No heat

[quixote]

Hey guys,

I know there've been a few threads regarding the heater dial cable coming loose, but I have a bit of a different problem. . . . I get very little heat coming from the vents, but on investigation earlier (Including stripping almost the entire dash ) it transpires the cable is operating the flapper valve fine. . . .

Anything else I should be looking for, or is this indicative of a blocked matrix? Truck is an '04 3.0 daily driver with 82k on the clock.

Appreciate any advice you can offer :thumb2

 

[jims-terrano]

Does your blower work ok?

Pollen filter gets clogged and restricts air flow which in turn means less air to heat up.

Also my centre vents don't blow hot air, only cold air. Heat is blown through to screen, feet and the two side vents.

 

[quixote]

Haven't checked the pollen filter in a while, right enough. And the blower's not as powerful as it used to be. I live up a dusty farm track, so it's definitely a possibility! Off to check now, thanks for that :thumb2

 

[quixote]

Nope! Clean as a whistle

 

[solarman216]

the hot/cold lever/dial (not sure on a 3) not only controls a flap but also a water valve, up to 99 they never gave much trouble but there was a lot of cost cutting after, so have to wonder if this suffered a cost cut too, trouble is to get at it, it is a major strip, Rick

 

[solarman216]

the hot/cold lever/dial (not sure on a 3) not only controls a flap but also a water valve, up to 99 they never gave much trouble but there was a lot of cost cutting after, so have to wonder if this suffered a cost cut too, trouble is to get at it, it is a major strip, Rick

 

[quixote]

Oh joy

 

[jims-terrano]

Have you checked your coolent level?

 

[quixote]

Yep. Everything seems fine apart from the fact the heat output is very low :-/

 

[jims-terrano]

Not sure about the 3.0 but the 2.7 can be like that when the thermostat is faulty. Mine went for years with low heat and the dealer told me it was normal. Then I changed from a 82 degree stat to a 88 degree and the difference was amazing. I actually suspect that it was not the change of spec but a replacement thermostat, I think others will agree with that.

Is the temp guage going up to it's normal levels, has it ever got warm since you've owned it?

 

[solarman216]

A very valid point that Jim, well worth changing it, Rick

 

[quixote]

Temperature gauge is slap bang in the middle, just where it's always been. Heater was great until the start of the Summer, then all of a sudden gave out. Engine warms up as usual. Pipes to and from the heater matrix are hot, and I get a small amount of heat from the blowers. I considered the thermostat, but figured that as the engine was warming up as usual it'd be unlikely?

 

[rayf3262]

I'd consider disconnecting the heater hoses at the bulkhead and attaching the garden hose to the inlet.
This will:
A) prove if the heater valve is open or not?
B) if it is open, will flush it and confirm through flow.

 

[rustic]

I'd consider disconnecting the heater hoses at the bulkhead and attaching the garden hose to the inlet.
This will:
A) prove if the heater valve is open or not?
B) if it is open, will flush it and confirm through flow.

Worth doing that every anti freeze change anyway.

So winter is coming up...
Who has got suitable anti freeze?
A good test to check the freezing level, take a sample, in a suitable container, stick it in the freezer, check temperature of freezer, if after a day, the antifreeze is still liquid, then you might have reasonable protection. Check freezer temperature and compare to what you want for your region.
This test does not tell you how good the corrosion inhibitors are though

 

[quixote]

I'd kind of discounted that, as both inlet, and outlet pipes from the bulkhead are hot. It's worth a double-check though.

I'm wondering if the flap has somehow become disconnected from the actuating arm?

 

[jims-terrano]

Have you ever had the ns water leak from above the heater box? My 05 plate had that and it killed the recirculate mechanism.

Could the heater pipes be hot because there is a small amount of flow but not enough to make the heater blow hot air, just slightly warm.

 

[solarman216]

if pipes in and out are hot but little or no heat from vents then there is little or no air flow through the matrix, so yes check the flaps, Rick

 

[quixote]

I'm almost certain that's the cause. The glove-box is out and I can feel the heat in the matrix. Trouble is though, it looks to be a screaming sod of a job to do

 

[harlowmaverick]

from memory its a dash out job isnt it?

 

[quixote]

I've hauled the glove-box out, the centre trim, air-box (the one next to the blower fan and discovered that the flap is working just fine. There's heat in the matrix, but the air temperature barely gets tepid. I'm baffled, lads :nenau