When i turn my heat on to the hottest setting(85) its not as hot as my other cars. its more like warm heat. also i can hear splashing in the heater lines. how can i get the air pocket out? i NEED heat!!!

 

Yes you probably have air in your coolant system so you'll need to bleed the air out.

First check your radiator (when its cool of course). If you're low on coolant, fill it up full. Close the cap.

Now start your engine and turn on your heat to MAX (85 degrees). Rev the engine at around 2000 RPM until the engine temperature reaches near the middle point of your temperature gauge.

Once you've done that, turn off the engine and wait until the coolant is cool again. Wouldn't want hot coolant to burst in your face.

Open up the cap and see if you need to put more coolant in. If so, then refill it up to the max. You should be set now.

Keep on doing this until you have no more air left in the system. Wait for the coolant to cool down before doing this procedure again.

Our cars, unlike most others, have no bleeder valve (at least not that i know of).

Do this and report back

 

ive constantly been checking the radiator and it does not go down even after driving. i would drive it to work. and before i start it up to go home i check the radiaotor level . its full...yet you can still hear the slushing around...its been going on for weeks now.

 

If coolant is slushing around in the heater core, then yes, you do have air. But this may be the case of the heater core valve not opening up. Its probably stuck so you'll have to get it check to see if the heater core can be fixed, or if you have to replace it.

 

kind of off topic but how can you tell if the radiator cap is working or not?

 

Take it to the dealer time for a flush

 

If you have air in your system, you should bleed the air out. This is a relatively simple task.

Start with a cold engine. Remove the radiator cap and check the level. Leave the cap off. Remove the black plastic engine cover..(GS400..this is the engine I have experience with).

Locate the bleed plug on the intake manifold and remove it. Follow the lower radiator up to the thermostat housing and look on the intake manifold behind the thermostat.

As the air escapes, the level in the radiator will drop. Continue to pour coolant or distilled water into the radiator until coolant comes out of the bleed plug and flows easily without any sign of air. The coolant will flow up to the closed thermostat and go around it on the bypass tube and escape at the bleed plug opening. Depending on how empty the system is, a lot more coolant / distilled water may have to be added before coolant comes out.

Place the bleed plug back into the intake manifold housing, and the cap back on the radiator.

Start the engine, turn the heater and fan on high. You should get your hottest heat when the temp needle is just a slight notch above the 1/2 guage mark or indication on the instrument panel.

If a lot of air came out of the system, you should not hear a "gurgling" sound when the engine is restarted and the thermostat opens. One bleed procedure should be enough, but if you still hear the sound, let the engine cool and repeat the procedure.

DO NOT REMOVE THE PLUG WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT OR ANYTIME THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. a person could get scalded from hot coolant, or the water pump will drain the cooling system if the plug is out when the engine is started.

GOOD LUCK. I use this procedure everytime I change my coolant, or do the timing belt or change the starter with success. (I have done all 3 of these procedures).