gurgleing Blazer

[torinodan]

I need some help with something else I've been working on. A lady brings me her 96 Blazer w/4.3 vortec. She states her problem of: when driveing the heater core is makeing a gurgleing nose, it's like there's water flowing around under her dash. So I take the car from her, the radiator was a gallon short on water so I filled it and burped the system.
After 4 or so hours of burping and purging this thing it still made the same sounds just not as bad. I give the Blazer back and tell her to drive it for another week and make sure it stays filled with antifreez.
She is about to bring it back now because it's doing the same thing again, maybe worse now. Just wanted to know if anyone else had one of theses things and it did the same thing and what in the world did you have to do to fix it. How do you get the air out and to stay out of the system?
Anyone have any good ideas send them because this has me stumped for now and this is my ticket to some more mod funds.
I am allmost think it's a head gasket letting air in the cooling system at this point and I will do a compresion check to find out when it comes back to me.
And no, it dosn't seem to overheat and w/o any noises.
Thanks everyone

[cyclopsram]

Do you smell any gasoline when you take off the radiator cap? or is the antifreeze foaming? signs of head gasket leak.. What is GM's procedure for bleeding the cooling system? is the blend valve for heat opening and closing as required based on cabin temperature setting..? Is it possible that the gurgling is rainwater trapped in the fresh air intake because of a blocked drain? Pressure test the system and see how it holds..... Best cure is to turn up the radio... good luck. RAM

[Racerx88]

I believe this is cronic problem with that year range of S-10 Blazers. Everyone I know who's had one has had this problem. From what I remember in talking to the tech back then was that there's a point in the system (behind the dash of course!) that's actually higher than the radiator cap, therefore you'll never be able to burp all the air out. My wife's '95 and a co-worker's '97 still do it from time to time. Not saying this is your problem, but it's at least an idea.

[Wires]

GM has had problems with the 4.3 l v6 engines using the new "dex cool" coolant.

Many who hear the "gurgling" need new heater cores and a complete flush.

GM says flush the system well (using some special GM super acid stuff) and re-fill using dex-cool. Many swear that that stuff will clog things again and advocate using the old stuff.

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-coolant/CPM-52-DEXArticle-Excerpt.pdf

http://www.geocities.com/b_gillie/dexcool_problems3.html

My personal opinion is that if you have dex-cool and it ever runs low - say from a coolant leak or a bad intake gasket (GM is famous for these) and you get air bubbles in the system, the stuff will start to clog. The v6 engines are bad about trapping air, which is why the problem is seen more on those vehicles.

My 2500 pickup has never had a problem, but it is the old iron 350, mounted traditinally with a full sized radiator mounted higher than the engine - so I've had no problems yet. (Other than having to replace a water pump at 60K)

[hitchhiker]

I believe this is cronic problem with that year range of S-10 Blazers. Everyone I know who's had one has had this problem. From what I remember in talking to the tech back then was that there's a point in the system (behind the dash of course!) that's actually higher than the radiator cap, therefore you'll never be able to burp all the air out. My wife's '95 and a co-worker's '97 still do it from time to time. Not saying this is your problem, but it's at least an idea.

Our 1966 Mustang heater core used to gurgle too.

I guess some do...?

:D

[RoyLPita]

GM has had problems with the 4.3 l v6 engines using the new "dex cool" coolant.

Many who hear the "gurgling" need new heater cores and a complete flush.

GM says flush the system well (using some special GM super acid stuff) and re-fill using dex-cool. Many swear that that stuff will clog things again and advocate using the old stuff.

http://www.imcool.com/articles/antifreeze-coolant/CPM-52-DEXArticle-Excerpt.pdf

http://www.geocities.com/b_gillie/dexcool_problems3.html

My personal opinion is that if you have dex-cool and it ever runs low - say from a coolant leak or a bad intake gasket (GM is famous for these) and you get air bubbles in the system, the stuff will start to clog. The v6 engines are bad about trapping air, which is why the problem is seen more on those vehicles.

My 2500 pickup has never had a problem, but it is the old iron 350, mounted traditinally with a full sized radiator mounted higher than the engine - so I've had no problems yet. (Other than having to replace a water pump at 60K)

What he said. If that doesn't work then the heater core will have to be replaced.

[torinodan]

cool. thanks everyone

[Joe Walsh]

I've got a '96 S10 Blazer and I had the exact same problem after having my Dexcool flushed and replaced....constant gurgling in the dash/heater core.
I kept topping off the radiator but the noise never went away, AND I was always slowly losing Dexcool. (Though I could not see nor smell a leak!)
Finally last winter it started to puke Dexcool off the back of the driver's side cylinder head...I traced the leak to a leaking intake manifold gasket.
I replaced the intake manifold gasket(s) and have NEVER had a gurgling sound again.
One trick that helped me was that my driveway is steep, so I parked the Blazer facing up the driveway and when I filled the radiator the angle helped me purge the air from the system.

BTW...Anyone interested in buying my Blazer?...It sits in front of my house, seldom used now that I have another daily driver.

[Marauderjack]

Our 98 CV gurgles a little and I cannot make it stop!! :mad: It has done it from the beginning and I have changed the coolant twice to no avail!! :mad2:

Soooooo.......We just turn the radio up and cruise..... :banana: :beer: :cool4:

Marauderjack :bandit:

[wchain]

cool. thanks everyone


Did you check under the carpet to see if the core was leaking?

[shakes_26]

Quick check for head gasket leak is to open the radiator cap, run the engine, if theres a leak you can usually see bubbles, also good idea from Joe Walsh, definitely another way to skin that cat.