No Heat, NEED STRAIGHT ANSWERS!! ASAP

Tim Groth

SCCoA Member
Okay well still no heat and after 3 shops poking at it I've come home with 3 different answeres...GO FIGURE! I'm pretty pissed at this point I've been told everything under the sky by these 3 guys and still no heat.

Mechanic 1 said I had a pluged Heater Core so he sent me to a Radiator Shop.

Mechanic 2 @ Radiator Shop, said I either had a cracked head or bad headgasket, but keep in mind I have NO, NOTTA, ZILCH to prove this...No water in crank, no smoke, no ANYTHING!

Mechanic 3 says well it sounds more like a T-stat problem to me and so I'm replacing that now, and well one of the bolts just snapped off so I'm pissed. Nice 30 minute job just turned into a 2 day pain in the ***.

Here's what I have and I haven't been able to get two answers that are the same yet so everyone put on your caps cus I know you guys OWN SC's and can do a hell of a better job than these guys.

1.) My Temperture gauge is flukuating from N up to M and sometimes just below N (This is were my car usually runs) or just above M.
2.) No water in oil, no oil in antifreeze, no bubbles in my oil, all fluids look good. No white smoke from exhaust.
3.) At first it took longer for my heat to warm up then it was fine, now I just have none and it's 19 degrees out :( .

I plain out need some help, I had a head gasket go on my 90 3.8 so I'm a basketcase right now because I heard one of the guys mention it. I've been told it could be bubbles in my radiator system but so far that's only been on here and well I tried to do it the best I could.

Sorry this is so long but I'm getting sick of the run around so I want some answers from guys who know.

-Tim
 
My votes as to what is the most likely problem would go in this order:

1. Clogged heater core
2. Thermostat
3. Not enough coolant in the system

BUT! I would repair them from easiest to hardest hoping to get lucky and save work which would be 3,2,1.
 
Okay well I've done 3. The guy filled my system up so full yesterday that it was comming out near my resevers sensor.

I'm working one 2 now but one of my bolts broke off so the job is being delayed till I get a new bold and something to pull the broken one out.

Glad to NOT hear Head Gasket in anything you said.

-Tim
 
My votes with the thermostat.
Also. this guy who filled up your rad, I hope he knows that
you have to bleed the air out of the system by loosening the
bolt on the thermostat housing? This sometimes has to be done a number of times before all the air is out. Also when you get your new thermostat make sure it has the liitle air bleed hole in it and install it with the air bleed hole up. (Some thermostats I have seen that say they are for the T-Bird SC do not have the hole in it).
 
THe fluctuating guage also says t-stat to me either that or air in the system big time. Broken bolt on the water neck? Damn that sounds fun, I hate breaking bolts (damn valve cover bolts).
 
Yeah the bolt is what really pissed me off. I figured like oh 10 minutes to take it off ten to put back on...no biggie right? Wrong bolt snapped.

I will post a picture of my t-stat when I find my 10mm socket. I think I threw it when I got pissed off :(

Thanks for the help guys.

-Tim
 
I spent too much money on my tools to throw them. I always have to find somethign else. But I almost lost a socket when it rolled behind the engine and right ontop of the trans. That's annoying I could see the thing laughing at me. Between stuff like that and bolt breaking, I've developed a much more rude vocabluary.
 
Yea I've been cussing all day. My mom calls me up to ask how I'm doing and I'm carring on how I want to get a HONDA...Which I WILL NEVER DO!!!! Just pissed.

First time I've ever thrown something, and I guess it's a good reason not to. I remember I had a screw fall when I took of my blower top and IC piping. It fell in one of the nooks and it took me like 2 hours to fish it out, same deal too. I could see it but couldn't get to it.

-Tim
 
Just for my own info.
On the thermostat you just took out, what does it say on it?
54mm (relating to the opening) or something else?
 
Both the old and new t-stat say 54mm and 195 degrees. Should I go with a 180? I asked the guy at autozone and he told me it's best to stick with the stock setup?

Also here's some pictures of the new one, could you tell me if I have air bleed hole...I have no clue what that is, I've only changed oil, filters, belts and hoses. This is my first t-stat.

tstat.jpg


tstat2.jpg


Thanks for all the help guys.

-Tim
 
Last edited:
That one does not have the bleed hole.
For now I would stick with the 195 degree. (It's 19 degrees outside brrrrr!!)
You may want to phone the auto parts stores and ask if they carry a RobertShaw thermostat for your car or at least look at it for you and tell you if it has a bleed hole. (The robertshaw one I have has the bleed hole).
Just look at them before you buy one, some have them, some don't, depends on the manufacturer. You will see it when you get one. There is a little ball bearing in the hole that acts like a one way valve.
(If you cannot locate one with the hole, then you can drill your own hole using a 1/6" drill bit.) The only function of the hole is to help bleed off any air that gets traps when it closes.

Man, I don't envy you, I hate working on the cooling system when it's cold.
 
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