stumped with heating issue

[MasterTec]

Yes you are correct. I remember years ago when my dad got the Festiva (which I drive now) he noticed the no heat from vents thing as well. I found a diagram of the air ducting inside the heater box and that's when I figured out that it wasn't designed to have heat out of the vents. Good thing too because I was about to start tearing things apart!

I don't recall the details but it was obvious that it was designed that way on purpose to cut costs. It eliminates the need for another blend door or something of the like as the air ducts for the vents branches off before the air even hits the heater core. I also remember thinking that there was no way to even make it work that way without building a completely new (and custom) heater box.

[geezerstiva]

Hey I agree completely with that. But couldn't they make it work with the mechanical stuff? Probly too expensive... Lol

[nitrofarm]

Well it was stupid of the designers to make it like that... Only car I've ever seen like that. Oh well. The one flaw in a perfect car! :lol:

Actually its a Bullet proof system.And I love it.No VACCUM actuaters to fail. Its all mechanical,but thats just my opinion.(After working on many cars/trucks with vaccum actuators that are buried in the dash) :cry_smile:

[freshtiva]

Well it was stupid of the designers to make it like that... Only car I've ever seen like that. Oh well. The one flaw in a perfect car! :lol:

Little strange, at least it has side window heat so you can see the exterior rear view mirrors.

[Larry Hampton]

Is the Aspire different? And if so, is it possible to swap?

[geezerstiva]

Well it was stupid of the designers to make it like that... Only car I've ever seen like that. Oh well. The one flaw in a perfect car! :lol:

[freshtiva]

Well, Dad took it out today and the heater worked just fine after I told him to put it thru the floor or defrost. Yea, don't I feel like a fool, but at least I learned something.

:p :p

[gauge_half_inch]

Don't feel bad, I ran my first that way for 2 years before i figured it out.

[fastasu]

Well, Dad took it out today and the heater worked just fine after I told him to put it thru the floor or defrost. Yea, don't I feel like a fool, but at least I learned something.

Thanks for the help!!!

[milehighbear]

If you end up flushing your heater core, flush it thru one hose and then flush it from the other hose.

[Movin]

If you have a mouse nest at the heater core it will blow cold with both hoses hot.

You are describing a water going through the core without being cooled down by air flowing through the core. For whatever reason air is bypassing your core.

[fastasu]

ahhh, I was checking at the vents. I gave the car to my dad after I put the engine in, so I don't drive it very much. Its perfect for him after his stroke. I'll check the floor/defrost. I never thought about flushing the core. I'll give these a try and keep you posted.
THANKS!!!

[kumalaba]

^x2 also you may have to flush out your heater core

[JoDan]

Are you checking from the vents or the defrost? Heat will only come out of the defrost/floor, not the vents.

[fastasu]

Before I start; I've read about the 2stage t-stat. I don't think I fall into this category.

The heater will not blow heat (at all).

Here is what all I've done/checked. Made sure coolant lvl was up and that there was no air in the system. Let it run till it was warm (about a third of the way on the temp guage inside) and checked the 2 hoses (1 going in and 1 going out) to the heater core and they were both hot. Checked the switches (climate) inside to make sure they were moving the appropriate parts underneath the dash, and they were.

If the 2 hoses into the firewall (heater core) are hot then it shouldn't matter on the t-stat, the heater should be blowing hot air right?

Or is it still not getting hot enough for the heater to work?

sorry for the redundant post on heater issues.

Any help would be appreciated!!