The heater core has been flushed and is in good condition.
I have a pressure test kit on the way with the correct adapter.
Can this system have any air bubbles removed by using the test kit?
The bottom hose is hot and the top is cold so I am thinking there is air trapped in the core.
I'm just unsure which way to go about this.
Any help would be welcome.

 

slowly pull the top hose from the heater core until you see the bleeder hole in the heater core pipe. Do not take it all the way off, just enough to see this hole. If you get air out great, if not then I would say your heater core is the problem. If you know the heater core is good then the problem is water not pushing enough flow.

When was your waterpump/timing belt service last done?

 

Bought it used and the service record is lacking. Could I get the record from a vw/Audi dealer?
I used a airlift to fill the system an it held at 22 for close to a minute.
The bottom hose is hot and the top is warm.
I think it is the core. Temp gauge goes to half scale and stays as I think it should so i thing the water pump is good. Floor is clean with no dripping from anything.
Should I also pressure test the system or try to clean the core more and then airlift again?

 

I should add, the radiator hoses collapsed when I used the all lift but not the heater hosrs. Should the key be ON and the heat set on high?

 

If your outlet heater core hose is a LOT cooler (cold) than your inlet heater core hose when the car is fully warmed up and you've been driving it, then the heater core is more than likely blocked. If it's WARM, just not quite as hot as the inlet, then you probably have AIR in the system (could still be clogged, you never know, but I doubt it). Did you do the CLR flush as mentioned in the DIY sections? Let it sit overnight? The heater core hoses will NOT collapse when using the airlift, only the radiator hoses. You will STILL need to bleed it the 'audi' way after using the airlift system.

If you drive the car and the heater gets better or hot like you like it while you are driving, chances are it's just air in the system. Since you say your outlet hose is now warm (you said it was cold earlier), I think a CLR flush will do you good.

If you don't have a VAG com, you can access the onboard diagnostics of the heater/AC unit, you can find out how to do this in the DIY section, don't remember it off hand, but it will give you temperature readings of your car, heater etc..

The 1.8s are a lot harder to bleed than the 2.8s for some reason.

 

Thanks markymarc.
I will do a better clr job Saturday. Diluted or full strength? Think 6 or 7 hours will do? Temps get into the teens at night.

 

Do 50/50 first. Generally, people let it sit overnight to get it right. As far as the temps...I'm in Iowa....teens seem like a heat wave some days....

 

Colorado here

 

Ok. CLR cleaned the core. very little came out and the flow is good. back flushed with the same results. 60/40 charge of G13 with the help of the all-lift. Temp goes to mid-scale and stays at idle and on the highway.
I now have a little heat starting at 2Krpm and up but not HOT.
Think some more bleeding is needed. 4 times so far.
I bleed it at about 2200 rpm from the top hose, let it cool down. Top off the coolant.
Heat it back up and repeat.
Is that right?
At the rate I'm going, I should have heat by, say, July!