99 Windstar No Heat

[dariem]

Hello,
Been reading the posts on this (great info!) but am unsure about my problem. No heat, heater core hoses are hot, box around heater core is warm, a/c works fine. I suspect the blend door actuator. But no clicking, thumping, gear grinding noises like Ive read in other posts. Actuator shaft doesnt move/turn when I slide the temp control button.

Could this be a dead actuator? Would appreciate any advice. Thx!

[Grabber5.0]

If you are looking at the actuator shaft and it's not rotating when you slide the temp control lever, then either it isn't getting power, or it's bad. More likely it's bad. For your sake I hope it's just the actuator and the blend door is not also broken. Mine made no noise whatsoever other than the very quiet noise of the actuator that I could only hear after unplugging the blower motor. It was only moving the broken corner piece shown in my new thread, so there was no noise from the blend door itself moving or seating against its end points.

[dariem]

Thx Grabber5.0.

Replaced the actuator (using instructions in the sticky). I could turn the old one's shaft by hand which doesn't seem right; can't turn the new one by hand. Was able to open & close the blend door fine using a 1/4" extension in the opening. Installed the new actuator and watched it turn the door when I slid the temp knob.

With the setting on hot, am now getting lukewarm air - not hot! Temp guage is in middle. Coolant level is good. Upper radiator hose is hot. One heater core hose is hot, the other is warm. Does this sound like it might be heater core problem? Since one hose is hot, does that rule out a thermostat problem? Appreciate any advice.

[scubacat]

One is hot and one only warm? The heater core might be clogged. You can backflush it with compressed air to try and clear it out.

[Grabber5.0]

Any update? Did you flush the heater core yet?

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[dariem]

Yes I flushed the heater core and that solved my problem. At least I think that's what solved it. Let me explain. I flushed the core by running water through both inlet and outlet until water ran clear. But still no heat and now neither hose was hot! Next I hooked the hoses together bypassing the heater core - hoses got hot (as I expected). Flushed the core again - water was clear - still no heat. I'm at a loss! Verified again that the actuator shaft is turning and there is a slight increase in air temp when I move the slider to heat, so I'm certain the blend door is opening. Started to pull the heater core, but decided to check heat one more time - and now it works! I can't explain why it started working, but it's been working for several days now. If anyone has an idea would appreciate hearing it.

[12Ounce]

If you have been running a lot of near-clear water as coolant ... I would guess your water pump impeller has rusted away and the pump no longer works well.

[dariem]

I've been running 50/50 coolant mix. The clear water I mentioned was water I used to flush the heater core with a garden hose.

[wiswind]

Maybe you had a air bubble trapped in the system from when you had the hoses off.
It can take some time to "burp" air pockets out of the system.
I am thinking that this is why it suddenly started working.
Replacing the heater core is not something you want to do unless you have to......I'm happy that it is working now.