Got a question need your help please

[Draegonsan]

I haven't ever made a thread here...but I find lots of useful info.

I have a 94 ford explorer (blue if it ever mattered lol) Its the 4 door.

I am having a heater issue....The blower works...the engine is all good, yet it never blows warm air...then when I think its not worth the time..it starts blowing semi warm air...I live in NE and lliterally drive to work with a blanket....I am guessing it is the heating core but I can't be sure...any suggestions.....

and how hard would it be for me to change that on my own...am I better off just going to a shop and being chareged a but load for it....??:exp:

 

[Willard]

Sounds like the heater core. Here's a link on how to do it:

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=135049&highlight=heater+core+replacement

 

[Draegonsan]

Man thank you so much I should have thought to ask way earlier and I may have avoided some freezing drives this past winter.....so Ill suffer through some cold tonight and fix it and at least not freeze in this last part of winter...it snowed here last night so heater will be well appreciated.

 

[Fire926]

If your not smelling coolant inside or seeing fogging on the windshield I wouldn't condemn the heater core yet. Have you tried taking the heater hoses off at the core and flushing it? If you get good flow thru it when doing that I'd think the core isn't your problem. Again this is all based on you not losing coolant right now. Your initial statement leads one to believe you've already confirmed the thermostat is working etc under the hood.

 

[boggs1227]

also i would check the heater control valve inside the engine compartment .....it's got a vacum operated bypass that may be diverting the coolant away from the heater core ,just let the engine warm up and wire it shut in the other direction or have some one hold it and see it you got heat

 

[Willard]

If your not smelling coolant inside or seeing fogging on the windshield I wouldn't condemn the heater core yet. Have you tried taking the heater hoses off at the core and flushing it? If you get good flow thru it when doing that I'd think the core isn't your problem. Again this is all based on you not losing coolant right now. Your initial statement leads one to believe you've already confirmed the thermostat is working etc under the hood.

The heater core can be clogged, but not leaking. It's happened to a lot of people, and if the engine's getting to temp, and the coolants getting to the heater core, it's likely clogged. The only other possibility (assuming the engine is hot enough) is that the cut-off valve is stuck closed, but usually those things just leak when they go bad.

Either way, the core's so easy to remove, he can take it out just to see if it's bad. I did it with mine, it was fine, so I stuck it back in.

Edit: looks like boggs beat me about the valve

 

[boggs1227]

haha

 

[92greenexplorer]

Does The Tep Gage Go Up My Dont Get Hot It Need A Thermasat

 

[boggs1227]

make sure it's not the guage it'self or the sending unit,mine went out a month ago and when it went it would register a little increase in temp but not go up all the way where it should be on the guage,5 dollar part and 3 cents in teflon tape fixed it , take the wire that goes to the sending unit and ground it on the engine and turn on the key and see if your guage goes all the way up if it does then it's the sending unit


hope this helps

 

[Draegonsan]

I know the stat works...I took it off replaced it and it worked..I had an extra one from previous owner. It blows hot air out sometimes....but I never smell antifreeeze...however its always uber cold since it broke so Im not really looking...and there have been occasions when I smelled something but never tought about it really. The motor is running just fine. When you says check the vacum part what do you mean...can you explain to me where this part is and what to do to test it.

BTW thanks to all for you fast responses great forum and members.

 

[boggs1227]

no problem...if you look on the far left hand side of the engine compartment
right up next to the fire wall you see 2 hose's coming from the fire wall (heater core lines) they run into a black plastic tube that has 2 other hose's on the other side ( water pump coolant lines) .....that 4 port tube has a silver canister under it (thats the servo,has a plastic vac line hose connected to it) you can feel under it and feel a small arm ...that arm moves back and forth (plunger type deal) just push it or out (heck it may be stuck only letting in some hot coolant to the heater core...may be clogged like devilboy said)

just move that little armature in and out and see if you have a increase in heat inside the truck .real simple

i just took my old one out went out on me 2days ago here a pic

 

[Fire926]

I agree the core could be plugged or restricted. But flushing it is as simple as pulling the hoses and feeding the water in one side. My kid has a 99 Jimmy and that thing the core plugs or restricts every year. A good flush would seemingly resolve it but it still happens each year. Anyway, just my 2 cents rather than pull the core which seems like alot more work than popping 2 clamps & putting a lil water pressure to it first. (Not a pressure washer either LOL).

 

[Mud_Bone]

An easy test is to check the hoses going to the heater core. With the engine at full operating temp, and if one is hot and the other is cold, then the heater core is probably plugged. If both hoses are hot then it means you have good water circulation and it probably wouldn't be the core. I would also take a look at the blend air door on the heater housing. Move the temp selector on the control panel and see if you can feel any difference in air temp. It could be bound up.
Just a thought......

 

[leefhead]

check your coolant level....then check for the bypass valve, mine blewup on me the other day because i was ignoring it for 6 months....my bad...then the heater core. gl

 

[chilly_moose]

Another thing you can check....
I had the same problem last winter and was scratching my head, cause i checked everything that they had mentioned above. it ended up being a stuck thermostat. it was stuck closed and wouldn't let the water coolant circulate.
Good luck
Ed

 

[Masterd]

I just got done dealing with the same type of thing. Truck never really warmed up and the heat what there a little bit, but it was lousy.

All it needed was a thermostat.

 

[Willard]

Another thing you can check....
I had the same problem last winter and was scratching my head, cause i checked everything that they had mentioned above. it ended up being a stuck thermostat. it was stuck closed and wouldn't let the water coolant circulate.
Good luck
Ed

This would cause the engine to overheat, shouldn't have any affect on the heater, however.

I just got done dealing with the same type of thing. Truck never really warmed up and the heat what there a little bit, but it was lousy.

All it needed was a thermostat.

This is possible. T-stats can be bad brand new, and if the truck's not warm, you don't have heat.

 

[chilly_moose]

This would cause the engine to overheat, shouldn't have any affect on the heater, however.


Like I said before it was last winter. I only drive it to work which is about 2 miles. not enough time to overheat.