Best Way To Increase Heater Output?

[JOET/CAMRY]

Hello Tercel owners,

I have a 1988 tercel w/112,000 miles on it. I wanted to know the best way to increase heater output since the heater works just ok.

the thermostat was replaced about a year and a half ago and the cooling system was flushed at that time also. the heater core is not clogged. the linkages for the heat are not out of adjustment. this car has always run very cool, even after the thermostat replacement. in the winter it takes a very long time to heat up.

the thermostat is rated to open at 160 or 180 degrees (I cant remember which). the highest temperature thermostat that they sell for this car is a 192 degrees one.

Question #1: would changing the thermostat to a 192 degees thermostat increase heater output (temperature wise)?

Question #2: do they sell a coolant temperature switch for this car that kicks the electric cooling fan on at a hotter temperature than the stock coolant temperature switch.

QUESTION #3: would replacing the coolant temperature switch with one that kicks the fan on at a hotter coolant temperature increse the heater output (temperature wise)? is it possible?

any help/advice is appreciated.

Regards,
JOET/CAMRY

[97cavalier]

Originally Posted by JOET/CAMRY

Hello Tercel owners,

I have a 1988 tercel w/112,000 miles on it. I wanted to know the best way to increase heater output since the heater works just ok.

the thermostat was replaced about a year and a half ago and the cooling system was flushed at that time also. the heater core is not clogged. the linkages for the heat are not out of adjustment. this car has always run very cool, even after the thermostat replacement. in the winter it takes a very long time to heat up.

the thermostat is rated to open at 160 or 180 degrees (I cant remember which). the highest temperature thermostat that they sell for this car is a 192 degrees one.

Question #1: would changing the thermostat to a 192 degees thermostat increase heater output (temperature wise)?

Question #2: do they sell a coolant temperature switch for this car that kicks the electric cooling fan on at a hotter temperature than the stock coolant temperature switch.

QUESTION #3: would replacing the coolant temperature switch with one that kicks the fan on at a hotter coolant temperature increse the heater output (temperature wise)? is it possible?

any help/advice is appreciated.

Regards,
JOET/CAMRY

I know you can get a universial fan switch which don't let your fan kick on till you let it. But this will not let it heat up faster, it will just let it heat up more. There is nothing you can do to make it heat up faster except get a motor block heater, which they probly don't make for this car. Check the dealer to see though. But the fan probly kicks in a little befor half way, and if you get that fan switch, the car is heated up alredy so you have heat. So it will not make it heat up FASTER, so all i can say is warm up car eairler and look and see if there is a motor block heater for this car.

[JOET/CAMRY]

Originally Posted by 97cavalier

I know you can get a universial fan switch which don't let your fan kick on till you let it. But this will not let it heat up faster, it will just let it heat up more. There is nothing you can do to make it heat up faster except get a motor block heater, which they probly don't make for this car. Check the dealer to see though. But the fan probly kicks in a little befor half way, and if you get that fan switch, the car is heated up alredy so you have heat. So it will not make it heat up FASTER, so all i can say is warm up car eairler and look and see if there is a motor block heater for this car.

Thanks alot for replying to my post 97cavalier.

I suppose I could rev the engine when it is cold out to get the car to put out heat faster than normal but thats not what I am trying to do.

even if the car has been running for 30 minutes the heat is still not hot enough. I wanted to see what I could do to make this car put out better/hotter heat during these cold winter months.

should I try and replace the coolant temperature switch with one that doesn,t turn the electric cooling fan on until the coolant gets hotter?

do they sell these switches at auto zone/napa /advanced auto/pep boys etc?

Do you think I should try replacing the thermostat with the one that opens at the highest temperature (a 192 degree one)?
would it make a noticable difference?

the temperature gauge needle rises about one forth the way up. I would love to get this engine to run hotter, which I believe would increase the temperature of the heat/heater output.

any help/advise is appriceated.
Regards,
JOET/CAMRY

[JOET/CAMRY]

Originally Posted by JOET/CAMRY

Thanks alot for replying to my post 97cavalier.

I suppose I could rev the engine when it is cold out to get the car to put out heat faster than normal but thats not what I am trying to do.

even if the car has been running for 30 minutes the heat is still not hot enough. I wanted to see what I could do to make this car put out better/hotter heat during these cold winter months.

should I try and replace the coolant temperature switch with one that doesn,t turn the electric cooling fan on until the coolant gets hotter?

do they sell these switches at auto zone/napa /advanced auto/pep boys etc?

Do you think I should try replacing the thermostat with the one that opens at the highest temperature (a 192 degree one)?
would it make a noticable difference?

the temperature gauge needle rises about one forth the way up. I would love to get this engine to run hotter, which I believe would increase the temperature of the heat/heater output.

any help/advise is appriceated.
Regards,
JOET/CAMRY

I just re-read my first post and I did write this sentence:
( in the winter it takes a very long time to heat up.)

the engine does take awile to heat up in the winter time just like most other cars engines do.

I wasn't refering to the amount of time the engine takes to heat up. sorry for the confusion 97cavalier.



regards,
JOET/CAMRY

[97cavalier]

Originally Posted by JOET/CAMRY

I just re-read my first post and I did write this sentence:
( in the winter it takes a very long time to heat up.)

the engine does take awile to heat up in the winter time just like most other cars engines do.

I wasn't refering to the amount of time the engine takes to heat up. sorry for the confusion 97cavalier.



regards,
JOET/CAMRY

I would go ahead and replace the thermastat, and don't do the fan switch because the atock one don't kick in till a little befor half any ways. But replace the thermastat and see what that does.

[kronkonn]

i have a corolla and a buick regal with the same problem for the regal it had stop leak in it before i bought the car resulting in a partial clog in the heater core (very easy to clear out either with a hose or with an air compresser or I've "heard" that switching the input and output hoses can do push the clog out (you can reuse the coolant you drain from the system before removing the heater core , and the heater core is usually easy to get out). on the corolla i replace thermostat because the new one had malfunctioned resulting in it being partially open (a fail-open is better than a fail-closed themostat in my opinion, i'd rather be cold than be fixing a head gasket anyday) all the time and making it not retain heat resulting in blowing semi-warm air even tho my temp needle stayed up around 1/4 to even 1/2 except for serious highway speeds it'd drop to nothing or if nothing else seems to work you could put "restrictor" plates on the grill causeing less cold air to get under hood, the hicks here in nebraska usually use old cardboard beer cases on their trucks for that purpose. also just a thought, i had a car that had a failure somewhere in the ducts thru the fire wall and was pulling in cold air but that was a old car and fortunatley i've not had to get that far into the dash yet to find out if that can still apply these days with any cars. i noticed it because my old chevy used to blow air thru the ducts when it wasn't on and i don't mean the usual trace amounts i mean like it was set on medium. anyways, good luck and if all else fails just get a power converter and hook up a space heater to your passenger floorboard, it goes well with a boom box on the front seat. hahahaha, do what you gotta do!!!




seriously i'd advise against that set up considering it might fall over and start a fire, i had mine nail-gunned (carefully i swear) to the floor and was still constantly paranoid but hey it worked man.

[jijiandfarmgang]

Hey,

Good question. I have the same problem in my 91. Nothings going to make it warm up quicker, unless you get a block heater. Ive heard you can get the kind that plug into your oil dipstick, or you can get the kind that go inbetween your rad hose. Its not model specefic, its a generic part. The higher thermstat is a good idea, dont know if it will help much. I wouldnt worry about getting another temp switch for the fan. It will only run a little more extra, no big deal. Anyways, I think the biggest problem with our cars is that lack of insulation. Like for instance on the doors, theres like a piece of fake vynil (plastic) with a sheet of plastic behind it. Not good enough for sub-zero temps where I live. Good luck

P.S. I never did get the point of putting cardboard in front of your grill. It seems stupid to me. Thats what your thermostat is for. Anyone with me on this?

[noah777]

I would recommend doing a couple of things. First, Make sure you have the air intake set to recirculate (circular arrow), otherwise you're pulling fresh air which is colder and harder to heat. Second, Replace the thermostat with a OEM model. Carquest will give you the right one if you are in doubt. Lower temperature thermostats are available and will make the engine run cooler and the heater less hot, perhaps the one you put in before was one of these. Third, change the water to antifreeze ratio in your coolant. Instead of 50/50, make it 70/30 with more anitfreeze less water. That will increase the temperature the anti freeze boils at, meaning it can be hotter before becoming steam. It won't make it warm up faster, but allow it to be as warm as the radiator fan allows it.

I have an 89 and had the same problem. It was because the rubber gasket in the thermostat housing ripped (possibly because it was overtightened) and there was always water making it into the radiator. The coolant temp guage would barely keep above the bottom line on cold days. It now stays at about exactly halfway on any day after 15 minutes of driving. The heater output is way more than enough for any weather. If those three things don't help, you probably have a clog somewhere. I'd have it pressure flushed by a shop, which should get damn near everything out of the system.