88BroncoBlack
New member
Hey guys i just got my 88, the fan and everything works great but the heat option is just a warmer cold air, is this my heater core or should i look at other things as well
Heat...dont have it!
- Thread starter 88BroncoBlack
- Start date
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muddinlate86
New member
you dont have any rad. fluid fill it up!!!!!!!!!!!
love_my_bronco
New member
i would say its your heater core but also check other things. does your rig have a weird small of anti freeze when you run the heater?
BroncoJoe19
Active member
Hey,
Welcome to Bronco Zone.
My first thought would be a clogged heater core, but from hanging here, I learned that there is another common problem with loss of heat and that is that the core may get clogged with leaves and crap.
Please read through this thread, and let us know if it gave you enough informatiojn t osolve your problem.
If it did not then perhaps we can come up with additional thoughts.
joe
love_my_bronco
New member
if not then i dont think its the heater core.
Broncobill78
New member
There could be several problems and you have to start by eliminating them one after another until you're left with the problem at hand. Is is a blower/fan issue, do you have good airflow over the heater core ? If the fan is functional then you're looking at a problem with the core. Is it leaking or blocked ? Older cores frequently have this problem. Be sure to ck you coolant level because it's very important to the proper operation of the heater. If the heater runs from hot to very cold in just a minute or so then ck your fluid level. What we need to know is whether or not you have a maple-syrup odor in the cab, what is the coolant level and does it change ? You might very well have a very health heating system but the seals for the blend-door and other critical parts may have degraded to the point where ambient air is enetering the system. Do have have a gritty black dust blowing from the vents or visable under the dash where the various parts of the system meet ? There can be a number of causes, if you're patient we can systematically track them all down, but the choice is yours.
BroncoJoe19
Active member
Sorry I forgot to include the post
http://broncozone.com/forums/index.php?s=&...ost&p=65231
Certainly as the other gentlemen who have responded, if your radiator fluid level is low you may not get heat. But read through the post, I am sure you will find it informative.
joe
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88BroncoBlack
New member
goin out to check coolant tonight, but i have been smellin it after i drive my truck in to work, i smell it when im gettin oout after parking it, but dont smell it in cab when drivin
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88BroncoBlack
New member
had like no coolant, put a gallon in and it was still takin it, ill check again tommorow, will this really affect my heat
BroncoJoe19
Active member
Absolutely YES!!!
Well I guess that Muddinlate86 really hit it on the head!
So did Redneck and BroncoBill78
SO the next thing will be to find the leak.
Broncobill78
New member
Yes, the heater core is supplied with hot coolant from the radiator and that's what provides you with heat. The fan blows ambient air thru the hot heater core and into the cab thru the ductwork. If you've been smelling the coolant AND the radiator levels have dropped then it's a pretty safe bet that you have a leak in the heater core. Unfortunately it can be a bitch to change but it's something that most guys can do in the driveway over the weekend. Until you DO change it out the thing to do will be to keep up on your coolant. As long as you keep the radiator full then the core will get coolant & you'll have heat. Just be sure you don't lose track of it because if that happens there's a good chance you'll overheat the truck and then you'll be asking why white smoke is coming out of the exhaust and looking for info on changing head gaskets. Also, if you're up North don't let the coolant/water ratio get *too* far out of whack or you'll be asking about freezeplugs.
BroncoJoe19
Active member
Yeah, like broncobill78 said, keep an eye on your fluid level till you get ehr fixed.
The only thing I can add is to carry some extra with you, cause the leak CAN go from a seeping leak to a trikle at any moment, and ofcourse at teh worst possible moment, and without a cell tower in site of your phone.
Also, the leak may be anywhere in the cooling system, not just in the heater core, if you are lucky it is a loose clamp for one of your heater hoses. If you smell the coolant inside the cab, then it is probably the core. IF outside the cab, hopefully it is a hose.
The only thing I can add is to carry some extra with you, cause the leak CAN go from a seeping leak to a trikle at any moment, and ofcourse at teh worst possible moment, and without a cell tower in site of your phone.
Also, the leak may be anywhere in the cooling system, not just in the heater core, if you are lucky it is a loose clamp for one of your heater hoses. If you smell the coolant inside the cab, then it is probably the core. IF outside the cab, hopefully it is a hose.
after you fill it up if you still dont have heat, let your truck warm up, kick on the heat then pop your hood. """CAUTIOUSLY""" grab each heater hose going to your heater box under the hood. If only one is warm you have a coolant flow problem. Either your valve isnt open or your heater core isnt allowing fluid to pass. If both are warm then your problem is somewhere else.
good luck.
ps, common places to check for leaks are around the water pump and tstat housings. Heater hoses might get a split in them or leak at the fittings, and the heatercore, but you would/should smell that one.
good luck.
ps, common places to check for leaks are around the water pump and tstat housings. Heater hoses might get a split in them or leak at the fittings, and the heatercore, but you would/should smell that one.
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88BroncoBlack
New member
ok guys, been addin coolant, changed thermostat, cannot find leak and still cant get heat, only warm air, gimme some more ideas
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88BroncoBlack
New member
if i grab the top radiator, its really warm but not hot like you cant grab it
BroncoJoe19
Active member
DIdi you read through this thread?
THere are suggestions in here...
http://broncozone.com/forums/index.php?s=&...ost&p=65231
joe
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Broncobill78
New member
Well, if you keep needing to add coolant then there's certainly a leak *somewhere* then isn't there
/emoticons/[email protected] 2x" width="20" height="20" /> The missing coolant isn't disappearing into the 4th dimension, it's going somewhere. Might be that it's leaking out somewhere in front of the firewall or it may be that the carpet is absorbing it. If you can smell it in the cab then it's a good bet that the leak is on *your* side of the firewall. You have an 88' right ? If you'd like I'll look up & scan the appropriate pages from the factory manual for replacing the heater core. Generally speaking you get to it by going thru the glove box but I'd need to look up *this* particular year before being sure of that.Just to recap, as long as you keep the fluid level up you continue to have heat correct ? When the coolant level drops your heat goes away right ? Or is it behaving differently ? Generally speaking the heat should function properly as long as you maintain the coolant level.
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88BroncoBlack
New member
i wouldnt say i have heat, but it does seem to be warmer when i have more coolant in, when i bought this truck, i have an oily substance on the carpet, i thought someone spilled somethin in the truck, however i dont smell coolant inside, i just thought it curious that you mentioned soaking into the carpet and i have a substance in my carpet. where would it be leaking to be absorbed into the rug, ill check there and i was lookin into replacin the carpet, if its possibly antifreeze, ill hold off til i find out so it doesnt soak into the new stuff
well it will be on the passenger side running down the fire wall. your heater core is behind your glove box buried in the dash. Did you grab the heater hose lines like i mentioned above? If both are warm and your not getting heat then you are loosing coolant inside your dash/cab area or your divertor isnt opening up. There is a divider inside your heating ducts that lets or denies hot air. this is controlled by your ac/heat controls. on my truck its cable operated. its only pinched on one side and its very possible that your cable has slipped. when you slide the lever back and forth can you hear it opening/closing? you can look up under the dash and see what im talking about. Do you have hot air coming out of your defroster vents just not your face floor?
