11 replies to this topic

[Socalfem]

My heater doesn't get very hot, wondering why and what I need to check ?

[JRL]

What does the temperature gauge read when the car is warmed up?
If it's not at "3:00" you have a problem.
95% of the time it's a bad/stuck thermostat

This is automobile 101

[Socalfem]

JRL, on 23 October 2011 - 11:49 AM, said:

What does the temperature gauge read when the car is warmed up?
If it's not at "3:00" you have a problem.
95% of the time it's a bad/stuck thermostat

This is automobile 101

It's at 3:00, so no problem there

How do I check to see if thermo stuck ?

[Che'_Moderator]

Your car warms up so its not that. Have good flow? If so I would check the core.

[Double0]

had the same problem last year, car got to normal temp on gauge heat was just not very hot. Often had foggy windshield glass. Even though it was not leaking, it was my heater core. Took it out old one and it even looked pretty good, no obvious signs of damage other than a bit of hard water stains on some fins.

Put in the new core and have been enjoying the heat ever since.

Its not that hard to do a heater core on a volvo compared to other cars. There are diy's on it.

[Che'_Moderator]

Double0, on 24 October 2011 - 09:06 PM, said:

had the same problem last year, car got to normal temp on gauge heat was just not very hot. Often had foggy windshield glass. Even though it was not leaking, it was my heater core. Took it out old one and it even looked pretty good, no obvious signs of damage other than a bit of hard water stains on some fins.

Put in the new core and have been enjoying the heat ever since.

Its not that hard to do a heater core on a volvo compared to other cars. There are diy's on it.

Correct. Yours was probably colgged.

[Socalfem]

Che, on 24 October 2011 - 09:20 PM, said:

Correct. Yours was probably colgged.

So if it's clogged does it stll need to be replaced?
Do you have a price range for a new heater core?

[Double0]

Socalfem, on 24 October 2011 - 09:26 PM, said:

So if it's clogged does it stll need to be replaced?
Do you have a price range for a new heater core?

We tried flushing it from the engine bay at firewall connections but that had no effect on it. Like I said it didn't leak into the car at all, the giveaway was the foggy windows I think.

I think I paid about $250-350 (CND) for the core, but I bought an OEM one from a Volvo dealership, couldn't take the cold anymore and wanted it done.

[db130]

http://volvospeed.co...r-core-install/

I've had to replace the heater core in all 3 cars in my signature(most recently this past Saturday on the 217k car).

[Socalfem]

Thanks guys
Btw I don't have the foggy windows

[Redbeard]

I am having the same problem after replacing the heater core with a new unit.

[Box83Brick98]

Redbeard, on 21 December 2011 - 08:06 PM, said:

I am having the same problem after replacing the heater core with a new unit.

ME too, my heat just doesn't seem as hot as it did before my new core.