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Heater underpowered, need advice

T

turdmagnet

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I just installed a brand new heater core, blower motor, heater resistor, replaced the heater hose and return line, topped off the anti-freeze, and cleaned out the ducts. The heater works. It's just not putting out enough heat. What can I do? Is there an aftermarket heater system I can throw in there? I have a 180 degree thermostat in there so it's not like I'm running the engine too cold.
 
bump it up to a 195. are the lines going to the core nice and toasty when the trucks at operating temp?
 
Is the motor getting up to temp? ie: is the stat working properly or stuck open?
 
I've got a fresh thermostat in there too. Pyrometer shows 180 on the overhose, so I know the thermostat works. That Jegs heater looks like it might be the ticket. I may just go the cheap route and get a heater that plugs into the lighter socket.
 
I have heard nothing but bad things about the ones that plug into the cig lighter.
 
is it all the time or just at idle? mine blows cold at idle from a vac leak I think.
 
You've got 180* coming out of the engine? Listen to the previous poster who said put a 195* stat in there.

Also, I'm assuming you have a non-AC truck? Put an AC blower motor in it.
 
Where are the heater hoses attached? one on the pump and one on the rad?

Or one on the pump and one on the intake?
 
I just went through this on my 72, the difference between 180 and 195 is amazing, I would highly reccomend against the cig lighter heater, those are a joke, i took the 1st 2 i got back because i thought they were defective, but they turned out to just be 35 dollar pieces of crap. CHANGE YOUR T-STAT you will be alot happier!
 
lak2004 said:
Which way is better?
Click to expand...


If memory serves off the intake is the better spot. I can't remember right off which one is the feed line for the heater core but that one should be in a hot spot before the thermostat and definitely not after the radiator.
 
X2 on the cig lighter heaters being junk. Mine lasted about 3 weeks and pretty much had a meltdown. Change the thermostat, or man up and buy one of those cool expensive ones from Jegs.
 
Heater hoses have been run a couple of different ways, but MOST SBC's are set up with the intake being the pressurized source (makes sense, coolant about as warm as you can get there) and the radiator having the return line.

Most SBC water pumps (if not all) are not pressurized from the water pump, which wouldn't matter anyways because that is the cold side of the radiator. You could return coolant there, but probably not as efficient as the radiator return.
 
Ill have to see how mine is hooked up but I think I have one going to the water pump and the other to the radiator? Is that no good? Could explain some cooling issues I have.
 
lak2004 said:
Ill have to see how mine is hooked up but I think I have one going to the water pump and the other to the radiator? Is that no good? Could explain some cooling issues I have.
Click to expand...
If thats the case, then it is probably your problem. Those two locations are on the same side of the thermostat..
 
:doah:
Ha damnit guess I will go change that, especially since there is a few inches of snow on the ground and its about 34 degrees and getting snowier and colder! :doah:
 
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