Since the radiator is getting a new core, I was thinking about pulling the heater core to inspect / test it prior to refilling the cooling system. We had no heat on our trip home from Maryland, even after adding a thermostat and topping up the coolant. This morning I crawled under the dash to do a quick inspection of the rest of the heating system. I was happy to find the control valve had become disconnected from its control cable, which is a likely cause! I have decided to leave the heater core in place and hope for the best, since we actually do not expect to need heat from April through October.
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| While under the dash, I also found a broken control cable for the Floor damper. |
It's possible that the cable had been intentionally disconnected by the guy you bought it from. The heater is very powerful. Most of the time I didn't even need to turn on the blower to be warm. That control valve was replaced not long after I got the car because it was leaking coolant onto the floor. Because of slack in the cable or stiffness in the valve, it was possible to open it from the dash control, but it couldn't be closed all the way by moving the temp lever. When I needed to shut off the heat all the way, I would move the lever all the way an then reach under the dash, feel for the lever on the valve itself and close it the rest of the way there.
ReplyDeleteVery powerful indeed! Since I plan to drive the car during warmer weather it's good to know this.
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