03 Montero Sport won't blow heat...at idle
 

03 Montero Sport...it only blows heat after driving for several minutes. I started the MS 25 minutes before leaving the house. when I get in the ride it is still blowing freezing cold air. almost immediately heat come out, however if I stop, it goes cold! any ideas. I am thinking maybe heater core or clogged lines to heater core!?!?! am I on the right path?!?!?!?

thanks in advance
Chris

so I guess this has never happened to anyone? I just replaced a CV shaft, getting ready to do valve cover gaskets as soon as it warms up a little more! I just feel lost on this heater issue!

Hi Chris,

Sounds like a clogged line/heater core. Cannot say for sure as you do not provide much in the way of information - mileage, coolant change schedule, type used, etc. I would hate to think that it is a failing water pump.

Have you tried looking at the Montero sport factory manual?

Cheers,

Farhad

sorry....it has 70k miles on it, coolant has just recently been changed but has not ever been flushed. I changed it when I started taking care of it(it is my wife's car), this winter, but I really just did a quick change because it was freezing outside. I am not a hundred percent sure of the type used but it was what Advanced Auto Parts computer said to use (GREEN, if that helps) Needless to say this car has not been taken care of well (don't tell the wife I said that though)! She has just taken it to a quick oil change place for oil and fluid refills but never any of the extras. I am not familiar with Mitsubishi vehicles but can find my way around my truck pretty well, so I am sure I can tackle most of the problems myself! As for the manual I have found one online http://www.pajero4x4.ru/piii-pdf/PrefaceForMMSAVol4.pdf

-Chris-

Sounds like you got an air bubble. Let the car cool down, open the bleeder and remove the radiator cap. Add coolant until coolant starts coming out the bleeder hole. The bleeder is on the engine right next to where the radiator hoses go into the engine. It's a short 12mm bolt with a black plastic sealing washer. Start there and see if that helps.

You were spot on....worked like a charm!

Thanks for the help.
-Chris-

any tips on Valve cover gaskets?????

Best tip with valve cover gaskets is don't over torque the bolts or you will crush the v/c and it will leak every time. Remember you are going to need 6 tube seals and a intake plenum gasket. Just snug them up until the bottom of the v/c is down against the cylinder head. Be prepared to spend some time digging the old gaskets out of the valve covers, some of them can really be baked in there. Replace spark plugs while you are there, and if the plug wires are soaked with oil put new mitsubishi wires on. The aftermarket ones work there way out of the plug holes over time and cause problems.

thanks for the tips. good to know these things going into a project. +1 on the Mitsubishi wires...I would of just went with the aftermarket wires. I planned on doing plugs and wires even know I had platinum plugs put in it about 35k miles ago. I figure while I have the intake off I should just replace plugs and wires. I will also clean the intake components while it is off. Anything to know about that?