Think my heater core is going bad?

[cam.man67]

Last night I was coming home, outside temp was about 50, so I turned my heat on. The motor was thoroughly warmed up, but I don't get hardly any hot air inside. I mean, it blows a lot of air out, but its only warm. Also I noticed a faint clicking when I have the fan on full blast. Does this sound like my heater core might be going?

TIA

 

[1968FormulaS340]

Sounds like you don't have any water in the radiator. Did the heat in the car ever work?

A heater core going out is fairly clear. You get an antifreeze soaked carpet on the passengers side and the inside will smell like engine coolant.

If the heater has never worked it could be a problem with the heat blend doors (a cable could be off for example).

 

[Mikes270dart]

The core could be pluged, try back flushing it. do the heater controls work properly? when sliding the temp control from warm to hot it changes the amount of hot water running through the core, it could be stuck on warm.

 

[67Dart273]

Heater cores can only do three things:

work fine

plug up

leak

Classic sign of a leak is "mysterious" windows all fog up. THEN it leaks on the carpet

Check your hoses Both hot? both cold?

You have A/C? You have a heater control valve?

More telepathic troubleshooting

 

[mullinax95]

It doesn't sound like the heater core to me.

 

[yellowdartdave]

If only 1 heater hose is hot and the other one is cool, you have a plugged core.
Take both hoses off at the engine end.
Reverse flush it thru the cold hose a couple of times and see what comes out.

As for the noise...pull the fan motor out and check for debris in front of the core. 40 years of crap coming thru the cowl has a tendency to collect there.

 

[cam.man67]

Sounds like you don't have any water in the radiator. Did the heat in the car ever work?

I checked the radiator level, that it fine. To my knowledge, the heat has never worked (I just bought it this summer)

The core could be pluged, try back flushing it. do the heater controls work properly? when sliding the temp control from warm to hot it changes the amount of hot water running through the core, it could be stuck on warm.

They do work, however maybe not to their full extent? It goes for outside temp to moderately warm temp. ;)

If only 1 heater hose is hot and the other one is cool, you have a plugged core.
Take both hoses off at the engine end.
Reverse flush it thru the cold hose a couple of times and see what comes out.

As for the noise...pull the fan motor out and check for debris in front of the core. 40 years of crap coming thru the cowl has a tendency to collect there.

I'll have to check that, thanks for the info everybody.

 

[74swingerlover]

is this only a summer car for you?

 

[cudajim]

Your heater core is probably partially or mostly plugged, kind of like my Toyota. Back-flush that sucker with a garden hose and see what comes out. I'm guessing all kinds of nastiness is what you'll see.