Plugging heater core

[Tim]

Can I put a valve in the line going to the heater core without stopping the flow of coolant to the engine?

The compressor in my Festiva is fairly weak and the heater core is right below the air duct, making it hard for the A/C to cool at idle.


Regards,

Tim

[Guest]

I'd make a bypass. I'd use 3 valves, 2 T's, 10 clamps (or somehow braze or fit the valve and T together) and 2 small pieces of hose. This may be something I will try too. Even with the heat off, if the vents are open you get some heat.. I'm sure that knocks the crap out of the BTU's that little evaporator is trying tp put out..

[Guest]

I made this real quick.. here's what it would look like..

[Eccentric]

Yes, you could do that. Yes, your engine will still get coolant the heater circuit is a sort of like a bypass (it's like the circuit that heats the intake). The main coolant line goes though the thermostat. If your knob is turned to the cold side you are closing the valve to the heater core. It isn't seeing hot coolant. It might be open a little do to some play in the rod. Just reach under your dash and turn it all the way off. I suppose you might get some heat from the tube convecting coolant though it. I don't think your a feeling hot because that little tube is convecting some warm coolant though. You feeling hot because you are in a tin box in TX.

If you really feel you need to put it in. You need it a single valve on the line to the core.

You might want to try a different refrigerant like Free Zone or Red Tek. They are suppose to be more efficient.

[Tim]

Good point. This little bugger has no tint on the windows and it's gotten up to 200 degrees in there.

Regards,

Tim

[Guest]

I was considering sealing off the entire core because I wasn't sure if one line being open to the heated circulation loop would still transfer to the core.

[Tim]

Good idea. You really don't need a heater in Texas.

I suppose you could cut the lines going to the heater core and then connect them together, leaving the heater core disconnected.


Regards,

Tim

[Eccentric]

I was considering sealing off the entire core because I wasn't sure if one line being open to the heated circulation loop would still transfer to the core.

It should try to go backward.

As a temp fix I blocked them off on my RX-7 when I got in to find a puddle of green in the passenger side :roll:

While you don't need heat to stay warm your car might need it to stay cool in traffic :wink:

[Guest]

I wasn't talking about removing the core altogether..but with the bypass I can stop all heater core heat transfer via the valves..and during the winter I can just turn the core back on and the bypass off.. I would think the bypass wouldn't allow pressure to build on the valves and connections. Possibly keeping leaks away..

[FB71]

go get a heater bypass valve off of an Explorer. It has four fittings, two to the engine, two to the core. It does exactly what the diagram shows, and is only a few bucks new. Runs on vacuum. Apply vac for no heat, no vac for heat.

[mechanicaldj]

BIG QUESTION: if the heat only comes through the heat ducts and defogger ducts, BUT NOT THE CENTER VENTS(where you can only get cool air and air conditioning), why would block the heater core? anyway you can defog the windshield a whole lot quicker when you use the defog position, temp on hot, and the a/c button depressed.


:banghead:

[fatbastard]

just bypassed my heater core a while ago. im from the philippines so heater cores are just useless here.

mechanicaldj the heater core is directly underneath our AC blower so i guess it somehow transfers heat. u can actually feel the heat beside the gas pedal.

tim u dont need T adaptors,valves and hose clamps etc. here is what i did, its easy and reversible.




regarding with ur AC problem, u can move ur condenser???(infront of radiator) to the left thatll give it more space to add an aux fan and also unblocks the fresh air path for the radiator. i have a total of 3 fans under the hood.

[Guest]

No, you don't need Ts or valves or a vacuum bypass.. anyone can do a quick permanent bypass that looks like that.. but it's not soooo hot here that you won't ever need a heater or defroster. Remember this Tim??



The valves,Ts or vacuum bypasses aren't pemanent and don't require a coolant refill or make a mess when you need a heater or a defroster. It also doesn't look like Fred Sanford put it together.

[fatbastard]

fred sanford... hes that junkyard guy right?!

reading tim's posts, i thought he was on a tight budget and he is having tons of probs with his AC. i just gave him a temporary solution for bypassing his heater core just so he can single out the real prob with his AC.

give some guy an advice and everyone will shoot it down. im just trying to help!

[Guest]

^^^No offense was intended towards you.. I was speaking to the "crowd" as it were. I'm just one of those guys that believe if a job is done right the first time, there is no need for a second time. I've had a few "Fred Sanford" Cars, but usually because the previous owners didn't do the job right the first time, the 2nd time or however many times they attempted a cheapie fix.. But 20 bucks is pretty cheap IMHO. Personally I'd rather have the vacuum operated relay version than the t's and valves.. Just so I could flip a switch inside, instead of having to open the hood and manually turn the heater core on.