolf5256]

I'm Watching your videos for a year an i must praise you a lot. Your videos helped me to diagnose a bad battery, bad alternator and to diagnose a parasitic current draw. Today i flushed my heater core and I'm amassed how good that worked, and how much junk there was inside. I don't have much time to work on my car, but from time to time i fix things on it. I got myself an E34 520i 1991 in fall last year and with your help I'm fixing it good :D Next on my ''TO DO LIST'' is that cooling system super flush, because there is also a lot of junk in my radiator. Keep up the good work Chris and thank you for all the effort you make to do this awesome videos.

[@BigBearEatYou]

I just watched your cooling system flush video and this video and I feel so much better about doing the work needed on my cooling system now! Thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge. I am now subscribed and will be sure to refer people to your channel if they ask about diy mechanical issues. I also wanted to give you an even bigger THANK YOU for the advice about turning your heater on once a month during the summer months. I live in Phoenix AZ and have had at least 3 older vehicles end up with heater core problems. I honestly think your advice will prevent me from running into similar issues in the future. I am surprised no one else has ever suggested that to me before & I'll be sure to share that advice to friends and family as well. Thx again and I look forward to learning more from you 😁

[@bobvansand6346]

Mine had rusty crud comin out, but having no water at my workplace, i blew with my hand on the radiatorcap and i changed direction, and succes!! Filled up with gallon bottles....so yes i improvided, and worked great! Temperatures inside increased like it should! Thanks for the knowledge, i built upon, bob the Belgian🇧🇪🍺👌

[@davecrupel2817]

Even sometimes in the summer, when on the highway, I'll turn the heat to full blast, and aim it out my windows. Provides a liiittle extra bit of cooling for the engine. And keeps the heater nice and clean

[@chrisfix]

Thanks for sharing!

[@speedyboi4623]

Yeah, when me and my brother would be flying around in his 2000 bmw 323ci we would do the same to keep the engine cool

[@chicagoronald]

Sir, you are a rock star!!! Thank you soooo much! All mechanics and shops insisted that I needed to replace my heater core. After you taught me how to flush the heater core of my 23-year-old Chevy Silverado My heat works great!

[@brendabenton4999]

Chris I would like to complement you on your very informative video. You explained it with no questions to ask very complete and explained it so I could understand it with no mechanical experience. I personally thank you. I would give you a 10.

[@PrideOfThePacificTX]

Just performed this on my car that had really low heat, and now its blazing HOT!!! Thank you ChrisFix! Love the videos! I purchased the same blue and black adapter as is in the video, and it had a hard time letting water through, so didn't get much pressure, but maybe I did it wrong. I ended up just hooking up the water hose directly to the terminals, and it worked just fine as far as I know, super toasty.! Thanks again! Just in time for winter!

[@richardbarkley9909]

I am a HUGE fan of the Prestone Flush & Fill kit-You simply cut your INLET hose to your heater core, install the "T" hook up your garden hose, turn on heater full blast, run the engine through several warm up and cool down cycles-(Thermostat opening and closing)

[@JTHitt1]

Just reversed flushed a 2000 Dodge Dakota heater core, then did a Zerex radiator super flush . Worked like a charm - went from no heat to fabulous. The antifreeze was the color of mud virtually certainly no one had changed antifreeze in 22 years. I'm on rinse number 5 ( three before the radiator flush, and two after) filling the radiator with water, getting up to operating temperature and then draining the system. Two or three more and it'll be ready for the new coolant. Thank you!

[@Jeff82556]

Excellent video once again. You certainly cover all the bases. I recently flushed a heater core on a '03 Town & Country. It improved from virtually no heat to 135 degree heat. A '03 Ford Taurus is next up, which has absolutely no heat. Thanks again Chris!

[@Simplythathuman05]

You must like cars from 2003 than lol

[@Jeff82556]

@@Simplythathuman05 THEN!

[@jcravatt1]

CHRIS, you da man. The cold blast hits this week. I used your tips on a 2007 Dodge Nitro and the thermometer went from 78 deg to 150 degrees. I bought 5/8 inner diameter hose at the lumber store and flushed back and forth with a regular water hose and a simple water sprayer that looks like a gun that fit snug into the end of 4 foot clear hose. I also used dish soap then to help and 1 hour soak of prestone radiator flush, then a final water rinse and added coolant to the heater core.

[@dashby1953]

Chris, love your teaching style and positive, can do attitude. I’ve been turning wrenches for over 50 years and you still manage to pass along an unknown trick occasionally! I am curious as to why you opted to not install the full flush kit. I installed a kit in my 05 Mustang, that I had previously installed in a 93 Aerostar, but removed it before sending the mini to the scrap yard. It still functions flawlessly, and makes a radiator flush easier than changing oil...

[@cool67rs]

Awesome video! No heat before in my 2004 jeep grand caravan.... back flushed using some light compressed air... blew a bunch of crud... yuck! flushed with clear water forward and backward... Heat is scorhing now.. measured at 168 degress!! Thanks so much Chris!!

[@lostsoul3154]

Run your heater for a couple of minutes per week in the summer and your A/C a couple of minutes in the winter when the air temp is above 32-deg. Your cooling system will be always be trouble-free.

[@richb5478]

Dude I never thought about this about anybody else but I could almost compare you to the Modern Day Jesus it's quite the compliment but you deserve it you felt. So many people struggling to make ends meet to be able to fix their own vehicles in their own driveways it's just amazing man I don't think I've ever met anybody like you

[@mikemc4340]

My mechanic told me that my jeep has a clogged heater core and needed to be replaced. I said can you flush it? He said that’s usually a waste of money and doesn’t fix it. I’m going to try your video and hope it works

[@guyfaux2588]

I was told the same thing by a mechanic . I dont have money like that did you ever fix it I would love to know so 8 can try it I hope the mechanic was wrong and yu say yu flushed it with great suc4ss olarsse I need your help😔mike mc

[@mikemc4340]

@@guyfaux2588 I tried to flush it and it was a disaster. I kept the water pressure very low. The flow was so weak. I then put the cleaner in let it soak for 50 minutes. I then hook the hose back up and still the flow soaked. However the water was running clear. Unfortunately my passenger side floor got full of water. I kept the pressure so low. I even used a funnel to add water. I had to take it to the shop to replace the core and I replaced the blower motor at same time. Wasn’t paying for that shit a third time to open the dash. Got heater core , blower motor , windshield washer pump and upper ball joints replaced for a $1000. Finally my heat is great. I also got a tune up that help my starting issues and check engine light fixed. Wish you luck

[@wmluna381]

@@mikemc4340 What kind of vehicle do you have?

[@jonathanhansen5208]

I was looking on how to fix a coolant system because my heat in my 2005 honda accord isn't working, along with a few other issues; power steering doesn't work, the paint and body need repaired because of rust. These are all things that you have a video for, thanks to you i have my new hobby and I personally enjoy honda's, yet always wanted a type of convertable, now I cannot wait until i can get a del sol of my own, thanks for everything Chris. Can't wait to until i fix a mechanical issue all by myself. I look forward to learning and fixing my own vehicles. p.s. its easy to see why you hit 6 million subscribers, Congrats.

[@chrisfix]

***** You are definitely correct but if the rate of flow is slow enough there will be no excess buildup of pressure and for the 5/8s tubing I was using, the 1/4 a turn put a little less than 10psi. It is hard to communicate a pressure to people when they dont have a pressure gauge so this 1/4 turn method worked. Thanks for the input!

[@jaywillis6003]

.

[@thesmoothjazzguy2012]

I have a 97 Dodge Intrepid, and I know it's a sh!t car, but the AC is the only thing that has never broken, and is still good! The heater however, runs really hot with the fan on low, but when I turn the fan on high, it slowly gets cooler until it's just slightly warm, and the returning heater hose becomes cool.

[@chrisfix]

John Smith Sounds like it might be getting clogged. Here is a helpful video on how to diagnose your heater: kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4nNiYeMf815gq8

[@thesmoothjazzguy2012]

I checked that out, and my heater is definitely plugged up. It's a mess under the hood of those Intrepids, and really hard to get to the heater without tearing the whole engine apart. I'm probably gonna have a professional clean the evaporator, heater core, and then flush it out since there is a bit of dust building up, and i'll probably get the engine mounts, struts, and oil leaks fixed. I noticed ever since I had my leaky power steering lines fixed, the pump makes a grinding hum that wasn't there before, and if I turn my wheel fully right or left, it grinds the pump. Is my pump going bad too?

[@chrisfix]

John Smith Sounds like whoever you took it too ran the pump when it was dry. I would try adding an additive such as this: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000930N0U/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B000930N0U&linkCode=as2&tag=chri0e2-20&linkId=7BDY5LNLSNTHUCEU It might stop the noise and that stuff is pretty good!

[@jeratt1]

Thanks for this, I'm going to give this a try. My truck has very little heat on the drivers side and none at all on the passenger. Replaced the thermostat but didn't fix anything. This makes sense to me, plus doesn't look overly hard and cheap.

[@ElizabethGreene]

Thank you for this video. I was getting ready to pull the dash to replace the heater core and this saved me from that. An hour's work instead of 12. Thanks...!

[@intheair2777]

My 1982 280zx has been over heating. It take 30 to 45 mins to start to go past what I believe to be the yellow zone, point here is it take time to over heat. Unusual. I had a blow head gasket turned out to be a faulty Therm. So tested old and new and replaced with new. I used some cheap K-seal at first and did nothing to fix gasket. I saw your video and decided to use Bars, it took 8 weeks to work but it did. I have seen two, 2 inch rubber things floating in radiator, gold/orang in color, I believe it was the K-seal as it is gold in color. I think some of it is in the columns of the radiator. Not sure, and not sure it to be the issue. The water pump is on the new side and makes no noise, seems fine. Brings me to maybe clogged heater core, but heater work good-good heat! Now for what I plan to do, but I am hoping you have some ideas of why over heating. I find it odd that it takes long to over heat, so I feel stuff (Maybe K-seal stuff) is floating in the coolant system and after a while collects somewhere, and slows water flow. Maybe Radiator, or behind Therm, or water pump obstruction, maybe heater core. What I did so far: I took radiator hoses off and clamped seals to the holes. Don't laugh now, I put in Paint thinner and let sit for a few days. Captured the fluid and stored back in cans. Water flushed with hose and with high pressure machine too. I put just water in ran the car to test if helped. It did! So I did a 2nd time, it helped a small bit more. Using high pressure hose directly in top hole but can't reach all radiator columns if that is where the rubber like K-seals are still stuck. I do believe the paint thinner loosen those two I spoke about. I figure that's why I saw them floating on top of radiator, and yes i got them out. HERE IS MY QUESTION: You have a vid on the gasket seal prods, and K-seal was one of them, but seems the Bars was far better, so this is why I ask you... #1. Do you think that more of the K-seal strands (About an inch long, could be stuck in the vertical columns of the radiator? #2. And or do you think some of them are floating throughout the cooling system clogging some or all of the, Radiator, Therm, Heater Core, Water Pump? #3. Or do you have a guess what the issue is? Other issue maybe related. Q #4. Also, another things happening is, Antifreeze seems to be disappearing little by little. Nothing dripping under the car, and nothing anywhere on the engine or it would be under the car. So is the yellow zone over heating burning the Antifreeze, making it evap? I hope you can give some suggestions even if they are what I am doing now. Any other thoughts I can check? Thanks for the help.

[@adayinthelife1704]

Your vids are the best! And they keep getting better! Saves me time and money. Keep up the great work Chris

[@chrisfix]

Jorge Marcial Thanks Jorge!

[@adamtarrington6541]

Cheers Chris. I lost all heat in my 2008 Jeep Cherokee crd (Liberty). Thought I was going to have to replace the core, but tried your heater core flush method and now have full heat again. It’s hard to get to the heater core hose clamps on my model but bought some remote pliers with the cable pull. You’ve saved me a big bill👍🏻

[@stephenyoungblood3683]

Chris, you have a great presentation style. Keep it up!

[@chrisfix]

+Stephen Youngblood Thanks a lot!

[@KrisMcCool]

Stephen Youngblood i

[@antoinettebrowning5325]

My car is not holding water put it in and and fall right back out

[@juanmiranda3611]

Hllhhhlh

[@richardleavitt8212]

@@chrisfix q

[@zaperfan]

Hi, Chris I just flushed mine out the way you described got rid of all the gunk out the heater core. the heater was only blowing warm, air after the flush its really hot now I can't have the heater on full anymore. Thank you so much for posting you saved my some expense thank you

[@elijahhand2633]

I just bought a 1995 caprice a couple weeks ago and still need to flush the heater core. Right now the weather has a -30 degree windchill 🙃

[@masterxyr]

Got a 1996 Seat Ibiza with exactly these symptoms. Guess what I'm doing this weekend! Thanks a bunch Chris!! Very helpful, thoroughly explained and free!!!

[@MrXclusivE12]

Dude you rock. I've been member on car forums since the 90s I give you2 thums up. This is exactly the DIY video that's enjoyable to watch. I wish you all the success

[@chrisfix]

Thanks a lot!

[@ixionn563]

Just put a new thermostat in my 15 year old Dodge truck, it was stuck and the truck would never warm up like it should have. With the new one now it warms up and stays at exactly where it should be (right at the middle line in the gauge.) My heat works way better now also, gonna be doing this flush this week, can't wait to see how much better my heat will work. You should definitely do a thermostat replacement video if you haven't already, it's a simple job to do (albeit a bit messy) but I'm sure it would be a helpful video for some with the same issue. FYI anyone with a Dodge/Chrysler/Jeep that has the 5.7 Hemi, if you get a code that says something like "coolant temp too cold" and your car doesn't seem to warm up fully replace the thermostat. The one you want to get for the 5.7 Hemi is a CarQuest 48792 from Advance Auto Parts, US made, the ones sold at Autozone are junk. Thanks Chris!

[@richb5478]

Chrisfix I can say with all honesty I've learned more from your videos than anything I've ever learned in school I appreciate what you do so much thank you!!

[@Ass4ssinXIV]

A couple things. You opened the cooling system. Even though you refilled the heater core with anti-freeze, there will still be air trapped in the system. This can cause problems such as no or warm heat if there is air in the heater core (coolant wont flow properly), idle issues (air can trick the coolant temperature sensor into thinking the car is not at operating temperature, causing idle surge/fluctuation and sometimes even a rich running condition), and if there is enough air the car can even overheat (coolant won't flow properly). You mentioned running the heat in the summer. You don't even have to turn on the fan. The climate control knob will open the valve by the heater core allowing coolant to flow through. Great video. Glad you mentioned to NOT use CLR, I have seen other tutorials where it was used. A good alternative would be Simple Green degreaser.

[@chrisfix]

Assassin XIV Thanks for the tips. I filled the heater core with coolant so you do not have to worry about air being trapped in it. The highest point while filling the heater core was the hose outside the heater core so air was forced out. The heater core hoses commonly have air in them when you shut the heat off so there is nothing to worry about with that. You go for a test drive to test the system and it will be obvious that you have air in the system because you wont get heat. Not ever HVAC system works the same and just putting the knob to heat on some cars (typically climate control cars) will not open the heater control valve so that is why I say to just run the heat. Also, it is easier to remember to run the heat when there is heat coming out. I like the simple green idea, that is something that might work well.

[@Nick-ko1tw]

My car is running good 14 minutes ago but now i need to flush my heater core

[@paultomlinson2695]

totally

[@davidweum9334]

Don't be afraid of doing your own simple work. Learn. Figure it out. Do it.

[@ronnietoni819]

Me too, I think I’ll do it myself

[@waynesullivan5519]

I work on cars for a living I got a garage I can fix your heater core 414 875 all 499 call me anytime if anybody needs any help on cars

[@PneumaticFrog]

@@davidweum9334 unless you have a 2nd gen mini cooper... like zero space in my engine bay. if you want to do anything big you either remove the intake pipes or take off the bumper. mind you, its only like 20 screw to take off the bumper. I can get it done in 20 minutes and put it back on in 8mins Nvm, now that i think about it, its the same with pretty much every hatchback. Still I love this car and its pretty reliable if you change the oil every 5000/8000km

[@MartinSage]

You are a real Pro Cris! I am 70. My friend is same age and is. Chemist. He created a Pro Head Gasket Sealer that is the Best! Anyway he told me to dump DRAIN-0 gel 15oz in radiator (says safe for all plastic + metals) and run heater full blast for 15min. THEN DO YOUR REVERSE FLUSH! My 35yr old Toyota PU has never leaked.

[@edquinn8427]

great vid! your hoses are easy..i have a 2001 ford taurus with factory sealed hoses-i would have to cut the hose if i can reach them.but it would be worth it. thanks for saying not to use clr,i saw that on another vid.

[@mr.nobody3661]

thank you Chris, you've saved me so much money. I personally don't like going to auto shops cause most of those guys are not very honest people and it causes me a lot of anxiety whenever i have some problems with my car.

[@kyore789]

My dad knows so much about cars but he never tells me about things like this when he knows my truck has these problems, idk why. Thanks Chris.

[@chrisfix]

Glad you’re learning a lot from the videos!

[@BradleyBeeksAdventures]

Probably waiting for you to pay him lol.

[@felipetecontero3446]

He's a bad dad

[@kyore789]

@@felipetecontero3446 maybe lol

[@susu-mi7kx]

its ok you learn. Sometimes parents dont want you to surpass them. But YOU go on and do JUST THAT!

[@bepos1luvok989]

You are so precise, detailed, professional and knowledgeable. You made it easy to understand. I went through the other end of the hoses and didn't use clear hoses. IT WORKED!! Thank you for sharing your gift. You are bless.

[@chrisfix]

+bepos1luv ok AWESOME! Glad the video was helpful!

[@rodneygonzalez6977]

Thanks so much for this video man! The flush brought my heater from super cold to make you sweat hot! It was like sludge coming out. Your a life savor man!

[@mikemakesandfixes2070]

I used all of the tips and techniecs addressed by Chris on flushing and maintaining the cool/heating system two summers ago, and I did it on my 96 F-150 with the 4.9L 300 I6, this info is great, I did only one thing different, instead of just flushing everything with water and refilling, I went to the local dollar store bought some cheap coke refilled and burped the system just like I would with coolant, and drove the truck for just over two summer months, later "in September" I dumped and reflushed then refilled the system with coolant, and Wala no more gooo in the cooling system and no lifted head gasket.

[@JaiDevereaux]

Thanks a ton for this. Still helping people in 2022. I did it slightly differently by detaching the hoses at the engine rather than the firewall. Then, the old fashion brass 'twist on and adjust' garden hose nozzle fit and sealed perfectly inside the heater outlet hose. Everything flushed like a charm on my 1999 Chevy S10 and we have heat again.

[@chrisfix]

Awesome! Glad the video was helpful!

[@MrDionstarrr]

Chris been a bigger hero to this world than your favorite avenger. Since day one.

[@chrisfix]

Haha thanks!

[@royalpleco405]

Would it be the same if I unplug the hose from the heater control valve instead of from the firewall. In that case, I can use the original hose to flush?

[@kylekelley3090]

This worked for my 2013 Ram 1500. Heat worked on passenger side only, no other issues. After flushing all vents blow hotter than ever before. I was pretty shocked because no large contaminates came from the flush

[@souljabro3601]

Chris Fix you are the man! Thanks for these videos they have taught me a lot and saved me tons of money. Keep up the good work.

[@travismuniz7784]

This worked like a charm on the first try. Saved us a $100 or more to fix this elsewhere. Easy to follow and perform, thanks!

[@neilperko8882]

thanks so much. just flushed mine. it was fully clogged. I might have changed my heater core if I hadn't learned about this. what a waste of time that would have been.

[@SABjork]

Very well done. Good videography. I had no heat, just cold air from a hot engine. I just took and old garden hose and cut it in half, then clamped the cut ends onto the intake and output of the core using the same hose clamps. ran a reverse flush from the hose bib through the core and then through the control valve. Now the heater gets hotter than hell. Cost $0.00 I like that you addressed getting the air out of the cooling system by refilling the core first. Air can cause big problems.

[@chrisfix]

SA Bjork Thanks man and AWESOME! Glad the video helped and you got your heat going!

[@spacemanwithraygun3933]

Badass videos for real. I have fixed the hell out of f-150 myself based solely on watching these.

[@christiancook3118]

Good callout on not using CLR. Every video ive watched prior to yours is being done with CLR, and upon looking at MY heater core, its obviously aluminum. You definitely made the process seem alot more foolproof. Great vid.

[@chrisfix]

Thanks!

[@teenaramsay2469]

If your heater core is actually blocked by crud on the ends of the tubes, you may need to increase the pressure more than you show on this video...and sometimes a blast of high pressure air into the flowing flushing water will causes bubbles to agitate the water which will also disturb/loosen/remove that crud. Beats removing and replacing the heater core....

[@maryepiscopo970]

I watch you faithfully everyday. I find your easy to follow instructions. Thank you for taking time to teach

[@heathschwab]

Thanks my heater don't work I freeze during the winter but I'm Fixen to try and fix. I don't drive much being disabeld but I do have Dr appt and store rides so yea can't freeze this winter. Thanks for the help. God bless

[@DrSayre]

Chris, I did this, this weekend to my Jeep Grand Cherokee and now I have heat! Hardest part is removing the clamps (Jeep likes to put them really close together so getting them back on can be tough)

[@chrisfix]

AWESOME! Glad the video was helpful!

[@fordwindsor351]

I had a 98 Ford Expedition that had limted flow in both heater cores, I didnt have access to a water hose/outlet so I used compress air and was thankful that this fix this issue to give us heat, before this the heat was barelt felt. I didnt use air alone, I would fill the given amt of hose with water and then blow it through. Took 3 to 4 times to get the crap out. Also thankful that i didn't have to replace the heater core, its a pain in these models, the whole dash has to be remved.

[@chrisfix]

fordwindsor351 That is awesome! I was thinking about making another video with using an air compressor for that exact reason! Glad you got it working! Nice work!

[@greatray6262]

Old 70's and 80's model Chevy pickups used to have an easy to locate heater core access panel under the dashboard that would allow you to quick change a core in about 30 minutes. There's no reason for auto manufacturers to make such a easy job so complicated.

[@realiztik6670]

+Raymond Johnson _ Yeah. So they can make money

[@kennethturner7942]

I just bought a 05 Chrysler Town and Country van, and its a big bucket of problems. One of them is the heat really isn't great and I bet this would help! Maybe I should do a video, too! Ken in the Garage!

[@HumbleFigure]

I really hope this is what my car needs. Gonna flush mine this weekend. When i turn my heat on full it takes like 10 mins or more to heat up even when driving.

[@chrisfix]

Let me know how it goes!

[@clarkchiles7893]

Thanks for the video! My 95 BMW 525i was barely putting out any heat and after following your instructions shes pumping out heat again! Very pleased I didnt have to take it to the shop! I did a full cooling system flush btw following your other video because I was over heating. Cleaning out the system as well as a new fan clutch did the trick.. Thanks again!

[@jorgevega2216]

I know it's toxic, but it's so sweet! I just can't stop drinking it.mmm so refreshing!

[@joeyknight8272]

LoL dead yet

[@snowdaysrule]

You enjoying the kidney stones? Oh wait you're dead you can't reply.

[@cuphead8159]

I perfer to drink Blinker fluid

[@namefamily6594]

Better drink it with burbon!

[@Kingdan2011]

They added a bittering agent in the 90's.... Lol

[@Bikewithlove]

Thank you again, Chris! The heater hoses on my 97 malibu go back down behind the engine so I connected the clear water hoses to the heater hoses with plastic splicers and it worked great. there was a quick disconnector on the inlet hose that had corroded & it completely crumbled when I separated the heater hose so I’m glad I caught it because it was leaking a little, so it was a blown hose waiting to happen! I cut 1” off the end of the hose & cleaned it up so that when I finished up I re-attached it directly to the heater pipe. Those quick-disconnects are more of a hassle than a convenience. Ask me how I know...

[@wmluna381]

What tool did you use to cut the 1" part? I am trying to assign handiness to things I already have or buy what is needed for such projects. Plus I have carpal tunnel so my wrists aren't great for endurance challenges.

[@farmerbutler5534]

this video was very helpful i will be doing this soon to my jeep 3 and 4 fan speed blows cold air so i hope this will fix it

[@steveofsd]

I'm getting no heat to very little heat in my 2014 Corolla, I'm narrow it down to the clogged heater core because the inlet is hot and the outlet is cold. Only a no flow will give you that symptom. Thanks for the tips and video ChrisFix.

[@SkySweeperSyn]

This makes this look very clear and simple. Thank you! I actually feel confident trying to do this to my own car.

[@josedonjuan5301]

Good video, nice teacher, I am not mechanic but I saw the same procedure and when you invert conection hoses, more dirty water coming out. Then this will do best results

[@brianwilson3133]

The timing of that dog was perfect

[@kellyburch3041]

This video is an excellent example of why I subscribe: clear, thorough and well edited for brevity but fully complete as to the steps and procedure in general. This also makes me happy: you endorse recycling; give major tips out of the video and the instructive nature of the experience is enhanced. Really proud of you. These videos are thoughtful and their precision unequaled. Thanks and give that bad-dog Spike a pat on the head for helping you out.

[@chrisfix]

***** Thanks Kelly! I really appreciate how you point out the specific stuff I do to make these videos! It is nice when people notice! And haha, Spike is a good actor right? He knows right when to come into the video lol

[@dpfreak29]

Yo Spike almost DIED!!! Good thing Chris Fix has lightning fast reflexes. Good looks, Chris Fix.

[@MiguelRPD]

Thanks for all the info! gonna do a flush this week. I don't need to since my heat is already working well. But it's something that I know the previous owner hasn't messed with, and my radiator fluid is starting to turn. I'll report back later.

[@royalleader88]

Great Information. I have always loved your videos, you go into much detail and do an awesome job! Will try this out soon.

[@dethmaul]

I love your videos. concise and thorough. Im going to flush mine and flush my cooling system because of you, instead of taking it in and having them do it with a machine. My dashboard squeals and gurgles intermittantly, and my vents blow at 111-125°. Later in the video i see gloves crammed into the adapter, obviously to prevent leaks. Next time, use garden hose rubber gaskets. A whole bag 'o ten or so is like two bucks at lowes. You can freshen up all your dried out ones in your hoses at home while you're at it, and still have leftovers.

[@chrisfix]

+dethmaul Thanks for sharing and good luck! And yea, I couldnt get that dang thing to stop leaking haha. Got the correct setup now though!

[@GaZonk100]

be super-careful removing the hoses...if they're stuck, use a hose-pick tool...you really do not want to snap one off and that can happen

[@angelsong119]

Wow Chris! You make excellent videos for the regular guy or gal (me😊). Simple. Exact. Pictures. You ROCK 🎉

[@jims146]

Just a tip: some cars use a pull through design rather than a push through heater core. This is to slow down leaks onto the floor from the heater core. This way the heater core leak draws air in instead of pushing coolant out through the leak. Cars with this design can have both hoses from the heater core removed and never push coolant out of either hose.

[@chrisfix]

***** Thanks for sharing!

[@crunch3000d]

I have an 87 Monte Carlo LS V6 and all of the things you have done, I can do on my baby. Thanks for making it easy and understandable. you have another subscriber!!

[@garysmart1]

i wonder how many expercience mechanic mad of you for doing this videos :) probably a lot

[@nihonkokusai]

not here

[@jordanchamberlain4377]

There’s always gonna be those inexperienced women, old guys that don’t like car work, or businesses that need company vehicles worked on. Mechanics are always in need my friend

[@TheBushcraftBrothers]

Got the heat working again in my Mom's LR Disco II with this... Thanks Chris, just in time for winter!! (She went an entire year and half with no heat in that SUV!)

[@chrisfix]

***** AWESOME! That is great news and thanks for letting me know! I am glad she will be warm this winter!

[@NoWr2Run]

I would suggest NOT DISCONNECTING the hoses that attach directly on the heater core but from the other end of the hose. You risk cracking the heater core by doing it this way.

[@TanTan-ni4mg]

Shhhh. Ut tfu

[@kyonte9044]

nowr2run you idiot that’s why he said make sure the pressure is low

[@fazelpatel9398]

If the hoses are difficult to remove from the heater core inlets and outlets, I imagine you are saying the force and twisting motion can cause the cracking as you remove the existing hoses. I know my hoses were on solid and were difficult to remove.

[@mattm6430]

Got same advice when i bought new radiator. Makes sense. Keep trying to help others and ignore the inevitable hate. Others appreciate it.

[@kidojunior]

Very true! Thanks for sharing. It's risky when dealing with delicate cars like Frontier/Navara D40

[@EnriqueLopez-hb5jn]

I just wanted to make an observation, before putting the hoses back on, clean the edges where the hoses connect since it might some surface rust .

[@Woodenarrows]

As usual, very informative. Great video

[@chrisfix]

***** Thanks man!

[@12vgs8606]

ChrisFix Once again you hit it out of park! But that is quite routine for you :-)

[@chrisfix]

12vgs8606 Thanks a lot!

[@carlysipe7600]

Kolby

[@richb5478]

Woodenarrows yeah he's great

[@gymellchrichlow]

my heat temp. was about 91° and after i did the flush it raised to 140° thanks for this amazing video Chris...

[@chrisfix]

+Gymell Chrichlow AWESOME! Glad you have warmer heat now!

[@gymellchrichlow]

Yea and i also saw improvements on my dad's car and a couple of friends' #veryhelpful

[@sithsiri]

Those little pieces in the bucket could also have been from the garden hose itself. You don't want any of that in the heater core, so before attaching the hose to the flush kit you should probably let it run into the grass for a bit, to flush that out as well ;)

[@ghoraimandu]

good video! i elected to cut the hoses right where they were easy to get to, and splice them back together with 5/8 inch nylon couplings and hose clamps, all from home depot. I cris-crossed the hoses though, making the heater inlet into the outlet. with the flow in the opposite direction, the 2000 gmc sierra truck heater worked like new immediately :-). the reverse flow idea was from my mechanic and the idea to cut and splice was mine as he had told me the plastic connections on the truck can break and cause big problems so i didnt want to remove the hoses at the firewall. Also, I was far from home and had no hose... did the job for under ten bucks, right in the H.D. parking lot - in 45 minutes including trips inside for parts then another trip to buy a utility knife to cut the hoses... duh.

[@ghoraimandu]

Your way is cleaner and more professional, but with minimal resources the reversal way i used does work. Thanks again for the excellent video. Good production and clear presentation. art

[@wmluna381]

I am trying to get a sense of the cross crossing / reversal thing you did...so was there any draining /flushing / removal of liquids involved in this on-the-spot fix?

[@ghoraimandu]

@@wmluna381 No, I didn't do anything other than what I wrote there. That truck hardly gets used, but I just drove it last month from where it had been in Dallas, and brought it to LA and the heater works great. In fact it was 30 in El Paso one morning and I forgot that the heater had ever not worked until I just got your question by email. I hope your fix works as well as mine. Art

[@wmluna381]

@@ghoraimandu Sweet, thanks for clarifying and taking the time to reply to my question. 😊

[@ghoraimandu]

@@wmluna381 Oh yeah, since you asked about liquid removal or loss... as I recall, when I cut the hoses a very little coolant leaked out of the system. (since you are cutting at the top of the cooling system, gravity keeps almost all the juice from draining out) Of course you can top off the system when you are all done if you feel the need. I can't remember if I did or not. I am sure I left the coolant in there because I was curious if whatever had clogged the heater core in the first place would re-clog it over time, but my mechanic told me it wouldn't and it has not. I would be curious to know if it works for you, too. Art

[@javierschmit7391]

Thank you. Perfect presentation.

[@Alexander54687]

I just did this to my Volvo and it worked perfectly. Great vid bro!

[@travisjones4459]

Man! Where are you when I need you.. LOL To bad youre not in Vegas!

[@basthan1]

I've been driving my ranger since 2008... I was 15 years old at the time (in sc you can get your license at 15) and decided I wanted a cb radio. I accidently drilled into the heater core. $750 and a week and a half of not having my truck and tiding the school bus taught me not to mess around with the heater core lol. I sure did have a sauna driving to the mechanic with the anti freeze pouring right onto the cab floor and filling my radiator with gallons of water every mile. Ah good times (I wouldn't have said that at the time) :)

[@chrisfix]

Nathan Bastedo Ouch. That does make for a good story now and you learned a lot/your lesson so! But yea, back then that was not what you were thinking lol