Heater help...again

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

My heater still isn't working. I have tested every possible way water could flow through the engine (by using a garden hose) and it has no blockages at all. It comes out of the ports where the heater hoses connect to when you flush the engine with a hose.

Then, you turn on the engine and (even after 20 minutes) no water comes out of the port on the intake manifold. The water pump works because you can see the water circulating in the radiator.

Does ANYONE know why the water wouldn't come out when the engine is turned on, but comes out when you flush it with a hose.

Thanks guys, hopefully someone will know.

Frederick Stienheld · petrol head Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 2719

sounds like something clogged in the manifold then

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

Yeah, thats what i thought at the start after i flushed the heater core. Then i took off the top heater hose, left the bottom one attatched, put a garden hose into the top heater hose and ran water through it, the water came out of the port where the heater hose connects to, thats why im so confused because its not blocked when you flush it through with a hose.

Josh · backyard mechanic Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 602

take the manafold off and you'll see what i meen about where it is blocked

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

Josh,

'scuse the ignorance, but i dont understand. I'm trying to get by without taking off the manifold if i have to.
Why would it be flowing out those ports of the manifold when i use a garden hose, and not when the engine is running? Because surely if it is blocked i wouldn't be able to get water out of it when i use a hose?

Racegem · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 Jan 2002 Posts: 987

Sam, which port did you remove?
There's three on the Gem, one at the front of the head, one at the back of the manifold on top, and a 'T'junction at the back of the manifold underneath. If any of these are blocked, and they do, you'll get no flow through the heater core.
Don't worry about the radiator hoses, take off the heater hose at the back, top of the manifold and put the hose down that and see if you get flow.

Yonnee.

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

Yeah Yonnee i did that. I took off the heater hose that is connected to the back of the manifold on the top (it has a curved port that comes of the manifold and curves towards the back of the engine bay) and i put the hose down that heater hose and ran the hose through it.

Also, the one you say is on the front of the head, i thought it was on the block, but i took that off also and pumped water down that hose and it flowed out of the top port of the manifold.

I dont get it, its FUUUUUUUUUCKED.

Frederick Stienheld · petrol head Joined: 05 Sep 2002 Posts: 2719

Are you sure the heat selection switch & cable are working inside your gem? sometimes the cables snap, other times they bend... check inside the car again and make sure the heat selection is working properly.

If that gear is working properly then taking the manifold may be your only option left. It's not a big job and it'l just cost you a set of intake gaskets.

Racegem · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 Jan 2002 Posts: 987

OK. Next thing I'd do, start and run the car till at operating temp. Undo the screw holding the heater core in and pull out. If it's hot, your water flow is fine and the problem is air flow.

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

Nah, thats all working, but even if it wasn't working water still flows through the heater pipes. Gemi's use ducts to control heat, not water taps. Water always flows through the heater pipes even when you are using cold air, but when you change to hot air the cold air vent closes and the heat vent opens. In other cars they use a water top, the hotter you want it, the more water that flows through the hoses.

Racegem · backyard mechanic Joined: 30 Jan 2002 Posts: 987

If it's cold, then you've still got a water flow problem.

GROOV3 · petrol head Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 3682

yeah so if that leaver doesnt change it to the heat vent then that could be your problem follow the wire right under the drivers side to the big plastic leave and see if it moves it

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

Nah GT, the heater hoses arent even getting hot. Therefore, no water is flowing through them.

ONLYA4 · petrol head Joined: 12 May 2003 Posts: 1114

Race, i KNOW its not flowing, the pipes are cold, and i have run the engine with the pipes off, nothing comes out. But its not blocked.

GROOV3 · petrol head Joined: 04 Oct 2001 Posts: 3682

defanatly sounds like a blockage some where.
when you drive your car does it heat up very much

dont know if this is related but you could get the bloock pressure flushed the cooling system