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Thread: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

  1. #1
    SEi User codyJDM's Avatar
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    Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Any suggestions? Thermostat, blockage, idk? I don't know where to start. My A/C is ice cold but my heater doesn't work. Most people have it the other way around haha.

    Any help would be appreciated because it is starting to get cold out



  2. #2

    Vanilla Sky's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    How long have you owned the car? There's a really good chance that the heater core was bypassed by the previous owner if it started to leak. That's what the PO did to our Camaro. $30 and 4 hours later and I had heat again.

  3. #3
    SEi User codyJDM's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    I've had it a year, bought it from the original owner. It could be, there is a gnarly kinked hose on my firewall that looks goofy as hell. I should check that out.

  4. #4


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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    ...or it could be a stat that's in need of replacing. If you are stuck in traffic and idling/trolling for a while, does the temp ever go above dead level on your cluster?

    That kinked hose could definitely be the cause too.
    -Mark D.


  5. #5
    3Geez Veteran russiankid's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Kink=no flow.
    Sam


    1989 Accord LX: Sold with 208k-now somewhere around 230k with new owner

    Current:
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  6. #6
    SEi User codyJDM's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Quote Originally Posted by markmdz89hatch View Post
    ...or it could be a stat that's in need of replacing. If you are stuck in traffic and idling/trolling for a while, does the temp ever go above dead level on your cluster?

    That kinked hose could definitely be the cause too.
    Never ever changes. Never has run hot even while driving it cross-country.

  7. #7


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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Quote Originally Posted by codyJDM View Post
    Never ever changes. Never has run hot even while driving it cross-country.
    Ok, then in light of that.

    ...check out that crimped hose. Russian is right. Kink = No Flow.
    -Mark D.


  8. #8
    LXi User Catalyst's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Man I have the same problem in mine. I have been fighting with it for months. Pretty sure my heater core is just clogged as hell, I have checked everything else. I even took it to my mechanic and he said it was probably the heater core but he wasn't able to try and flush it out becuase all the water lines are frozen at his shop!

    But, obvious things to check:

    -First check out that kinked hose, and make sure someone didn't bypass your heater core.

    -Check to make sure the cable that controls the hot water valve is functional, and when you move the COLD / HOT slider back and forth, the valve moves as well. (The valve is located in the middle of the firewall, on the bottom hose that goes to the heater core) It is common for the small cable to come loose from the slider, or where it connects to the valve, so check to make sure it hasn't slipped off.

    - Make sure your coolant levels are correct, if your coolant is low, then your heat will most likely not work due to insufficient hot coolant flow to the heater core.

    -There could be air in your cooling system, just to to narrow that down, bleed the system and top off your coolant.

    -If none of those simple fixes, try flushing / back flushing your heater core. Just take a garden hose, detach both coolant hoses from the core, and attach the hose to one end of the heater core, and run water through it (don't let the pressure get too high, you can rupture your core this way), keep flushing it till the water comes out clean, then attach the hose to the other heater core end, and flush again till the water comes out clean. Repeat that 2 or 3 times.


    Good luck man It's getting wicked cold here, and not having a functional heater sucks!

  9. #9
    SEi User codyJDM's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Quote Originally Posted by Catalyst View Post
    Man I have the same problem in mine. I have been fighting with it for months. Pretty sure my heater core is just clogged as hell, I have checked everything else. I even took it to my mechanic and he said it was probably the heater core but he wasn't able to try and flush it out becuase all the water lines are frozen at his shop!

    But, obvious things to check:

    -First check out that kinked hose, and make sure someone didn't bypass your heater core.

    -Check to make sure the cable that controls the hot water valve is functional, and when you move the COLD / HOT slider back and forth, the valve moves as well. (The valve is located in the middle of the firewall, on the bottom hose that goes to the heater core) It is common for the small cable to come loose from the slider, or where it connects to the valve, so check to make sure it hasn't slipped off.

    - Make sure your coolant levels are correct, if your coolant is low, then your heat will most likely not work due to insufficient hot coolant flow to the heater core.

    -There could be air in your cooling system, just to to narrow that down, bleed the system and top off your coolant.

    -If none of those simple fixes, try flushing / back flushing your heater core. Just take a garden hose, detach both coolant hoses from the core, and attach the hose to one end of the heater core, and run water through it (don't let the pressure get too high, you can rupture your core this way), keep flushing it till the water comes out clean, then attach the hose to the other heater core end, and flush again till the water comes out clean. Repeat that 2 or 3 times.


    Good luck man It's getting wicked cold here, and not having a functional heater sucks!
    Turns out the heater core is bypassed! Which probably means it leaks and I'm gonna be pulling my dash soon. It snowed the past 2 days very lightly in my area and driving without heat is MISERABLE! I am freezing everywhere I go.

    Thanks for the suggestions man

  10. #10


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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Get yourself a 12v power heater, until you get the heater core swapped.
    Phil

  11. #11
    3Geez Veteran Rendon LX-i's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Its like me driving my 78 chev like that lol...SUCKS ASS no defrost lol my head out the window...


    200+ ALL MOTOR LS VTEC

  12. #12
    LX User 89sei89dx's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    u guys should check this outrecently my friends hyandai whaatever heater broke so i modded a 3 g blower motor to fit hhis car cause he is a cheap ass BASTARD aand when i had it apart i seen this thing. it is like a toaster element in our heater. it reallly needs to be chhecked thhis one is out of one of my 89 coupes>i was good with how hot my super heater,as my children refer to it,was. till i seen this. now im afraid

  13. #13
    LX User 89sei89dx's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    those pics are after i cleaned some of the stuff out of the way to take pics of this thing inside and then when i realized what it was i lleft the rest for the pics. thats thhe car this came out of. its hellaa dirty. with 16 205 40. so u know

  14. #14
    3Geez Veteran A18A's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    oh cool!

  15. #15


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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Thats the resistors for the fan. Thats what gives you 4 speeds on a DC motor.

    wp
    1988 Lxi owner since August 1995
    336k miles running strong!
    Now running E85.

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  16. #16

    nfs480's Avatar
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    Re: Why doesn't my heater get hot?

    Yeah, that coil is the blower motor resistor. When I lost the third speed on my blower I had to replace that to get it working again.

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