Luke warm heater...

[champ_jim]

I have just moved to northern Minnesota this year. I bought a 93 Escort Wagon during the summer. It has always ran very cool (about a quarter of the way up on the guage). I have replaced the thermostat but it still runs very cool, which is now a real problem with the temps dropping to 30 below. My antifreeze is clean and good to 40 below and full. I get warm air out of the car but I need HOT air for these sort of temps. Any ideas why the car would run at such a cool temp? Any thoughts would be a great help. Thanks in advance.

[A. Souphound]

It sounds as if you are experiencing the same problem as discussed in the tread on "overcooling". The problem identified was a stopped up heater core. Make sure the heater cable is connected, and feel the heater hoses, if they are not hot...no flow.
I've had an 'airlock' in the heater core after the anti-freeze was changed. To make sure this is not the case, with the engine running, loosen the top heater hose enough to let the air out. If that was the problem the hose temperature will start to rise.
Alvin

[willye]

Originally Posted by champ_jim

I have just moved to northern Minnesota this year. I bought a 93 Escort Wagon during the summer. It has always ran very cool (about a quarter of the way up on the guage). I have replaced the thermostat but it still runs very cool, which is now a real problem with the temps dropping to 30 below. My antifreeze is clean and good to 40 below and full. I get warm air out of the car but I need HOT air for these sort of temps. Any ideas why the car would run at such a cool temp? Any thoughts would be a great help. Thanks in advance.

Please review my exhaustive work and research on this in the overcooling thread. The bottom line is: my heater core was restricted. Just allowing enough coolant through to give lukewarm heat. A professional flush has cleared it up very well and I get decent heat now. The ultimate fix is to replace the heater core ($500-600). If you can get good flow with a radiator shop power flush, then you have saved alot and now have heat.

I tried to do the flush myself and did not get the same results as the radiator shop. The reason that the temp gauge is low is because the coolant flow through the heater hose is restricted where the sensor is located. FLUSH IT!!

[A. Souphound]

Originally Posted by willye

Please review my exhaustive work and research on this in the overcooling thread. The bottom line is: my heater core was restricted. Just allowing enough coolant through to give lukewarm heat. A professional flush has cleared it up very well and I get decent heat now. The ultimate fix is to replace the heater core ($500-600). If you can get good flow with a radiator shop power flush, then you have saved alot and now have heat.

I tried to do the flush myself and did not get the same results as the radiator shop. The reason that the temp gauge is low is because the coolant flow through the heater hose is restricted where the sensor is located. FLUSH IT!!

Willye,
I have followed your thread and I have a couple of questions:
Did the 'professional flush' flush the entire system, and if so, how did you determine the cause to be the heater core?
You gave heater core replacement as $500-600. I replaced one recently, and the heater core cost was $32.99 at NAPA. That would be $467.01 -$567.01 for labor..........I'm working to cheap!
Alvin

[willye]

[quote=A. Souphound]Willye,
I have followed your thread and I have a couple of questions:


when I disconnected the heater hoses and T'd them together, the temp gauge went straight to normal temp. In other words, coolant was flowing much better without the core in place.

The estimate was given to me by the radiator shop. It is a very labor intensive job.

Bill