running too cold

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player1up

player1up

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I know, a strange problem that everyone would like to have, but still.
C\ \____/ /H <- if the gauge looks like that, it only ever runs at the second mark from the C.

it's a 73 duster with a /6 with A/C. I don't have all of the A/C stuff working yet but I thought that wouldn't matter.

1.There is water at the heater core but the hoses aren't very warm, even if I leave it running for 10 min
2. the heater hose valve is open.
3. I can hear the door closing when I move the temp selector to warm.
4. water in the radiator barely moves when the car is warmed up.

not sure what to do, just don't want to freeze my shift knob off... :(
 
Your in Florida, Does it get cold enough to freeze there ? Does the car have a thermostat in it ? Maybe its stuck open ?
 
Yea, it's going to be cold even in Orlando tomorrow, isn't it!
When I drove slant 6's, many years ago, in NYS I had to put a piece of cardboard in front of the radiator during the winter. Seems like I kept it about 2/3 to 3/4 covered. Maybe there's been another fix found in the years since.
C
 
funny guys..I may have to put on long pants tomorrow :lol: I know it sounds like a REALLY strange question, but.

The car does have a new thermostat, with the cap off, car cold the coolant rises and spills a little before the t-stat opens, level drops, then coolant just slightly moves, I was wondering if it was because its a vertical flow type rad.

I just wont believe that it is running soo cold that the heater wont work.
I am at a loss, short of pulling the heater box..... and I think I would rather freeze....
 
Maybe the heater core is plugged. Would have water in it but not circulating.
 
Nothing you would want to do tomorrow, but to check to see if the heater core was plugged, couldn't you simply remove the heater hoses from the engine and flush it by using a garden hose? I darn sure wouldn't want to remove the heater box if I didn't have to. Plus, your gauge indicates the engine is running cool to start with. Where does your gauge fall during the summertime?
C
 
well, i did the core flush a few minutes ago and it is clear, I even blew through the heater hose vavle and it too is clear.

I haven't had the car on the road long enough but when the temp outside is like 85 the thing only goes about 2 needle widths past second line. It's almost like the water pump isn't moving the water..
oh well, I'll be cold tomorrow and change the pump out this weekend.
and to think, I wasn't going to post this because I didn't want to admit that I couldn't get the heat working. :lol: .damn this cold weather
 
I think your water pump is fine. If it wasn't, you would either be overheating or leaking coolant. All the slants I used to drive ran cool winter & summer, just like you describe. I still recommend you block off some of the air flow, try 1/2 and see how it does. Watch the gauge and if you get uncomfortable, remove your blocking.
It's not unusual in cold weather to see big trucks, school buses and other heavy vehicles have most all of the radiator blocked off like this.

But I sure wouldn't change out the water pump.
C
 
I'm over in Zephyrhills, and with my Demon, the temp. is the same as what you state for yours..........However, I put in a bottle of "water-wetter" with the coolant, which dropped it about 5 degrees overall, and I have a 160 degree thermostat in it......this afternoon, I'm putting my 180 back in for the colder months............it makes a difference............check your stat and see what the stamping says.....chances are that it's a 160......

It was a common fix for heating problems, though it wasn't the factory stat.....but if you have a really clean and efficient cooling system, except in really hot weather, you should probably stick to the 180......

My 2 cents.................... (from experience) Doc :read2:
 
The "problem" you are describing is not a problem. All the Mopars I have owned over the years (40), except one, ran the temp gauge at the left edge of the normal range. That one got to the middle of the gauge. It was a 360 in a 71 Sport Fury. By and large, Mopars don't run in the middle of the factory gauge, that's a Chebbie/Phord thing. Mopars are generally steaming by the time the gauge gets that far. If you want heat out of a slant either block the radiator with cardboard or tap the rear of the head for the heater hose. I'm sorry to hear you are going to have to suffer through your cold weather. It's 18 and snowing here with a wind chill of -2 degrees. :-({|= Hope this helps.
 
changed to the 180 thermostat..works like a dream, now I can watch the thermometer in the rad cycle between 181 and 176. so I started changing all of the hoses and such.....ah ha.. The stupid little heater core return hose barb was plugged at the water pump (not the 1/2 hose, the other one.)
I'm going to run the prestone rad cleaner through it for a day before putting the new water pump in.. I feel soo stup'd.... on to the next thing..

I HAVE HEAT..just in time to wear shorts :(
 
Thanks for sharing the end results. Too often we don't actually hear what the outcome is.
C
 
I like to finnish a post so that months later when someone needs the info they can find it in one place... usually it's me that needs to find it :lol:
 
I think it needs a bigger engine.
:laughing:
 
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