Check PH value of your coolant!

[Mark]

Martin Luther King Jr. -

"I have a dream of the day when a person is not judged by the color of their skin, but by the color of their coolant!"

Sorry, I saw this in the comments of a car coolant youtube.com clip. I couldn't help, but share it with all you! 

[Mark]

Well, you can use incorrect coolant but that doesn't mean you should.

When in doubt, ask Scotty

The Best Coolant in the World and Why

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYX4kRaOvTM

Best advice - Use what the manufacturer recommends & don't mix!

[Top_Fuel]

...Heat works fine

You live in southern Louisiana! How cold does it get there in the winter?!?

Seriously...I thought my heat was fine too. I never had an issue with it. When Doax mentioned his heater core problem, it sounded a little crazy. But I tossed a couple of thermometers in my vents during a cold snap (10F) and ran a controlled test. I was stunned to find that my passenger side vent struggled to produce air above 100 degrees...and my driver side vent was almost 40 degrees warmer.

I first noticed these symptoms when my car was barely 2 years old with under 40,000 miles. I didn't neglect my coolant. That is the point I'm trying to make. This condition may start from the moment someone takes delivery of a new Mirage. The coolant is reacting with something left over during the manufacturing process of the heater core. By the time I was ready for a 2-year coolant change, I already had symptoms of a restricted heater core. Now I'm just going to ride it out until I get a warranty replacement because it appears this stuff can't be flushed out.

Every 2014-2015 Mirage has the same heater core and coolant. My guess is that every one has some degree of this problem. It's just that some are worse than others...and some owners who aren't heavily reliant on their heater may never realize it.

The restricted heater core condition is also more challenging to isolate unless you are able to run a controlled heat output test in cold ambient conditions...like at least 30F or below.

OK...now you guys can get back to coolant color discussions.

[Mark]

The restricted heater core condition is also more challenging to isolate unless you are able to run a controlled heat output test in cold ambient conditions...like at least 30F or below.

How to Diagnose and Fix No Heat Issues - Also a Demonstration on How Car Heating Systems Work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eai_tFzltLc

This guy does a pretty thorough job of explaining things - going from simplest issues to more complex.

After you run your heater for an extended period of time, have you felt the two hoses that go in & out of your heater core? Do they feel the same temperature?

If you don't get what I am asking, he explains it better than me. Just a thought, not really a solution.

[stevedmc]

You live in southern Louisiana! How cold does it get there in the winter?!?

Its rare but it does occasionally get in the teens. This week we have been dealing with temperatures in the 30s.

[Top_Fuel]

After you run your heater for an extended period of time, have you felt the two hoses that go in & out of your heater core? Do they feel the same temperature?

Yeah...Doax and I both did that check. You can see it in post #8 and #9 here.

Hot coolant is flowing through the heater core. It's just not flowing through all areas of the heater core evenly because of the mystery substance accumulating on the passenger side. This is Doax's image...

[Mark]

Yeah...Doax and I both did that check. You can see it in post #8 and #9 here.

Hot coolant is flowing through the heater core. It's just not flowing through all areas of the heater core evenly because of the mystery substance accumulating on the passenger side. This is Doax's image...

Sorry, read that thread some time ago. I didn't remember that part. I've never owned a vehicle that had a heater core problem that I was aware of at least. Replacing one doesn't look fun.