QuestionHi , I have a 1977 buick skylark. I had a new heater core and hoses put in yet I still get very little heat, it at best gets lukewarm at best and very little air comes out the vents. When I change from hot to cold on the console alot of cold air then starts coming out.
AnswerWhat mechanical work of ANYKIND has been performed on this vehicle lately ?. ANY ?.
Are BOTH heater hoses HOT to the touch when the engine is at normal operating temperature ?.
Is the thermostat operating correctly ?. Did you TEST it by removing it to see if it is CLOSING when it gets COLD and OPENING correctly ?.
Is there a WATER VALVE in either of the 2 heater hoses ?. If there IS a valve, check the attached vacuum hose and make sure that there is NO vacuum at the hose when the controls are set to the HEAT position.
When the controls are set to the A/C position, Vacuum SHOULD be present at this same hose.
Does the engine get up to NORMAL operating temperature of 180 to 210 degrees ?.
If everything checks out OK, You have a problem with either:
1. A faulty water valve that is rusted stuck in the closed position.
2. A restricted heater core.
3. A restricted middle and or lower flow channels in the radiator. Just because you can visually see the upper channels of the radiator emitting coolant does not mean that the middle and lower are emitting coolant as they may be plugged.
4. A faulty head gasket(s) leak between the combustion chamber and coolant section of the gasket(s) which causes combustion chamber pressure to be forced into the coolant chambers of the engine thus restricting the normal flow of engine coolant.
Check these out and let me know.
autohelp
