I bought the car July 2011 and found out the hard way that the heater didn't work when the weather turned cold. Thankfully, I found this site and the steps to flush the core.

I ended up having to flush the core twice last winter within weeks of each other. The second time it was done, it lasted for months. The wife just informed me that the heater is non-functional again which means another core flush.

What are the bits of peanut butter looking stuff that I flush out and why do I have to keep doing it?

 

I feel your pain, I bought it in April or May and it was hot, and being a dumbass, didn't test the heat and figured out later it didn't work...

Now it's getting cold and I have no heat! need to do the same, haven't tried flushing it yet... praying it works, because heater core replacement is almost not even an option...

 

Either someone mixed coolant types and it gelled up, or someone used stop leak. Either way, you need to flush the entire coolant system. Then replace with new coolant. If you don't, that junk will keep coming back.

BTW, your radiator and oil cooler have to be pretty clogged with the sam
e stuff.

 

Is it fine to do a clr flush when your heater core may not be clogged? I have my coolant pipes off and just want to do some preventative maitenence. Just want to make sure the clr Isnt a last ditch effort and wot ruin my ****.

 

It shouldn't hurt it. "clr" = cleaner?

 

CLR=Calcium, Lime, Rust. It's a cleaner for those three things. CLR is a shelf name for it.

 

I'll get right on it. Better safe than sorry. Haven't noticed high temps with either coolant or oil so hopefully there isn't too much damage done.

 

Exactly - Jeremy and others have reccomended clr. Any other opinions on what to use? I dot think water would break it down too well

 

OK, I know that stuff, CLR. I have no idea if that's safe for rubber hoses.

 

well it would only be going into the heater core. No rubber