Running COLD in the COLD

[charon61285]

88 B-II running TOO COLD for weather colder than 25 degrees outside.


I have replaced the thermostat (192 degree), covered up to 75% of radiator, and still I can not seam to get any heat out of her This is the wife's back-up unit. She has a 02 Mustang GT and she does not like to drive it with snow on the road. Too much HP and too little traction. But with temps at or below zero around here and having to drive 30 miles to work she would like to have SOME heat inside the B-II. Maybe I should give her the Mr. Buddy LP heater I use in the Duck Blind. Think that will work!I have read a few posts about the temp sensor being dirty or bad and will check that out tomorrow. What gets me is the lack of heat in the cooling system with that much radiator coveredWe owned 2 B-II's new straight off the dealer’s showroom floor back in 84 and 86 and had some problems with keeping the inside warm and the engine temp up but not this bad!

Could I be dealing with a plugged heater core also?

Engine temp in summer time does come up into the low part of the “Normal” scale but in the winter if it gets anywhere need the lower part of the L in normal we are very happy, cold but happy. All of this is with 50 to 75% of radiator covered with cardboard.

Thanks,Ron

[80351]

Yes it could be, but it also could be an air bubble.
Are the hoses getting hot?
I have a 90 and have plenty of heat. I flushed and
cleaned the system when I replaced the radiator which was
bigger than what came in it, but I had a problem with getting
all the air out of the system. wound up putting one of those
Prestone flush kits in with the tee in the heater hose and burped
it from there.
I also have a full sized Bronco and its doing the same thing and I
don't look for it to get any better cause I am now replacing the
waterpump that started leaking.
Dave

[lugnut05]

I would check the core by feeling both the inlet and outlet hoses. Both should be quite warm. If one is hot the other cold then you have little or no flow.

Could be reversed hoses, air bound core, bad water petcock (if applicable.), or
water pump.

Does the engine itself come up to temp ?
Can check through the radiator fill with a mechanic's thermometer.

[Conanski]

The problem is most likely related to the heater core, not the rad. You can flush the heater core with a garden hose, just pull the lines off under the hood and run water back and forth through it. If you get a big pile of gunk out you found your probem. If it flows lots of clean water, check the diverter door inside the heater core airbox. Somtimes a foreign object falls down through a windshield vent and blocks the door for fully closing, other times it's a broken vacuum line or cable from the heater controls.

[fl1a]

When I got my 88, there was a lot of debris in the ductwork. On the passenger side,
on the firewall, below where the glovebox is, you can see the lowest vent, also where
the heater core is housed. The curved cover has 5 screws holding it onto the housing.
The heads face downward. Remove them, and pull the cover down and out. Then you can get
some of the material out. I turned my heater on full blast and worked all the controls
on the system, and got a lot of leaves out. Also, when it gets that cold, try to only
run the heater with the outside air lever in the "max a/c" position, to recirculate the
cabin air thru the heater, as opposed to bringing in cold vent air to heat. I have had
2 BII's and they have had each of the problems and solutions described in this thread.

[rebocardo]

> there was a lot of debris in the ductwork

I think this is your problem if the heater core hoses feel hot. If you have A/C getting all the stuff out is a bit harder, but, still doable. You have to remove the resistor pack under the hood and suck it out that way with a vacuum.

[charon61285]

Thanks Guys,

I will look into your suggestions later today as it is snowing here today and the "Boss" will need to drive the B-II tomorrow to work.

I will let you know what I find.

Thanks

[charon61285]

One addition thing. In the summer when it has enough freon in it, the A/C works good.

Add this into the heating problem!

[charon61285]

OK, I may lose my Shade Tree Mechanic Certificate on this one.
Radiator was low on water!
Electrical connection was very bad also, but being low on water is something I should have checked FIRST! Added 50-50 mix of water and anti-freeze.
Now I also have to take s--- from the "Boss" about all those days she drove it and nearly froze to death. Some as low as -10 outside with inside air not much higher than zero.
I am getting 100 to 110 degrees of hot air out of the heater with engine at idle and outside air temp is around 20. Outside air is switched to OFF.
Sometimes you just overthink things.

Thanks again,

[80351]

Well Ron,
If you lose yours then we all should to because NO one made that suggestion although we can fall back and say we thought you had already checked that out.
Now just go back and make sure there still isn't any leaves or such in the cowl. That stuff can also effect you AC drain.
Congrats on getting it fixed
Dave
PS.
Never over look the obvious.

[fl1a]

Now that your system is running better, I wanted to warn you about covering the
radiator. The heat built up in the engine compartment can cause problems with the
TFI ignition module. I ran mine 1/4 covered during a cold snap 2 yrs. ago and started
having symptoms of a failing module. (sudden loss of spark, then high revvs.)
It stopped after removing the radiator cover. Be careful.