98 Escort Heater issue

[Bizquick]

Okay I got this 98 escort and the heater just blows cold air. and the heat gauge is all the way up. now I dont know if the 2 are related. but as far as I can tell that seams to be the only thing wrong on this car. any ideas on what to replace? I know the pervious owner had the heater in this car fixed serveral times. So I'm guessing what ever the ford deal was doing. must have been incorrect.

[AzTumbleweed]

Sounds like there is no coolant in it.

[Bizquick]

no I made sure it had all the fluids. thats not it.

[AzTumbleweed]

Originally Posted by Bizquick

no I made sure it had all the fluids. thats not it.

Just to make sure-You took the radiator cap off or just checked the reservoir? Sure has the symptoms of low coolant.

[Bizquick]

No I took the cap off checked the fluid levels check oil and all that too. I added about 2 cups of water. just be sure and then it was full.

[mightymoose_22]

The heater core may be blocked.... and if the heater core has previously had trouble, there is a chance it has been bypassed. Check the firewall and verify the heater hoses are connected going in and out.
Verify flow through the core by feeling for pressure/warmth on the inlet and outlet sides.

Also... it is possible that the temp selector is broken.

[Davescort97]

Possibly the blend door is stuck in the closed positiion for heat. Check the vacuum lines going to the heater/AC. The hot coolant flows through the heater core all the time. It is just the blend door that routes the heat into your passenger compartment.

[tripletdaddy]

You could run your hand along the underside and front of the heater case and air plenum under the dash to see if you feel any heat. The heater core I believe to be in the center under the radio and hvac controls. The core may be too far in the back at the firewall to put your hand right on it, but after running the car enough, the heat should conduct through if it's there. You could try back flushing the heater core with a garden hose from the water pump side hose to the hose that goes to the thermastat, disconnected of course. This would be in reverse flow of normal. So to see if much pressure is coming out of the downstream side of the core with the water pump pumping, disconnect the water pump hose that goes to the core. This is the return line to the pump.