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Writeup: The Clinton Gen 3 Heater Flush

133K views 151 replies 91 participants last post by  JHB 
#1 ·
There's nothing like a Gen 3 heater to clog up by the time cold weather sets in. In the past, I have depended on others to get the heater flushed, but...

After 2 tries by Midas to clear my heater (with a cooling system flush) with LESS heat each time, I decided to try it on my own.

The easiest way to get at the heater fittings is to work with the hoses attached to the engine (water pump on passenger side, engine block on the driver side). You don't risk breaking off the fragile fittings on the firewall that go to the heater.

On the passenger side, it's easy if you take out the top bolt on the generator brace, loosen the other bolt on the brace and swing the brace back.

[attachmentid=22718]

Then with space to access the hose clamp, you now remove the hose from the heater to the water pump.

You then fit a Home Depot hose repair end (about $4) to the heater hose and connect it up to a garden hose leading to your outdoor faucet.

[attachmentid=22719]

On the other side, remove the corrugated rubber air intake (remove one electrical fitting and remove a small hose -- loosen the stainless clamps and move the air intake to the side).

[attachmentid=22720]

Now, with space to access the hose clamp on this side, remove the hose from the engine block.

You then fit another Home Depot hose repair end to the heater hose and connect it to a length of hose to a bucket... or to your driveway. It was freezing when I did mine, and I didn't want to turn my driveway into a skating rink.

Clamp the bypass hose. You lose points if your vise grips are so tight they cut the bypass hose...

[attachmentid=22721]

Turn water on and off at the faucet several times. This cycles the pressure inside the heater core and loosens up crud. If the engine hoses or heater core rupture from city water pressure, it was time to replace them anyway. Then let it run for a while (In my case, long enough to fill the 5-gallon bucket.) Plenty of crud should come out. Empty the bucket.

Repeat until the crud flow has pretty much stopped. At least a cup of particulate and flake crud came out of my heater.

The Clinton Add-on
And now, the Clinton touch, which I discovered purely by accident simply because I wanted to remove as much water from the heater system as possible. Didn't want to dilute the antifreeze, which was brand new from the Midas flushings...

I took the inlet hose off the garden hose and blew into it,

However, after I blew the heater clear of water, it was obvious that a bunch more crud had come loose as a result of the blow... er.. Clinton job. Hooked it back up to the garden hose and the water ran brown with lots of crud.

I repeated the Clinton job four more times - more brown water, more crud. Apparently blowing the heater clear agitates the water inside enough to really clean the pipes out. Purists should note that there was no blue dress or cigar involved in any of this.

After hooking it back up again, replacing the alternator brace, replacing the air intake and its electrical and air connections... so much heat I actually had to turn the heater down. Before this, I never turned my heater down in 2 years.


Forgot to include the overview photo:

[attachmentid=22722]
 

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#3 ·
Yes a good write up and it's important to backflush the core like you did.

I've also in the past let some Iron Out or CLR to slowly dribble though the ore too. Put a funnel on one hose and clamp the other hose to restrict the draining. Just let it drip through.
 
#5 ·
good write up, ive been needing to do this before the really cold weather gets here
[/b]
psh...You don't have really cold weather :p You can have some of ours when it gets here :lol:

The only thing I've done differently is to put a towel in between the bypass hose and the vise grips, just for some extra protection so the hose isn't damaged. Backflushing FTW! Good writeup :thumb:
 
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#7 ·
<div class='quotemain'>
good write up, ive been needing to do this before the really cold weather gets here
[/b]
psh...You don't have really cold weather :p You can have some of ours when it gets here :lol:

The only thing I've done differently is to put a towel in between the bypass hose and the vise grips, just for some extra protection so the hose isn't damaged. Backflushing FTW! Good writeup :thumb:
[/b][/quote]

yeah i know, it rarely snows here anymore :angry: ... i wish i could have some cold weather b/c it seems like im one of the few people down here that like the cold weather

how long did it take you to flush everything out?
 
#8 ·
yeah i know, it rarely snows here anymore :angry: ... i wish i could have some cold weather b/c it seems like im one of the few people down here that like the cold weather

how long did it take you to flush everything out?
[/b]
Weather: since I did this, it has strangely warmed up in the NE (right now, it's 64 F, with today's predicted high set at 52 F :blink: ) But it will cool down... but nothing like our old stand, Michigan, though. No -10, -20 because we're moderated by the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream.

Timing: remembering that I used a 5 gallon bucket, which slowed it way down as I kept hauling it to various points in our lawn that needed water, from first wrench to last, about 2 hours.

I also used the bucket to see how much crud was coming out. It was far more than I expected.

Ford_ses's recommendation of a shop towel between vise grips and bypass hose is a good one.

Dave

(Ricer333 - Gen 4? I've had a 1, 2 and 3. I'm not due for a Gen 4 for at least 3 more years... maybe someone who knows something will chime in).
 
#9 ·
This should work on a Gen IV is that right? I believe all the hoses are in the same spot (or rather close to the pics above)
[/b]
Yep, it'll work exactly the same. :)

I've never moved any brackets or anything to get to the hose clamps on mine...you may not have to depending on which type of clamps are on your car and which way they're pointing.
 
#10 ·
I've never moved any brackets or anything to get to the hose clamps on mine...you may not have to depending on which type of clamps are on your car and which way they're pointing.
[/b]
Ah, youth. I'm 65 and unwilling to twist my body around for any length of time... after 3 tries with 3 different types of pliers to get the original water pump squeeze-the-ears clamp to cooperate, I decided to invest the 3 minutes needed to move the bracket. Couldn't easily see under the air intake (same please-no-body-twist as above applies), so I invested another 3 minutes losing the air intake.

For those with eyes for details, I took what purports to be the initial, 'move the bracket' photo above after the heater was clear and the hose was back on the pump, sealed with a new stainless / worm gear clamp. That also explains all the wet coolant patches.
 
#12 ·
A sometimes easier way than taking the original hoses off the water pump and thermostat is to buy a couple of those $3.99 Prestone flushkits with the tees in them. A simple swipe with a utility knife and a couple of hose clamps later in an easier to access spot of your choice and your connected to the lines. The kit even comes with hose adapters. The nice thing about this is you can flush the core any time you want with only a couple of minutes prep. Of course you will need an extra pair or two of vice grips (in addition to the one on the bypass hose to clamp ofs the heater lines forcing the hose water through the core. Padding the jaws as suggested above is a great idea.
 
#83 · (Edited)
A sometimes easier way than taking the original hoses off the water pump and thermostat is to buy a couple of those $3.99 Prestone flushkits with the tees in them.
I have one of those...that hose adapter works, but it's the leakiest thing ever.
It's the screw-on caps on those T-adapters that can leak, unless you tighten them pretty securely (assuming that the hose clamps on both sides of the T are securely tightened).

Years ago, when my Dad owned what is now my Taurus, he installed a flushing T into the heater hose that runs from the engine to the driver's side firewall heater core connection, at the section near the engine (I don't know why he didn't install one into the heater hose leading from the passenger side firewall heater core connection to the water pump). The T hadn't been leaking on me, but today I found how leaky they can be, when I had to replace the hose that had the T in it (the hose had a slight crack, and was bulging, in the section between the T and the firewall): after I installed the T into the new hose (and before starting up the engine), I unscrewed the T's cap to take a look inside for some reason, then I screwed it back into place, then I started up the engine. Within a couple minutes, I could see a small dribble of coolant leaking/bubbling from under the cap. I tightened it (and noticed it does say "Keep Tight" on its top), and the leaking stopped. I also noticed the top of the cap started to bulge a little, which didn't make me feel comfortable. I thought I'd tightened the cap sufficiently earlier, but not tight enough.

One fix might be to find or make a rubber disc to put under the cap for a better seal, or find a cap with a rubber seal permanently attached inside, from a bottle of something or a garden hose cap (preferably the cap should be metal or thick plastic, due to the pressure indicated by the bulging I saw with the original T cap).

I haven't had to flush my heater core yet--I'm still getting good heat four years after the care became mine--but maybe I should be pro-active and flush it when I get the chance.

From the description by some people here of still getting little or no heat after having a shop supposedly do a heater core flush, but then getting heat when the car's owner does the flush themselves, it seems some shops are actually flushing nothing but people's wallets.
 
#13 ·
A sometimes easier way than taking the original hoses off the water pump and thermostat is to buy a couple of those $3.99 Prestone flushkits with the tees in them. A simple swipe with a utility knife and a couple of hose clamps later in an easier to access spot of your choice and your connected to the lines. The kit even comes with hose adapters. The nice thing about this is you can flush the core any time you want with only a couple of minutes prep. Of course you will need an extra pair or two of vice grips (in addition to the one on the bypass hose to clamp ofs the heater lines forcing the hose water through the core. Padding the jaws as suggested above is a great idea.
[/b]
I have one of those...that hose adapter works, but it's the leakiest thing ever. :lol2:
 
#14 ·
This question may appear to be out of place but I am serious. I have not done heater core flush on any of the cars I owned for last say 20 years. Is it because I lived last 20 years in Florida and didn't use heater long enough to notice the problem? Or because Taurus has a peculiar heater core? I have 3 Tauruses, 2000, 2001 and 2005. Do you suggest I flush at least the 2000 one? Or all?
 
#149 ·
Well, I'm new at this, have an '02 ohv V6 and don't give a hoot about heat since I'm back in good 'ol Texas and not Boulder anymore. I'm doing Old Wagon's 'Clinton Flush" (awesome instructions, pics and humor!) simply because I want my car to perform well. Can't imagine gunk added to the new hoses, pump and all flowing in - even at nominal amounts. Plus, I'm learning!
Took me 2 separate attempts to remove the glued on Radiator hose to Thermostat!
 
#16 ·
Moved to Solutions to Common Problems and How To Articles.

Great writeup :thumb:
 
#17 ·
As a 1997 GL owner without heat for 2+ years(couldn't afford $500 fix), I searched and read alot of guides & suggestions on what to do to get some heat. I had the cooling system drained, filled, flushed, drained & filled again. No heat. Then I read & studied OLDWAGON's "how-to" backflush my heater core. His pictures were GREAT so decided to give it a shot.
I went to Lowes and found everything I needed. I even bought a 6' length of clear tygon for dramatic "crud detection" effect. I followed the pictures to a 'T" and started the procedure. Had my son turn on the water and WOW! The water turned cloudy right away! Then it cleared up. I did the off & on surge technique and MORE cloudy water. After 10 minutes or so I noticed I had forgotten to clamp off the bypass hose(so much for following to a "T"). I rag padded & visegripped the hose (not too tightly), turned on the water and HOTDOG, ever MORE cloudy water! Surged it again several times & stopped.
Hmmm... remembered about the CLINTON "purge" and decided to give it a shot. Disconnected the supply garden hose from the heater return and "self-conciously" purged & flushed until I couldn't get anything cloudy through the tygon connected to the heater core inlet hose. Reinstalled everything, refilled & fired 'er up!
Approx 10 min later the WONDERFUL smell of HEAT permeated my ol' taurus. It was 30 deg outside but I had to turn the heat way down to less than half way. All I can say is thanks to everbody who gave me the courage to try something I had ALOT of self doubts about trying.
NOTHING went wrong, NOTHING leaked and I actually look forward (kinda) to Michigan winter weather (If I don't have to shovel)... '-) I'm really a HAPPY CAMPER!!!!! Thanks Again!! Sorry if too wordy...
 
#151 ·
As a 1997 GL owner without heat for 2+ years(couldn't afford $500 fix), I searched and read alot of guides & suggestions on what to do to get some heat. I had the cooling system drained, filled, flushed, drained & filled again. No heat. Then I read & studied OLDWAGON's "how-to" backflush my heater core. His pictures were GREAT so decided to give it a shot.
I went to Lowes and found everything I needed. I even bought a 6' length of clear tygon for dramatic "crud detection" effect. I followed the pictures to a 'T" and started the procedure. Had my son turn on the water and WOW! The water turned cloudy right away! Then it cleared up. I did the off & on surge technique and MORE cloudy water. After 10 minutes or so I noticed I had forgotten to clamp off the bypass hose(so much for following to a "T"). I rag padded & visegripped the hose (not too tightly), turned on the water and HOTDOG, ever MORE cloudy water! Surged it again several times & stopped.
Hmmm... remembered about the CLINTON "purge" and decided to give it a shot. Disconnected the supply garden hose from the heater return and "self-conciously" purged & flushed until I couldn't get anything cloudy through the tygon connected to the heater core inlet hose. Reinstalled everything, refilled & fired 'er up!
Approx 10 min later the WONDERFUL smell of HEAT permeated my ol' taurus. It was 30 deg outside but I had to turn the heat way down to less than half way. All I can say is thanks to everbody who gave me the courage to try something I had ALOT of self doubts about trying.
NOTHING went wrong, NOTHING leaked and I actually look forward (kinda) to Michigan winter weather (If I don't have to shovel)... '-) I'm really a HAPPY CAMPER!!!!! Thanks Again!! Sorry if too wordy...
B4 I saw Old Wagons' great post, I trolled You Tubes for instructions where found a great on e using clear tubing. Many hours (days?) later, I know more about ID/OD tubes, hoses and pipes structures than any ol gal ought to! But I did buy them along w/some other stuff for a different approach (requiring handling the bypass and plugging - which decided against). Then I realized the 2 hoses and stoppers together cost me more than a brand new entire bypass system! lol But it's 9/2019 and costs are a lot different! Glad you were successful!
 
#18 ·
.... I'm really a HAPPY CAMPER!
[/b]
Thanks. The clear tubing is a good touch - I really could have used that. My wife thinks I'm nuts because I still announce each time I turn the heat down... 'Can you imagine! I'm actually turning the heat *down* on a *Taurus*!'
 
#20 ·
There's nothing like a Gen 3 heater to clog up by the time cold weather sets in. In the past, I have depended on others to get the heater flushed, but...

After 2 tries by Midas to clear my heater (with a cooling system flush) with LESS heat each time, I decided to try it on my own.

The easiest way to get at the heater fittings is to work with the hoses attached to the engine (water pump on passenger side, engine block on the driver side). You don't risk breaking off the fragile fittings on the firewall that go to the heater.

On the passenger side, it's easy if you take out the top bolt on the generator brace, loosen the other bolt on the brace and swing the brace back.

[attachmentid=22718]

Then with space to access the hose clamp, you now remove the hose from the heater to the water pump.

You then fit a Home Depot hose repair end (about $4) to the heater hose and connect it up to a garden hose leading to your outdoor faucet.

[attachmentid=22719]

On the other side, remove the corrugated rubber air intake (remove one electrical fitting and remove a small hose -- loosen the stainless clamps and move the air intake to the side).

[attachmentid=22720]

Now, with space to access the hose clamp on this side, remove the hose from the engine block.

You then fit another Home Depot hose repair end to the heater hose and connect it to a length of hose to a bucket... or to your driveway. It was freezing when I did mine, and I didn't want to turn my driveway into a skating rink.

Clamp the bypass hose. You lose points if your vise grips are so tight they cut the bypass hose...

[attachmentid=22721]

Turn water on and off at the faucet several times. This cycles the pressure inside the heater core and loosens up crud. If the engine hoses or heater core rupture from city water pressure, it was time to replace them anyway. Then let it run for a while (In my case, long enough to fill the 5-gallon bucket.) Plenty of crud should come out. Empty the bucket.

Repeat until the crud flow has pretty much stopped. At least a cup of particulate and flake crud came out of my heater.

The Clinton Add-on
And now, the Clinton touch, which I discovered purely by accident simply because I wanted to remove as much water from the heater system as possible. Didn't want to dilute the antifreeze, which was brand new from the Midas flushings...

I took the inlet hose off the garden hose and blew into it,

However, after I blew the heater clear of water, it was obvious that a bunch more crud had come loose as a result of the blow... er.. Clinton job. Hooked it back up to the garden hose and the water ran brown with lots of crud.

I repeated the Clinton job four more times - more brown water, more crud. Apparently blowing the heater clear agitates the water inside enough to really clean the pipes out. Purists should note that there was no blue dress or cigar involved in any of this.

After hooking it back up again, replacing the alternator brace, replacing the air intake and its electrical and air connections... so much heat I actually had to turn the heater down. Before this, I never turned my heater down in 2 years.


Forgot to include the overview photo:

[attachmentid=22722]
[/b]



very nice! just got lost on the 4th pic. where's the outlet? I just see a vise. please advise....
 
#21 ·
very nice! just got lost on the 4th pic. where's the outlet? I just see a vise. please advise....
[/b]
Once you take the air intake boot off, it's easy to see, and get access to, the "outlet" hose. It's the only 3/4" diameter hose that runs from the heater fittings / bypass plumbing on the firewall to the top of the engine.

I have a pic of the thing, but visually it's completely confusing, owing to the wire looms, air hose, throttle linkage, etc. that criss-cross the image.
 
#22 ·
<div class='quotemain'>

very nice! just got lost on the 4th pic. where's the outlet? I just see a vise. please advise....
[/b]
Once you take the air intake boot off, it's easy to see, and get access to, the "outlet" hose. It's the only 3/4" diameter hose that runs from the heater fittings / bypass plumbing on the firewall to the top of the engine.

I have a pic of the thing, but visually it's completely confusing, owing to the wire looms, air hose, throttle linkage, etc. that criss-cross the image.
[/b][/quote]

thanks, I checked it. Is it the hose on top of the block?
 
#23 ·
Just wanna say thanks to the geezer who put this up. Worked like a charm.

Couple things for those about to try this; DRAIN THE COOLANT BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING. I ended up putting the entire tank all over my driveway. Not cool. Got the dog to lick it up though, so it wasn't a total loss... Also, you don't need those hose repair donnikers. The hoses on your car are 5/8 so just by two 1/2 inch hoses and stick them inside the car hoses. Hope that makes sense. The seal's just as good and it'll save you 10 bucks. And now for the dancing banana.

:mj_banana:
 
#24 ·
I also wanted to thank the author for this writeup. I have an 01 that had the old green in it too long. The heater only produced 100 degree air on low fan. Now I can get 163 on low and 149 on high (digital thermometer). Definatly fixed the problem and I used just water and a solvent sprayer hooked to my air compressor. I alternated between the solvent sprayed and just the hose. The solvent sprayer aerated the water and allowed lots of hunks to come out. I would pulse the water also to allow a big air bubble to come blasting thru which also helped. Just the thought of not having to use caustic chemicals to clean it out made my day. Every car I used flush on, the heater core would leak soon after.
 
#25 ·
I also wanted to thank the author for this writeup. I have an 01 that had the old green in it too long. The heater only produced 100 degree air on low fan. Now I can get 163 on low and 149 on high (digital thermometer). Definatly fixed the problem and I used just water and a solvent sprayer hooked to my air compressor. I alternated between the solvent sprayed and just the hose. The solvent sprayer aerated the water and allowed lots of hunks to come out. I would pulse the water also to allow a big air bubble to come blasting thru which also helped. Just the thought of not having to use caustic chemicals to clean it out made my day. Every car I used flush on, the heater core would leak soon after.
[/b]
What is a safe flush solvent?I've had my 96 sable in the shop for the past two winters and was considering using CLR.Car was owned by my parents until 2002 and was well maintained.After two days of searching I finally googled the best answer!Thank you to everyone,Robster
 
#26 ·
<div class='quotemain'>
I also wanted to thank the author for this writeup. I have an 01 that had the old green in it too long. The heater only produced 100 degree air on low fan. Now I can get 163 on low and 149 on high (digital thermometer). Definatly fixed the problem and I used just water and a solvent sprayer hooked to my air compressor. I alternated between the solvent sprayed and just the hose. The solvent sprayer aerated the water and allowed lots of hunks to come out. I would pulse the water also to allow a big air bubble to come blasting thru which also helped. Just the thought of not having to use caustic chemicals to clean it out made my day. Every car I used flush on, the heater core would leak soon after.
[/b]
What is a safe flush solvent?I've had my 96 sable in the shop for the past two winters and was considering using CLR.Car was owned by my parents until 2002 and was well maintained.After two days of searching I finally googled the best answer!Thank you to everyone,Robster
[/b][/quote]

A safe flush solvent? None! Using a chemical and you will be "cleaning" the metal, hence taking away a microscopic amount. This will eventually cause a leak. Mine was nasty, and the back flush method worked like a charm. The metal inside does not need cleaned with a chemical, but rather just disturbed enough for the stuff to come loose. If you can;t get proper flow, and nothing else works, well then you have nothing to loose. CLR, Vinegar, RYDLYME, or a mineral/silicate dissolving chemical. CLR seems to be what many people use

If you flush for an hour, you will not need chemicals. Aerate and pulse the water and you will be even more amazed. Be creative and design a way to intoduce air into the water stream. Make something from some hardware store bits. 15psi is all you need from your air compressor.
 
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