Heater heat

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Princess Valiant

Princess Valiant

A.K.A. Rainy Day Auto
Joined
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Are there any ways to make your car heater run hotter ....I need more heat in the car and even at the max setting....its not making it happen.

I bought a rear defrost unit from a member and I am hoping that helps in the initial warm up but it would be nice if there was a way to up the heat output from under the dash.
 
Sometimes, the heater hose nipples on the water pump, head, intake or wherever, will accumulate some corrosion on the inside, slowing down the coolant flow. You can change 'em out or get a rat-tail file in there and clean 'em out.

Same goes for the heater core. On one of my other cars, my heater wasn't blowing hot at all. After some checking, I found out that the core was completely plugged up solid with....what looked like.....calcium deposits.
 
My 68 has a control valve on one of the heater core hoses since it is an AC car? Does yours? Is it opening and functioning correctly if it does?

What temperature of a thermostat are you running and is if functioning correctly?

Do you have an infrared gun to take readings on different locations on the system to see where things are failing?

I have used CLR with excellent results in the heater core to remove deposits. I remove the hoses from the engine and use compressed air set at about 15 pounds to remove the antifreeze and water. Then I pour the CLR in the hose that has the connection the highest on the heater core. I let it stay in for about an hour and then flush the heater core out really well from both directions several times.

This is a 1967 A-body valve.
 

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Might not be a plugged up core, but just the airflow through the core being blocked by debris or a vent door not working.
A quick check is to see if both hoses under the hood are close at all to the same temp, or if one is hot and the other cold.

One hose hot and the other cold is a plugged up core.
Both hot, but no heat is blocked airflow.
 
What temperature is your thermostat, 160, 180, 195???


Try running a 195° thermostat for winter..


Maybe eat a few more orders of Sonic Tater Tots to put a few pounds on also....
 
Cardboard in front of the radiator.......cheap & effective

brrrrrr I hate cold
 
TrailBeast said:
Might not be a plugged up core, but just the airflow through the core being blocked by debris or a vent door not working.
A quick check is to see if both hoses under the hood are close at all to the same temp, or if one is hot and the other cold.

One hose hot and the other cold is a plugged up core.
Both hot, but no heat is blocked airflow.
Click to expand...
If both hoses are hot, make sure the plenum doors are actually moving fully when the selector on the dash is changed. I've had pencils, candy wrappers ect. keep the doors from moving.
 
:DTake out the back seat and install a wood stove. Store firewood in trunk for traction in snow. Sorry but I had too!
 
You know something I thought of was the factory vent tubing. The flimsey plastic stuff. Maybe figure out a way to insulate that to keep it from losing heat? Just and idea.
 
heater is really pretty simple... run a 195 thermostat, make sure water is flowing well through the core, then you need air flowing through properly as well. Check those 3 things and you will probably find one that is lacking. If you are running 195 t-stat, get it nice and warm, turn OFF the heater fan for a few minutes then turn it back on. If it blows warm for a minute then goes cool, it is a water flow issue. (probably partially plugged core)
 
...........and in addition to the above, my 67 puts out impressive amounts of heat. These heaters should be pretty adequate if working correctly. Even though I don't drive mine in the worst of winter, I've driven these cars "when they were," and though this country doesn't see "regular" amounts of extreme cold, it does get well below zero F here

Get the engine fully warmed and feel both hoses. They should both be hot, too hot to hang onto comfortably. If not.....not enough coolant flow, or stat is not warm enough, or stuck open.

"We" have been know .........in extreme times.........to resort to some cardboard in front of the rad.
 
As part of our restoration my son and I replaced his radiator, hoses, and thermostat. His heat will run you out of the car.
 
Oklacarcollecto said:
My 68 has a control valve on one of the heater core hoses since it is an AC car? Does yours?

I have used CLR with excellent results in the heater core to remove deposits. I remove the hoses from the engine and use compressed air set at about 15 pounds to remove the antifreeze and water. Then I pour the CLR in the hose that has the connection the highest on the heater core. I let it stay in for about an hour and then flush the heater core out really well from both directions several times.

.
Click to expand...

its a non a/c car ...hmmm that clr is a good idea ...never thought of that

TrailBeast said:
Might not be a plugged up core, but just the airflow through the core being blocked by debris or a vent door not working.
A quick check is to see if both hoses under the hood are close at all to the same temp, or if one is hot and the other cold.

One hose hot and the other cold is a plugged up core.
Both hot, but no heat is blocked airflow.
Click to expand...

the heater does get hot but it just lacks that extra ooooomph im looking for

krazykuda said:
What temperature is your thermostat, 160, 180, 195???


Try running a 195° thermostat for winter..


Maybe eat a few more orders of Sonic Tater Tots to put a few pounds on also....
Click to expand...

no idea what thermostat ....what ever comes stock ...how do you check?

6pk2goDemon said:
Cardboard in front of the radiator.......cheap & effective

brrrrrr I hate cold
Click to expand...

funny you say that because when it really gets cold here in January I do see trucks and school buses with cardboard blocking the grille ....or between the grille and radiator. I have seen that.

65cuda360 said:
If both hoses are hot, make sure the plenum doors are actually moving fully when the selector on the dash is changed. I've had pencils, candy wrappers ect. keep the doors from moving.
Click to expand...

I ralley dash swapped this car but when I took out the original dash ...your right, a lot of stuff that didn't belong came out and the heater controls needed greasing and the resistance broke off some of those little white plastic stud thingys ......but I was sure I corrected all that in dash

WRB426 said:
:DTake out the back seat and install a wood stove. Store firewood in trunk for traction in snow. Sorry but I had too!
Click to expand...

I like it!!! that is a great idea. LOL ...I bet there is a custom van out there somewhere that does have a stove in it. LOL

72ScampTramp said:
You know something I thought of was the factory vent tubing. The flimsey plastic stuff. Maybe figure out a way to insulate that to keep it from losing heat? Just and idea.
Click to expand...

yea the factory ventilation system has always seemed weak to me ....I have no idea why they never put more vent outlets

cosgig said:
X2 on the tater tots!!!...
Click to expand...


MMMMM tasty idea you guys have there ...its almost lunch time too
 
U can remove the thermostat and put it in a pot with hot water while watching for it to open. Better to use a pot that u dont use for cooking. Lol
 
If it's working properly, the heater will practically melt the rubber off your sneakers -- they'll smell like you left them on the furnace grate.

If you live in an area with hot summers, odds are some ignorant person put in a 160 degree thermostat. Go with 195. It makes a huge difference.

I don't know how you can say these cars lack ventilation, with those huge barn doors in the footwell. Open those on the freeway and it's like a hurricane.
 
Make sure the heaterhoses are connected to the correct ports on the firewall.

A wrong water flow-direction can trap air in the heatercore which leaves less water there to give off heat to the core.

Try swapping heaterhoses at the waterpump OR firewall to check if that helps.
 
mvh said:
I don't know how you can say these cars lack ventilation, with those huge barn doors in the footwell. Open those on the freeway and it's like a hurricane.
Click to expand...

I'm glad you brought that up.......I'm thinking that bad seals and fresh air leaks from "down there" on both sides' vents can dilute the hot air blast from the heater with cold vent air......right on yo' feets.

I also think that (at least partial) cardboard in front of the radiator would definitely help.
 
Rani go to Sonic and order one of everything and eat it all that will help with your insulation problem.
 
Rani, what part of northern Alaska do you live in? Down here in the states it very seldom gets down to -5 degrees which is T-shirt weather and we don't need a car heater we just turn the A/C down to low! LOL
 
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