1999 Chevy Venture temp/heat probelms

KELLYM

MEMBER
1999 CHEVROLET TRUCK

I have a 1999 Chevy Venture 3.4, 140,000 miles. The low coolant light was coming on, temp gauge going up and down, heat in rear does not work, heat in front works when you are moving, but is cool when sitting. My husband has changed the thermostat and bled the radiator. There are no leaks and the oil appears to be clean. Even when the low coolant light comes on, it is not low. He also was told that if you open radiator cap and it spits out that it is a cracked head - that did not happen. Any ideas?

Thanks

Kelly

5 Replies

CHEVY22

MECHANIC
1,375 POSTS

Do a pressure test on the cooling system just to be sure, did hubby see if the coolant was muddy, dexcool gets that way and may have clogged the system, but start with the pressure test and let me know, also never open the rad cap when hot but if you do the pressure test leave the cap on and start the car, let it warm up and check for flow through the rad

jim

SPONSORED LINKS

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Friday, February 16th, 2007 AT 7:10 AM

KELLYM

MEMBER
3 POSTS

No the coolant wasn't muddy. He did the pressure test - ok. He flushed system throughly and put green coolant in. He changed the radiator cap. It seemed somewhat better while it was warming up the next morning, but then the heat wasn't working right again and the temp gauge was going up and back down again. The rear heat completely blows out cool. There is also a sort of a clogged type feeling when you are accelerating up hill, sometimes.

Thanks - I really appreciate your help!

Kelly

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Saturday, February 24th, 2007 AT 1:00 PM

CHEVY22

MECHANIC
1,375 POSTS

I may have asked but is the check engine light on?
Im wondering since you said you dont use any coolant if there is blockage somewhere, the rear heat has a heater core and lines running to it, one simple check would be to warm the vehicle to operating temp and check both hoses going to both heater cores if one is hot and one is not there is a block in the heater core, this may not be it but lets try anyway, I wont cost you.

Oh and let me know about the engine light

thanks
jim

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Saturday, February 24th, 2007 AT 6:16 PM

KELLYM

MEMBER
3 POSTS

No the check engine light never came on. The low coolant light, once. We took it to Dobbs to have it looked at - said it was the head gasket and there were hydrocarbons in the system. Took it to another private mechanic for another opinion and because my husband didn't want to fix it. He said it was the head gasket also. We took the van and traded for a 2004 Honda Odyssey. Thanks again for your input!

Kelly M

Was this

answer

helpful?

Yes

No

Sunday, March 11th, 2007 AT 10:19 AM

CHEVY22