no heat


therieldeal

15+ Year Member

Joined
Oct 28, 2008
Messages
287
Points
3,101
City
Putnam, CT
Vehicle Year
1989
Transmission
Manual
to me this seems like a bad core, but i'll let you guys be the judge. i was hoping for just a problem with the blend door.... but after driving the truck home, only one of the heater core hoses is warm (the drivers side hose, if it matters).

i also heard about some sort of vacuum actuated valve... where is that located?
 
I have the same problem. I was thinking it was the heater core so I was going to see if I could flush some water through the lines to unclogg it(btw just had to replace the radiator do to it being clogged and the truck overheating).
 
i just picked this truck up today. i noted that it does have a brand new radiator in it, so perhaps we are in the same situation there.

any idea where that vacuum valve is for the heater that i keep hearing about?
 
i looked this morning with a flashlight, i dont see any valves inline with the heatercore that would stop coolant flow...

same thing as last night, drivers side heater hose is hot, passenger side is cold.

safe bet to buy a core this afternoon?
 
I have no clue I have only had my truck a week. I was hoping someone else chimed in with some info.
 
I haven't got heat out of mine for years unless I drive for an hour. I never thought to check the lines for heat. I just thought the dang thing was cold as the temp gage takes forever to rise unless I run the a/c in 100* heat.
 
tbirdsps said:
I haven't got heat out of mine for years unless I drive for an hour. I never thought to check the lines for heat. I just thought the dang thing was cold as the temp gage takes forever to rise unless I run the a/c in 100* heat.
Click to expand...

Replace your thermostat. They aren't intended to last 16 years. Make sure the cooling system is full and that it pressurizes.
 
replaced the heater core, $23 and a half hour later i have heat
 
vacuum valve

therieldeal said:
i just picked this truck up today. i noted that it does have a brand new radiator in it, so perhaps we are in the same situation there.

any idea where that vacuum valve is for the heater that i keep hearing about?
Click to expand...

In my 97 2.3ltr it's in the hoses leading to the heater core. both hoses go into it and go out of it to the motor.
One to the t-stat housing(upper) that's the inlet.
The other leads to the bottom of the block(water pump I think).
Find the valve, and with your engine running have someone turn the temperature knob from hot (red side) all the way left to the cold side (blue side) and watch the little lever in the valve to see if it moves. it's a vacume actuated diaphram valve.
This valve controls weather water circulates through the heater core or bypasses it. I have air cond in mine so it needs to make sure no hot water is going through the core when you want cold air in the summer. I assume that's the same with cars without air also.
 
To OP your ranger doesn't have this valve, they didn't start getting this valve until 1995.
 
If you're going to check/change the thermostat, be sure you check the condition of the housing. The neck that was used on the 2.3 liter in the early 90s has a habit of rusting out and crumbling over time, especially if the coolant mix is less than 40% antifreeze or is just straight water. The material that separates from the neck will inevitably end up in the heater core. Just replacing the core will not remedy the problem as the debris will end up back in the new core and you'll be putting a new one in every few months. Hopefully they changed the design shortly after the 92's though. FLUSH FLUSH FLUSH!!
 
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