Help!! (from the north country)

Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?

"googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
> driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
> for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
>[/color]

This happened with my previous car, a Taurus. My mechanic said "We start
cheap, first", and changed the engine thermostat. Voila. Fixed. Have a
reliable mechanic check coolant temp. There are other possible causes, but
always start with the simplest and cheapest first.

You didn't say, is the air flow from the heater weak, or is the
temperature of the air coming out not high enough, or both? It's
really pretty simple, hot water has to circulate through the heater
core and a fan has to blow the hot air through the vents. If the
engine is warming up sufficiently (i.e. the thermostat is working
properly) then either coolant is not circulating through the heater
core (something could be plugged up) or the fan is not operating right.
If it's the former, then you might want to try flushing the cooling
system thoroughly (including the heater core), especially if that has
not been done in a while, and if you get out a bunch of sludge you
might see an improvement in the heater. When I flush the cooling
system in my cars, I always warm up the car and run the heater wide
open for a while to get the old coolant out of that part of the system.

[url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system2.htm[/url]
[url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url]


googleisfun wrote:[color=blue]
> Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
> driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
> for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?[/color]

One other thing, if you are a bit mechanical, and can locate the heater
hoses (see [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url] for an
example), you can disconnect them from the engine and hook up a hose to
one of them directly to put pressurized water through the heater core
and perhaps clean out whatever might be in there more directly and
efficiently. Be sure to remove both of them, because the water has
have somewhere to come out. You might be surprised at what comes out
of the other hose.


Mark wrote:[color=blue]
> You didn't say, is the air flow from the heater weak, or is the
> temperature of the air coming out not high enough, or both? It's
> really pretty simple, hot water has to circulate through the heater
> core and a fan has to blow the hot air through the vents. If the
> engine is warming up sufficiently (i.e. the thermostat is working
> properly) then either coolant is not circulating through the heater
> core (something could be plugged up) or the fan is not operating right.
> If it's the former, then you might want to try flushing the cooling
> system thoroughly (including the heater core), especially if that has
> not been done in a while, and if you get out a bunch of sludge you
> might see an improvement in the heater. When I flush the cooling
> system in my cars, I always warm up the car and run the heater wide
> open for a while to get the old coolant out of that part of the system.
>
> [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system2.htm[/url]
> [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url]
>
>
> googleisfun wrote:[color=green]
> > Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
> > driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
> > for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?[/color][/color]

[url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url] also makes a good
point.

"The heater core draws its hot coolant from the cylinder head and
returns it to the pump -- so the heater works regardless of whether the
thermostat is open or closed. "

so it's probably not the thermostat


JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=blue]
> "googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
> > Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
> > driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
> > for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
> >[/color]
>
> This happened with my previous car, a Taurus. My mechanic said "We start
> cheap, first", and changed the engine thermostat. Voila. Fixed. Have a
> reliable mechanic check coolant temp. There are other possible causes, but
> always start with the simplest and cheapest first.[/color]

Why did the repair work?


"Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1165588341.437229.315850@l12g2000cwl.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url] also makes a good
> point.
>
> "The heater core draws its hot coolant from the cylinder head and
> returns it to the pump -- so the heater works regardless of whether the
> thermostat is open or closed. "
>
> so it's probably not the thermostat
>
>
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=green]
>> "googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>> > Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
>> > driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
>> > for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
>> >[/color]
>>
>> This happened with my previous car, a Taurus. My mechanic said "We start
>> cheap, first", and changed the engine thermostat. Voila. Fixed. Have a
>> reliable mechanic check coolant temp. There are other possible causes,
>> but
>> always start with the simplest and cheapest first.[/color]
>[/color]

Sorry, I wasn't there... maybe he changed the coolant at the same
time? Different design?


JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=blue]
> Why did the repair work?
>
>
> "Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1165588341.437229.315850@l12g2000cwl.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
> > [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url] also makes a good
> > point.
> >
> > "The heater core draws its hot coolant from the cylinder head and
> > returns it to the pump -- so the heater works regardless of whether the
> > thermostat is open or closed. "
> >
> > so it's probably not the thermostat
> >
> >
> > JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=darkred]
> >> "googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> >> news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...
> >> > Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
> >> > driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
> >> > for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
> >> >
> >>
> >> This happened with my previous car, a Taurus. My mechanic said "We start
> >> cheap, first", and changed the engine thermostat. Voila. Fixed. Have a
> >> reliable mechanic check coolant temp. There are other possible causes,
> >> but
> >> always start with the simplest and cheapest first.[/color]
> >[/color][/color]

Just the thermostat. My mechanic likes to chatter with customers, so we're
welcome to watch, and long as we know how to dance and stay the phuque out
of his way. (The shop equivalent of the kitchen triangle, ya know? Stay out
of the chef's way.)


"Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1165589643.691232.246710@n67g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Sorry, I wasn't there... maybe he changed the coolant at the same
> time? Different design?
>
>
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=green]
>> Why did the repair work?
>>
>>
>> "Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:1165588341.437229.315850@l12g2000cwl.googlegroups.com...[color=darkred]
>> > [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url] also makes a good
>> > point.
>> >
>> > "The heater core draws its hot coolant from the cylinder head and
>> > returns it to the pump -- so the heater works regardless of whether the
>> > thermostat is open or closed. "
>> >
>> > so it's probably not the thermostat
>> >
>> >
>> > JoeSpareBedroom wrote:
>> >> "googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>> >> news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...
>> >> > Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
>> >> > driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential
>> >> > reasons
>> >> > for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
>> >> >
>> >>
>> >> This happened with my previous car, a Taurus. My mechanic said "We
>> >> start
>> >> cheap, first", and changed the engine thermostat. Voila. Fixed. Have a
>> >> reliable mechanic check coolant temp. There are other possible causes,
>> >> but
>> >> always start with the simplest and cheapest first.
>> >[/color][/color]
>[/color]

On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:38:14 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
<dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>Why did the repair work?[/color]

Because thermostats usually fail open, and send the coolant through
the radiator - the engine takes forever to warm up.

--<< Bruce >>--

"Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
news:s33jn2lhs9ii1hkc8mu1u9ua9h2vjo6mo2@4ax.com...[color=blue]
> On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:38:14 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>[color=green]
>>Why did the repair work?[/color]
>
> Because thermostats usually fail open, and send the coolant through
> the radiator - the engine takes forever to warm up.
>
> --<< Bruce >>--
>[/color]

That's what I always thought, but Mark seems to feel otherwise. Oh well.

Uh-huh, right ;-)

Thanks Bruce, it seems obvious that replacing the thermostat is a good
first step if the coolant has been changed regularly and is known to be
in good shape. I will be the first to admit it when I learn something,
unlike others here...



JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=blue]
> "Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
> news:s33jn2lhs9ii1hkc8mu1u9ua9h2vjo6mo2@4ax.com...[color=green]
> > On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:38:14 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
> > <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote:
> >[color=darkred]
> >>Why did the repair work?[/color]
> >
> > Because thermostats usually fail open, and send the coolant through
> > the radiator - the engine takes forever to warm up.
> >
> > --<< Bruce >>--
> >[/color]
>
> That's what I always thought, but Mark seems to feel otherwise. Oh well.[/color]

Mark, I'm open to new ideas, but the repair worked. If the antifreeze had
been totally replaced, that would also make sense as a factor, but as I
watched, he only lost about two cups, which was topped off after everything
was done. What else could it have been?


"Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1165594157.541210.165480@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Uh-huh, right ;-)
>
> Thanks Bruce, it seems obvious that replacing the thermostat is a good
> first step if the coolant has been changed regularly and is known to be
> in good shape. I will be the first to admit it when I learn something,
> unlike others here...
>
>
>
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=green]
>> "Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:s33jn2lhs9ii1hkc8mu1u9ua9h2vjo6mo2@4ax.com...[color=darkred]
>> > On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:38:14 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
>> > <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >>Why did the repair work?
>> >
>> > Because thermostats usually fail open, and send the coolant through
>> > the radiator - the engine takes forever to warm up.
>> >
>> > --<< Bruce >>--
>> >[/color]
>>
>> That's what I always thought, but Mark seems to feel otherwise. Oh well.[/color]
>[/color]

Wait...there WAS one more thing done to the car: He always checks tire
pressure. He probably added some winter air, for better traction.


"Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1165594157.541210.165480@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Uh-huh, right ;-)
>
> Thanks Bruce, it seems obvious that replacing the thermostat is a good
> first step if the coolant has been changed regularly and is known to be
> in good shape. I will be the first to admit it when I learn something,
> unlike others here...
>
>
>
> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=green]
>> "Bruce L. Bergman" <blPYTHONbergman@earthlink.invalid> wrote in message
>> news:s33jn2lhs9ii1hkc8mu1u9ua9h2vjo6mo2@4ax.com...[color=darkred]
>> > On Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:38:14 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
>> > <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> >
>> >>Why did the repair work?
>> >
>> > Because thermostats usually fail open, and send the coolant through
>> > the radiator - the engine takes forever to warm up.
>> >
>> > --<< Bruce >>--
>> >[/color]
>>
>> That's what I always thought, but Mark seems to feel otherwise. Oh well.[/color]
>[/color]

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:qNeeh.7162$ya1.235@news02.roc.ny...[color=blue]
> Why did the repair work?
>
>
> "Mark" <bogusmailmark@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:1165588341.437229.315850@l12g2000cwl.googlegroups.com...[color=green]
>> [url]http://auto.howstuffworks.com/cooling-system10.htm[/url] also makes a good
>> point.
>>
>> "The heater core draws its hot coolant from the cylinder head and
>> returns it to the pump -- so the heater works regardless of whether the
>> thermostat is open or closed. "
>>
>> so it's probably not the thermostat
>>
>>
>> JoeSpareBedroom wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> "googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
>>> news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...
>>> > Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
>>> > driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential
>>> > reasons
>>> > for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
>>> >
>>>
>>> This happened with my previous car, a Taurus. My mechanic said "We start
>>> cheap, first", and changed the engine thermostat. Voila. Fixed. Have a
>>> reliable mechanic check coolant temp. There are other possible causes,
>>> but
>>> always start with the simplest and cheapest first.[/color]
>>[/color][/color]
Your mechanic probably installed a thermostat with a higher opening
temperature.

"googleisfun" <thecarpenter333@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1165579991.839138.273590@80g2000cwy.googlegroups.com...[color=blue]
> Help, my 1995 Corolla has a very weak heating system. I am freezing
> driving to work up in the north country. What are the potential reasons
> for this "lukewarm" heater? Any regular maintenance for heaters?
>[/color]

There are 2 probable causes for insufficient heater output.

If the engine coolant temperature gauge on the instrument panel reads cold,
then the thermostat is probably stuck in the open position and a replacement
thermostat will probably fix the problem. If the coolant is more than 2
years old, have it replaced while changing the thermostat.

Another potential cause is a heater control valve that is stuck in the
closed or partially closed position, especially if the engine coolant is
reaching normal operating temperature. The heater control valve is located
on the firewall. If you are not familiar with what it looks like, the
easiest way to find it is to have someone inside move the temperature
control back and forth from cold to hot while you look at the connections
for the hoses about the same diameter as a garden hose on the firewall
between the engine and passenger compartments. You should see a metal cable
moving a lever about 2 inches long. The cable/lever is attached to the
heater control valve, and that allows hot coolant to pass through to the
heater core. If the cable is detached from the lever or the cable does not
move the lever, then there is a problem with the controls. You can try
manually moving the lever one way or the other to see if the heater works.
By the way, it is not necessary to have the engine running while you look
for the heater control valve, and it is probably safer if it is not running.

Good luck!
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)