The hot water hose up to the tank would work. Have used this when needed hot water to clean things.

Make an adapter for a garden hose. Female hose screw on type end fitting with male diameter to slide into what may be a 5/8 hose coolant hose. Connect hose fiting to hose the hose and the coolant hose to the heater core.

If you get some flow out of the core you may be able to blow the rest out.

I would try this first.

 

So just out of curiosity, how in the world do i get the heater core out of the car?
I got to it fine, removed the to hose in the engine bay, but the lines still stick through the firewall. When I went to remove the core, I'm pretty sure i ruined one of the solder points because the line started to drip, and the lines had no intention of coming out through the firewall. I removed the 3 clips holding them in, but am not sure what else is needed.

 

Have never done the job. AutoZone has some info. You will need to disconnect the heater pipe extensions that go through the firewall.

http://www.autozone.com/az/cds/en_us...rInfoPages.htm

See link below for what core looks like without the pipe extensions.

http://info.rockauto.com/GoDan/Detai...8348-01-lg.jpg

The core is copper and pipes are copper, you can solder any leaks if you can get to them.

 

Wow I have a chiltons book, and it doesn't say anything about disconnecting the pipes, which was my dilemma the whole time.
Autozone feature is pretty nice. Thanks for that link, maybe I can get to doing after work this weekend now.

Yea I know I could solder the copper since that's all that broke was the solder itself, just mad that it happened.
Thanks again!

 

Yes, even the Toyota service manual is lacking in info for removing the heater core.

 

It looks like I'm back where I started. I flushed the heater core out with hot water and vinegar. The car heats up like normal, doesn't over heat, and both lines are warm. So since it heats up, and doesn't over heat, that makes me think the thermostat, and water pump are fine. Both intake and return coolant hoses themselves get hot as well. Since both the lines to the heater core warm up, I'd assume its ok.

Not sure where to go from here, any ideas.
Thanks for all the help though! The heater core job wasn't that bad at all, as long as you know to remove the clips and separate the pipes prior to removal.

 

There is another poster on this forum with same problem with a 4 cylinder, check very recent posts. Their issue appears to be air in the system, has heat some days, non-others.

Make sure you don't have a blown head gasket (not uncommon on V6), that the T-stat has a jiggle pin or hole in the upper portion of the flange to remove the air in coolant.

Make sure the heater/AC blend doors are working and hot air is actually being directed into the car.

I would also check all the smaller heater hose (by-pass hoses) for debris. You could have enough coolant to raise the hose temp but not enough generate sustained heat.

Check water pump flow. When the engine hot you should be able to see the coolant actually move when looking in the radiator fill point. Of course don't remove the cap when engine temps are hot, remove the cap when cold and leak the engine heat up.

Check posts at Toyotanation on this issue.

 

Hey,

I feel your pain, I've been fighting the NO Heat issue for weeks. Toyomoho has been a tremendous help. anyways the Thermostat must have the jiggle valve or drill a 5/32 hole in the correct location and mount the thermostat with the hole at top dead center. Trapped air is a huge problem on these models. Look for a bleeder valve on the return side near the upper radiator hose were it attaches to the block. Open it completely while filling the system. Leave the radiator cap off when you start it. Allows air to escape. After about 2 minutes crack the bleeder and allow the air to escape. Do this several times during the warm up process.

Flushing the heater core is time consuming but alot easier than replacing it. I first purchased (2) female and (2) male 5/8" garden hose repair fittings. Used an old hose, cut it in two equal lengths. attached the new fittings to the cut ends with hose clamps and tightened. Making sure I had (2) female fittings to attach to the facet.Then disconnected the heater core intake hose at the firewall control valve and the return line from the the block. I now had the ability to back flush and forward flush by swapping the hoses at the facet.

For a chemical flush I used CLR. Its the same chemical used in the most popular pint size flushes but 1/3 the price. I poured it in the hose, facet end and flushed with hot water. Once things started to break up, turn on the cold water too for more pressure. When the flow rate out of the discharge hose is acceptable start flushing with water only to remove all the chemical. Other wise once you add Anti-Freeze it will react and turn to yogurt. Causing you more grief.

Let me know how you make out. Its time consuming but costs very very little this way. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

luckyly i still have my heat....but i live in florida...youd think i wouldnt need it but it gets nippy down here...almost freezing lol