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No heat!


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#1 SteveD

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 01:23 AM

Had a very little heat from heater two days ago, now none. Replaced 160 degree thermostst with 195, still no heat after 40 mile trip. Actually got just a smidgin of heat after 20 mile trip but nothing on the return trip. Want to flush out my heater core (matrix?) so I want to go the opposite of normal flow. I need to know normal flow direction. Is normal flow TOWARDS the thermostat housing? I would think so but want to make sure.

Yes, valve is working.

Thanks,
SteveD

#2 Jammy

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 07:40 AM

I'm pretty sure (because I was looking at what the inlet and outlet of the heater was during the week...) that the inlet comes from the heater tap on the head, and the outlet goes to the join in the hoses by the rad. Which would mean the flow of water is thus... thermostat, pump, head, heater, rad (with a water heated inlet plumbed in parrellel to the heater).

#3 Bungle

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 09:09 AM

try a good flush out of the system :cheese:

#4 bluebottle

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 09:10 AM

it could just be an airlock in the heater, this is a very common problem.

#5 SteveD

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 01:34 PM

I thought of an airlock--but how do you relieve this situation? I ran the engine with the radiator cap off for about a half an hour.

SteveD

#6 blacktulip

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 03:44 PM

when you refill the system make sure the heater is on hot by pushing the lever right in, otherwise an airlock is a definate.

#7 Dan

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 09:28 PM

On your car Steve D, as I'm sure you know, the heater is on full with the knob pulled out (it's a '93 right?).

The heater flow is towards the bottom hose connection. On most cars it is fed from the heater tap on the #4 end of the head but in later cars (including yours by the sound of your description "towards the thermostat") it's fed from a sandwich plate under the thermostat. In any case it flows towards the bottom hose. The thermostat is where hot water leaves the engine and that's what you want in the heater.

My method of avoiding heater air locks when re-filling the cooling system is to disconnect the heater feed hose (from the heater outlet or sandwich plate) and with the valve on if it's an inline valve, suck all the air out of the heater. DO NOT DO THIS AS ANTI FREEZE IS VERY POISONOUS but that's what I do. It's pretty easy to draw the air out and make sure the coolant is flowing, and I'm sure you could do it with some kind of syphon pump. You'd have to be quite dumb to end up with any more than a taste of anti freeze when doing this but DON'T DO IT. You could always draw it through when you just have water in before adding the anti freeze if you're worried but DON'T DO IT.

DON'T DO IT, OK :wink: .


ANTI FREEZE IS POISONOUS.

#8 ed4ran

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 10:46 PM

isnt the cure for antifreeze poisoning to drink a hell of alot of whisky? or was it vodka? i think it can be either actually :w00t:

#9 AlexM

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 11:36 PM

Don't they put in wine? gives it that extra kick (not legitimately of course)

#10 SteveD

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Posted 12 November 2005 - 11:40 PM

I think we have found the problem! Glory halalooya! Thanks Dan, you said:"...it's fed from a sandwich plate under the thermostat." The key word being UNDER. When I replaced the thermostat I never even split the upper half of the "sandwich", just put the new thermostat back where I had removed the old one---right on the head. The old stat had been installed incorrectly by someone. That's limiting the flow to the heater.

Thanks a bunch!!
SteveD

#11 Dan

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Posted 13 November 2005 - 12:19 AM

No problem. That actually causes a lot of temperature problems with the car including hot spots around #1 and #4 cylinders. It's a bit like blocking up the bypass on earlier engines without drilling the stat.


Oh and it's Whisky (without an E) but only one specific brand I think works properly.

#12 SteveD

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Posted 13 November 2005 - 02:01 PM

Thanks so much Dan. Eureka, we've got heat, lots and lots of heat! I switched the thermostat over this morn to its proper position and had some heat even before I got out of the driveway!!!!!!!Was making us open the windows before a couple of miles (of course it's an unseasonably warm 55 degrees (F) here right now). :grin:

SteveD




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