heater not hot

[30thCamaro]

I had the same problem in my car, just needed to add some coolant and was pushing out hot air in no time. Did it fix your heat problem by doing that?

[third_shift|studios]

What he's saying is to fill the radiator now then check back and top off the overflow every couple of weeks. What happens is that as the water gets hot and expands it's pushed into the overflow tank. That's why after this intial fill you fill at the overflow and only when the car is hot, so it doesn't push water out of the overflow.

i know i'm making this harder than it needs to be...but by topping off both the radiator and the overflow, won't there be too much liquid in the sytem that could cause an explosino because of heat/expansion?

[LS2Tuner]

That's why your only toping off the rad. FIRST.
Then in a week or two top off the overflow IF NEEDED.

Now that the rad. is full you should be able to get away with only topping off the overflow.

Hope you got our point.

[third_shift|studios]

thanks

[LS2Tuner]

No problem Glad to help.
Now PLEASE don't forget my SKYLINE's this week!!!

[Zboner]

Into the rad. and then just top off the over flow every couple weeks.

And last but NOT LEAST GO TO SKYLINE AND EAT 4 3-WAY FOR ME!!!!

he is from pitt he does not like the chillie here, I on the other hand love it, and i shal eat it for you, lol

[third_shift|studios]

thanks everyone! I put about a quart of 50/50 coolant into the radiator and took it for a spin...had some really bitchin heat after that.

would this kind of a diagnoses work for a 99 ford tauras? my fiance's car won't get hot inside until after about 30 minutes of driving, and then it's hardly warm.

[LS2Tuner]

I would say there is a 75% chance YES. Thank GOD I'm in AZ now don't have to worry about that anymore.

[0rion]

thanks everyone! I put about a quart of 50/50 coolant into the radiator and took it for a spin...had some really bitchin heat after that.

would this kind of a diagnoses work for a 99 ford tauras? my fiance's car won't get hot inside until after about 30 minutes of driving, and then it's hardly warm.

I would say check her level but more times than not his ends up being a t-stat that's stuck open or less common a plugged heater core. Both are very easy and cheap fixes. Replacing a t-stat generally only takes a couple of minutes ( I tangled with a buick 3.8 a few weeks ago that was the exception) and is usually only a couple of bucks. Back flushing the heater core involves taking the hoses of to the core and back flushing it with a garden hose. It really sounds like an open t-stat to me though. Take her cap off and start the car and see if the coolant starts circulating immediately. That's a sign of a stuck t-stat.

[third_shift|studios]

thanks orion, i'll look into it tonight

[third_shift|studios]

ok, i saw she was low on coolant, almost a half gallon low, and when i started the car, i saw the coolant running. I guess it's a broken tstat. Is it worth dumping a bunch of coolant into her radiator or will it be worthless and all dump out when i replace the tstat

[0rion]

You shouldn't lose much at all doing the t-stat. Pay attention to the stat when you take it out. I've heard of people putting them in upside down. Personally on all the stats I've done I don't see how someone could make that mistake but I guess it happens.

[LS2Tuner]

ok, i saw she was low on coolant, almost a half gallon low, and when i started the car, i saw the coolant running. I guess it's a broken tstat. Is it worth dumping a bunch of coolant into her radiator or will it be worthless and all dump out when i replace the tstat

It's been years since I worked on one of those. But if I remember correctly they have a bypass/heater hose that runs in the top side of the rad. And if thats the case your going to see it circulate weather the t-stat is good or not.