Festiva Thermostat Replacement

[nitrofarm]

If it is stuck closed and you still have zero heat. You definitely have bigger problems.

Yes sounds like his heater core may be blocked with debris. There is a clean-out acces plate in most Festy's right?

[koRnhead]

Not sure about that. Mine had a flush valve. But my dad's didn't....either way pretty easy to get back there

[Flw Sock]

Are there any cars that share the same housing? I need to know ASAP. I can't find a parts store that sells festiva housing.

[koRnhead]

Aspire will fit. But u will need the upper hose as well I believe. Nitofarm said he had one for you.....

[nitrofarm]

Not sure about that. Mine had a flush valve. But my dad's didn't....either way pretty easy to get back there

I mean there is an actual plate that has four screws on the fire wall to clean out the leafs.

[bravekozak]

Small dirt and debris can enter the blower and be blown forward into the heater core. There is no access plate to clean the fins on a Festiva heater core. It is tucked away inside the very bottom of the blower assembly. It is a major job to remove the blower assembly, open it up, clean it and reinstall it again. That is why I installed a cabin air filter, so I would never have to do that job again. Read my thread about it. Don't park under trees with small leaves, pine needles, that are budding in the spring and have debris fall into your plenum in front of your windshield. It will dry out and get pushed into your ventilation duct. It will end up in the fins of your heater core, unless you have an A/C condenser to intercept twenty years of dirt and debris.
If you leave all that debris in your plenum, it will retain moisture and rust out that seam toward the corners. Especially right over top of the wiring harness, where it enters the firewall. You would not believe how much debris I had to vacuum out of my Festiva's plenum when I first bought it. It must have been an inch deep.

[koRnhead]

Yup. No way to get to the heater core without pulling the dash.

[Flw Sock]

Aspire will fit. But u will need the upper hose as well I believe. Nitofarm said he had one for you.....

I didn't see that message with my stupid phone. Thanks for pointing that out.

[Zcallicutt7]

I think it is stuck open, I never get any hot air. I'll let the car idle for an hour, then turn on the heat for 2 seconds and it becomes cold again. The engine never gets hot, even after driving for two hours with the heat off.

I was having the same problem with my heat not working. Car wasn't getting up to temperature. I figured that the Thermostat must be stuck open. And sure enough I was right. I just changed mine out on the 16th. I changed it out in 30 minutes while it was snowing on me. It's very simple. You'll spill less then a soda cans worth of coolant. **Don't use any RTV if your using a gasket** If your gasket doesn't have an adhesive back then get some silicone spray adhesive. Spray on the gasket on just one side. The side that you sprayed needs to go to the housing side.

**NOTE TO EVERYONE. IF YOU USE RTV (THAT BECOMES YOUR GASKET). YOU DON'T USE RTV WITH A GASKET**

I work in the gasketing business and I have customers bring me gaskets that are leaking. I find that they have RTV on them and explain to them that the RTV was the reason their gasket was leaking. If you have the right gasket and the right bolt load. Your gasket shouldn't ever leak.

[Flw Sock]

It was just a thermostat problem. Picked one up from a local JY (a silver LX!), and installed it. Figured out that we had the thermostat angled the wrong way, which caused it to touch maybe a hairline against the housing, and crack. All systems go now though!

[nitrofarm]

It was just a thermostat problem. Picked one up from a local JY (a silver LX!), and installed it. Figured out that we had the thermostat angled the wrong way, which caused it to touch maybe a hairline against the housing, and crack. All systems go now though!

What local JY ?

[Flw Sock]

What local JY ?

Not really "local" to me, but close enough.

Jack's Auto Salvage in Watertown has two Festivas. Don't steal too many goodies from me, I'm going back tomorrow!

[nitrofarm]

Not really "local" to me, but close enough.

Jack's Auto Salvage in Watertown has two Festivas. Don't steal too many goodies from me, I'm going back tomorrow!

Thats 5 min from my house,but dont worry I wont ever support him.

[Flw Sock]

Oh no, should I expect problems from him later?