ive been working on this problem for a week or two already, new water pump, new thermostat, i flushed my heater core multiple times trying just about chemical there is and still blowing cold air, all signs point to the heater core any other last minute suggestions before i am forced to take out my dash?

 

Are you sure the actuator or whatever it's called that switches to heat is working properly?

 

what year is your rig? i bet it has air in the heater core, hence the cold air. if you have any coolant under your carpet, or disappearing coolant, i would say the heater core needs to be replaced.


that too

 

Yes the controls are working fine, and I also have a smell of coolant but as far as I can see no leaks and not much coolant missing (my radiator is also leaking I believe) so can't tell much

 

It's a 98

 

What temp is the Jeep running at when fully warmed up? Put your hand on the heater hoses near the firewall and compare that to putting your hand on the upper radiator hose and report back.

 

Just under 210 and there both hot

 

Cabin heat is controlled by a blend air door undeer the dash. Perhaps it's not working.

 

When you change the controls on you dash for heat, do you hear anything happen? I believe this is vacuum actuated. I had this problem with mine and it was the vacuum not moving the blend door. But the smell of coolant wouldn't be the blend door. Does your little heat bypass valve work as it should?

 

Later models eliminated the heater control valve. If the hoses are hot, then the blend door is having issues. Also, I think the blend door is controlled via cable, or at least is on the older ones. If you are smelling/losing coolant, and it isn't anywhere in the engine bay, you're core may be leaking, but to leak it would have coolant going through it which should give you SOME heat. Also, if you're just smelling some coolant and not losing it, remember that everytime you do a cooling system job (water pump, hoses, etc.) some coolant leaks out and has MANY little places to settle itself. You'll smell coolant until it works its way out.

 

Ya, I think you are right, the blend door is cable. But the heat bypass and settings selector on mine are vac. You should still hear a noise when you go from cold to hot, the door changing directions. On my old cj the blend door quit and I had to put a hose clamp around the plastic piece that was supposed to slide the cable back and forth. Still works like that. That trick will only work on the cable ones though.

 

Did you check the vac ball behind your bumper make sure it doesn't have water in it, etc. and that it's connected properly

 

Little late, but i had same prob with my 98. Had fluid in system, but no flow, no heat, smelled coolant. Ended up overheating & blowing head gasket. compression was forcing coolant out of overflow. Saw article in JP mag about Cavitation. Air bubble somewhere in system so raise front end to be highest point, fill.

 

I was thinking air bubble but didn't wanna say it cause he wasn't overheating in any way but a simple burp is fast and easy to do

 

Easier than jacking up the front is to install a bleeder in you upper heater hose to bleed out the air. I made one on mine, and now burping its a cinch.