No heat in 2007 Denali (kid said car was overheating and took off/moved a hose to "fix")

[jbluemke]

My gf had let her kid drive her 2007 Denali. He said it was overheating so he did something (switched hoses or something ) to make it not overheat.

#1- WHAT in the world could he have done (and what do I need to undo it)

#2- Im guessing once I undo it, we will have the same supposed overheating issue (any ideas where to start looking?)

Thanks!

 

[OR VietVet]

Key will be two things: Knowing how he knew it was overheating and how long was driven after is showed him it was overheating. Then getting exact details of what hose was switched in case his output of facts are likely suspect. How did he decide to switch a hose? Did he in fact "replace" a hose instead of switching an existing hose? Too many blurred questions and facts to tell what was going on and there could be engine damage as a result.

 

[jbluemke]

Key will be two things: Knowing how he knew it was overheating and how long was driven after is showed him it was overheating. Then getting exact details of what hose was switched in case his output of facts are likely suspect. How did he decide to switch a hose? Did he in fact "replace" a hose instead of switching an existing hose? Too many blurred questions and facts to tell what was going on and there could be engine damage as a result.

Tell me about it. I am just repeating what he told his mother.

One thing I accidentally forgot to mention (which may help figure out what he did). ..... Whatever he did, the car has no heat now. And he didn't REPLACE any hose. He switched them. Or Im guessing it had something to do with the heat line going into the car's AC/Air. I have no idea (I was hoping someone more knowledgeable would realize what he did since , as you said, it was pretty vague).

 

[89Suburban]

Yeah maybe he bypassed the heater core.

 

[OR VietVet]

Sounds like he had a heater hose leak and he found a butt connector and put the heater hoses together before they attach at the heater core. May now have heater core tube damage if he was not careful in the hose removals. Needs checked out/inspected by qualified tech and make sure no head gasket damage is there.

 

[Joseph Garcia]

As @MO VietVet stated, we need more specific information, otherwise were are just groping around in the dark.

Is it possible for you to have a direct conversation with the person who made these changes, and get the required information on what he did and did not do?

 

[jbluemke]

Jesus. Is there anything I should look for/at etc (as a beginner to working on cars - I learn as things happen) to check for any differences compared to the "new jerry rigged set up). ??

Any other advice or tips would be greatly appreciated

 

[CaptainAmerica1]

Sounds like he bypassed the heater core? Perhaps the coolant Ts were leaking, causing it to overheat?

 

[Fless]

How about a few clear pics of the passenger side of the engine compartment? That'd be worth, say, 1K words.

 

[OR VietVet]

Yes, like @Fless and @CaptainAmerica1 said, pics at the passenger side and at the firewall, because like I mentioned earlier, sounds like he bypassed the heater core and may not have overheated, if he shut off quickly, because maybe he saw smoke/steam from the coolant hitting the exhaust. Key will be how long he drove it after he said it overheated, either by smoke/steam sighting or temp gauge and may have done head gasket damage. More exact details are needed and pics.