[86lancert]

when i got the car the heater worked great now not so much
i know i have a leaky radiator bad cap i think. but ever since i pulled the thermostat out it has not worked right does not overheat so i know it is not full of air maybe not. i have a bunch of questions but ill get to them one at a time
but first where do i start?

 

[Tranquillity]

Easiest thing I'd think is to get a cooler thermostat and/or flush the heater core. Remove the 2 hoses attached to it @ the firewall and run a hose of water through it backwards. Should get a lot of gunk out of there, allowing it to heat up better. See if there are any other leaks when the car warms up too, and if the top and bottom rad hoses are nice and warm. Watch out though, they can get hot.

 

[NAJ]

If problem started after the thermostat was installed you probably have air in the system and it is lodged in the heater core which is common.

With the engine cold see if you can remove the hex plug in the cylinder head behind the t-stat housing, it is an 8mm hex.

Here is the proper drain and refill procedure.

 

[amimbari]

does the car have AC? I have seen the heater control valves under the battery area freeze/clog up not allowing the water to go into the heater core..

 

[9190TonaDriver]

Most likely you have air in the system as stated above. Let us know what happens

 

[86lancert]

yes the car does have AC but it has not been cold enough to freeze the lines.
here is another thing when i hit the ac button i will feel more heat come out of the registers
i have unplugged the compressor, is the over heat fan supose to come on when the AC button is pushed in?

 

[9190TonaDriver]

Yes the fans are supposed to come on. I dont know what to think of the ac button creating more heat.

 

[Dr. Johny Dodge]

yes the car does have AC but it has not been cold enough to freeze the lines.
here is another thing when i hit the ac button i will feel more heat come out of the registers
i have unplugged the compressor, is the over heat fan supose to come on when the AC button is pushed in?

I would hope the lines would not freeze up , but I think he may have ment the water valve can seize up , not allowing hot water to reach the heater core

is the vac line to the water valve hooked up ?

 

[9190TonaDriver]

What about the diaphram in the heater valve is bad maybe?

 

[amimbari]

What about the diaphram in the heater valve is bad maybe?

thats what I meant, the diaphram freezes up and wont open to allow heated water into the heater core, not from freezing temps...

just another step in the troubleshooting as i have seen many leak, and a few stop working and get stuck in the wrong position before.

 

[NAJ]

You stated the problem was not present until the T-Stat was replaced, is this correct?
You are still looking for answers and have not bled the system yet?

Start the car, allow it warm to normal temp, feel the 2 lines to the heater core, are they...
1)Both Hot
2)Both Warm
3)Both Cold
4)One Hot/One Cold

Backprobe the CTS connector with a digital voltmeter with the engine fully warmed up and read the voltage.
Does the cooling fan cycle on/off by itself if you leave the engine run @ idle?

 

[GLHNSLHT2]

You stated the problem was not present until the T-Stat was replaced, is this correct?

No he stated the problem became present when he PULLED the T-stat OUT!. The OP needs to clarify if he even has a T-stat in the system. The heater won't work if the t-stat isn't in there.

 

[NAJ]

No he stated the problem became present when he PULLED the T-stat OUT!. The OP needs to clarify if he even has a T-stat in the system. The heater won't work if the t-stat isn't in there.

That is what I am trying to get at....
Is the engine reaching operating temp?

 

[86lancert]

ok just to clear things up the t-stat is still in but i dont think it is centered in the housing
i need a new one it is rusted out so the lip the t-stat sits on is gone.
i dont think the valve has frozen up cause i can move it by hand freely but i could be wrong
does rubber in diaphragms break down?
last time i ran the car i think i had two hoses hot and the other was cold so i know water is moving to it and back but i am not sure about the third hose what it is for.
yes the engine does come up to temp

 

[The Pope]

I'd take the hoses off the head and water pump to the heater. Then run a garden hose into the pump side forcing water backwards through the core.

195 stat, a given

port the water pump housing.

if it worked then stopped it sounds like it got plug with crap from the engine or your pump needs changing. Most of the time it is a pile in the core.

 

[86lancert]

i do need to flush the engine out

 

[92TurboTona]

that third hose is for the intake manifold cooling,

one to the radiator
one to the intake manifold
and the other two goes to the heater core

 

[GLHNSLHT2]

So Lancer do you have a t-stat in the car??

 

[86lancert]

yes

 

[NAJ]

1)The only 2 hoses I am concerned with at this moment are the 2 at the heater core, are they both hot?
2)You mentioned the T-Stat flange was rotted away, that would allow coolant to bypass the T-Stat and the engine run cooler.
What is actual engine temp?
3)Is the coolant full?