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Old Apr 4, 2005 | 08:14 PM
  #1  
Gerry Lutz Jr.'s Avatar
Gerry Lutz Jr.
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From: centeral Ohio
need help with heater

Hi guys i have a 77 ford with a 1988 engine 4.9 of course.

I can't seem to get it warm in the winter at all. the fluid is full and flushed and new thermostat with stock temp. My gauge moves up barely and not even to the c in cold but, it does move. any or all ideas on this 1 would be appreciated although i won't need my heater till next year now lol. The fan does spin you can hear it and it seems to work pretty well. It just seems that it takes every bit of half an hour just to start to melt frost and it never gets hot just warm. The engine doesn't seem to run to hot or to cold so im kinda stumped what you guys think?
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 12:47 AM
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yozsi
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does your truck have a fan clutch? also i still think you have a bad thermo, i would use a motorcraft one.
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 04:50 AM
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hmmmm no idea what kind i put in. You may be right because my old thermostat was so old it was rusted shut and wouldn't even open in boiling water and new 1 doesn't seem to make it run any different gauge or other wise. Ill check it out and see if it opens ok and such maybe this weekend. O and yes my truck does have a fan clutch and it seems to be working properly what did u have in mind there?
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 01:33 PM
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if the fan clutch is frozen the fan will be running full speed all the time.
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 01:53 PM
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Gerry, a thermostat might not open in boiling water. Water boils at 212 at sea level. If you're significantly higher than that it might boil at a temp below the rated temp of the 'stat. Have you checked to make sure the heater core isn't plugged? On my truck the very bottom line on the gauge is 160 degrees, so just because the needle is low doesn't mean the truck isn't warm.
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 01:59 PM
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Yah i didn't mean the truck wasn't warming up it definetly does was just sorta pointing out the old ford gauges aren't worth ****t at least mine are junk.... AS for the heater coil no idea on that actually i will have to check that any idea where the heater coil should be located?
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 02:00 PM
  #7  
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Hmmm yoz you may be right seems it always runs same speed.
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 02:39 PM
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The heater core is located at the end of the heater hoses opposite the engine. If you take the heater hoses off and hook a water hose up to them it will flush out the core. Make sure to do it both ways.
 
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 05:30 PM
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i think i need to flush my heater core too...i dont seem to get much heat anymore out of her, although teh engine is nice and toasty.
 
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 12:10 AM
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make sure the heater valve is opening up althe way also.
 
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