I have not had proper heat in my 1997 4Runner since I've owned it. The heat has always been warm but never hot. The front and back are both the same temp which makes me think it’s the cooling system and not the front heater core or controls. I have read all the threads on this site but most fixes are: air in the system, thermostat, one of the HVAC cables was disconnected.
Months ago I had a high idle issue, 1500 RPM that would not go away. I decided to change my thermostat to see if it would fix the issue which had no effect. I wanted to test the original thermostat afterwards which appeared to be working and opened fine when testing with boiling water.
The fix ended up being my temp sensor.
While troubleshooting the above issue I had tried two thermostats, flushed the coolant and replaced with Toyota red.
My current no heat/warm heat issue (front and back are warm)
- I have attempted to burp the system with the front of the truck in the air. Have also used a hose from the rad to ensure it was the highest point. Squished upper and lower radiator hoses to help get air out of the system. No effect
- My coolant level is constant and reservoir level stays steady
- No signs of a leaking heater core, no damp carpet, no steam coming from vents, no coolant smell
- Coolant valve to heater core works with the HVAC controls and moves easily. Blend door under dash (by glovebox) is connected and you can hear the “thunk” when switching the HVAC from cold to hot
- Flushed heater core both directions 2 times. Upon flushing, the core was filled with coolant and everything flowed nicely. Some crud/particulate came out from the core but it has not changed the heating issues.
- Both hoses to heater core are warm, not really hot. I can keep my hand on there.
- The temp gauge in the dash stays constant at the halfway mark. I have never seen it get past half which I believe is normal.
- Top radiator house is hot but not extremely burning. Lower hose is fairly cold (The rad is doing a good job?)
- OBD scan shows coolant level being 87 C (188.6 F) after driving for 30 minutes. Only takes a few minutes to get up to temp when idling in the driveway though.
I have not bypassed the heater valve by the firewall as the warm heat issue affects both front and back. I understand that the 4Runner has a heater core for each.
The age of the radiator is unknown. There are not markings that I was able to see aside from “PA66-GF25” which pertains to the material.
• PA66-GF25 is a glass fibre reinforced injection moulding, it can withstand temperatures up to 310C, sounds ideal for use in the end tanks of car radiators!
Seems my truck would be overheating if the water pump was failing. No signs of this happening at all.
I would like to try my best to troubleshoot the issue instead of replacing parts hoping they fix the issue. I am just looking for ideas of what I should be troubleshooting and the best way to do so.