No heat!!!

[jdm95civ]

1993 2.3 Ranger NO AC 100% stock

-new water pump
-new heater core
-many new t stats
-new t stat housing
-new rad cap
-flushed system
-fan removed
-tried cardboard blocking rad
-blend door works


No valves in heater hoses just two lines to the heater core
idled with cap off , idled with cap off on steep hill , idled with heater hose off and filled through heater hose all try to remove "airlock"
-temp gauge never moves off cold
Just idled in driveway for 45 mins temp gauge went to half mark. both rad hoses and heater core lines got hot but still no heat.
When I idle with cap off I Never see the water drop when the t stat opens.
Like the t stat is being bypassed of staying open , but its new along with the housing. Its a really small weird t stat and I'm pretty sure its installed right.

I'm thinking it stopped working when I changed the water pump a few years back , but it was in the summer time so cant pinpoint it.

Please help I'm not trying to go Another winter with no heat using a harbor freight heater. And I'm trying to avoid taking it to a shop and spending a big $

 

[feellnfroggy]

no new temperature sensor? what about vacuum issues?

 

[jdm95civ]

Haven't tried the sensor yet , wouldn't the heat still work if it was bad? No know vacuum issues don't hear any leaks or anything.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Is there a vacuum line going to the heater controls possibly the vent door is stuck open bypassing the heater core. If both heater core hoses get hot it has to be in the cab.

 

[jdm95civ]

Its a cable operated blend door that works. When I remove the water out hose from the new heater core the water just drips out , like my newer water pump isn't flowing well. When I squeeze the upper rad hose the water flows out of the core so I know its not clogged. Might just try a new pump before I take it to a shop.

 

[stegomon]

Did u burp the system?

 

[Mark_88]

Does sound like the water pump isn't pushing the water properly...I was thinking blend door also but if it's cable and you can hear it thunk when the cable is moved then that means it's functioning...

Did you happen to fill your system with straight water at any point? The fins on the pump can corrode quickly without the proper anti-freeze in the system.

 

[jdm95civ]

So the water pump impeller was complete rusted off , so to the auto parts store tomorrow to pick up a new one that most likely fix my no heat prob.

 

[RonD]

I thought water pump was new??

 

[jdm95civ]

It was just a little over 1 year old , didn't think it would go bad that fast.

 

[RonD]

Impeller was eaten away by electrolysis.

You may have a grounding issue or tap water was used instead of distilled water in the coolant, some tap water has a high mineral(salt) content.
Electrolysis happens when the coolant is able to conduct electricity at a higher level.
If you remember high school science class there was an experiment where you put 2 metal probes in a glass of distilled water, then applied voltage to a circuit hooked up to a light bulb, the distilled water wouldn't conduct electricity.
It you added some salt to the distilled water the light bulb would begin to glow, add more salt and it glowed more.

Coolant should have a PH above 9, lower than that will conduct electricity and because of the different metals used throughout the cooling system electrolysis will start.
Spinning impeller on water pump will generate static electricity if coolant is below PH 9, the spinning impeller is like wearing wool socks, below PH 9 is like carpet, higher PH is like wood floor, you will generate static charge in your body walking on the carpet but not on wood floor.

Primary corrosion prevention in coolant is the high PH level, PH level drops as coolant gets older, tap water can drop it instantly if it has minerals(salts) in it, remember the light bulb .
Distilled water has had the minerals removed, so won't effect the coolant PH level one way or the other, so distilled water doesn't help PH, it just doesn't hurt PH level.


You can also get voltage in the cooling system from vehicle electric system.
I would test voltage of the coolant after the repair is complete.
Cold engine.
Set Volt meter to 20vDC voltage setting
Connect Black probe from volt meter to battery Negative
Remove rad cap and put Red meter probe in coolant, make sure it doesn't touch any metal.
.30vDC is the highest acceptable reading

Start engine
Check voltage again
Higher voltage could mean alternator is outputting too high a voltage or grounds are loose.

You should also test in reverse voltage
Hook up Red meter probe to Positive on battery and use Black probe in the coolant.
.30vDC is maximum you would want to see.

 

[jdm95civ]

yep just used to much tap water , got the new water pump in and heat works great thanks for all the help

 

[Mark_88]

Impeller was eaten away by electrolysis.

You may have a grounding issue or tap water was used instead of distilled water in the coolant, some tap water has a high mineral(salt) content.
Electrolysis happens when the coolant is able to conduct electricity at a higher level.
If you remember high school science class there was an experiment where you put 2 metal probes in a glass of distilled water, then applied voltage to a circuit hooked up to a light bulb, the distilled water wouldn't conduct electricity.
It you added some salt to the distilled water the light bulb would begin to glow, add more salt and it glowed more.

Coolant should have a PH above 9, lower than that will conduct electricity and because of the different metals used throughout the cooling system electrolysis will start.
Spinning impeller on water pump will generate static electricity if coolant is below PH 9, the spinning impeller is like wearing wool socks, below PH 9 is like carpet, higher PH is like wood floor, you will generate static charge in your body walking on the carpet but not on wood floor.

Primary corrosion prevention in coolant is the high PH level, PH level drops as coolant gets older, tap water can drop it instantly if it has minerals(salts) in it, remember the light bulb .
Distilled water has had the minerals removed, so won't effect the coolant PH level one way or the other, so distilled water doesn't help PH, it just doesn't hurt PH level.


You can also get voltage in the cooling system from vehicle electric system.
I would test voltage of the coolant after the repair is complete.
Cold engine.
Set Volt meter to 20vDC voltage setting
Connect Black probe from volt meter to battery Negative
Remove rad cap and put Red meter probe in coolant, make sure it doesn't touch any metal.
.30vDC is the highest acceptable reading

Start engine
Check voltage again
Higher voltage could mean alternator is outputting too high a voltage or grounds are loose.

You should also test in reverse voltage
Hook up Red meter probe to Positive on battery and use Black probe in the coolant.
.30vDC is maximum you would want to see.

Mon Dieu~!



Ron, your explanations are worth the price of admission to this site...no, wait, they are actually worth something because this site is free...but if I had to think like that every time I did a repair I'd be getting paid much more than I make now without thinking...

yep just used to much tap water , got the new water pump in and heat works great thanks for all the help

Cool beans~! Glad you got it sorted out...much too cold to be going without heat...

 

[86 slo-vo]

Believe the water pump is my problem. It was filled with straight water when I picked it up.

I did notice today as I went on a good highway trip that temps came up right and had great heat. Not so much cruising around town.

Going to replace the pump and water neck shortly as is was pretty ate up.