Heat please!!!!!!

[tl1000r]

anyone have any trouble with their engines running really cold? cant seem to get the thing to warm up at all, i know it dosent help that is -25 out right now, but it should still pump out some heat! any suggestions? the thermostat was just replaced with a 192f, but no difference yet.

[northstar1958]

t1000:

Lots of things could be going on....but need more info...does the temp gauge come up to operatiing temp? If your low on anti freeze, you won't get any heat....did you check for blockage in the heater core? is your temp cable opening the valve to the core? lots of things to check, most common problem is low coolant level, if you replaced the thermostat yourself, you need to get the block temp up to 192 to open the themostate, once open, you'lll need to add more coolant.

I was never a big fan of installing a hotter thermostat in a 4 cylinder engine....the only differance being, a 165 thermo opens and circulates sooner than a 192, but once you obtain operating temp 190-210, it usually stays there.
To get maxium life out of your engine, you want it to run as cool as possible. My personal choice would have been to put a piece of carboard or something infront of the radiator, then pull it out once the outside temp warms up. -25 can be brutal i know, but a hotter thermo is not always the best answer.....Good luck

Barry

[3wheelerdude]

Its been -40 around here for the last few days. The engine heat gage doesnt move much but I get some warmth out of the heater. I was planning on putting cardboard in the front grill as mentionned above. And I have seen multiple kick/tracker with the liscence plate in the front grill. But wont addding a bit of water to your coolant mix increase heat?? My coolant shows -48 (about) on the coolant test, (wich is pretty resistant). If I add water to the mix it should be easier to warm it up??

[louthepou]

Hey tl1000r, any news?

Northstar was pointing at the major reasons why some heat might not reach the inside of the truck. Lack of coolant, and blockage to the heater rad.

Are you sure there's no air in the cooling system? Start the Sidekick, remove the radiator cap, let the truck run for a long time. Step slightly on the throttle from time to time. Eventually, air bubbles (if present) should escape through the radiator opening. Then you top up the rad. One indication you've waited long enough would be the radiator fan starting to spin. Then put the cap back on, go in the truck, and put the heat on. IF you still don't have heat, it's likely not an air bubble problem.

Even with a "cool" thermostat, you should eventually get a bit of heat in the truck, so if it's still as cold, after more than some 15 minutes driving, that part is probably not the problem.

Then, there's the flimzy control on the console that might not be doing what it should. That's about all that can go wrong. Let us know,

Louis

[tl1000r]

hey guys,
replaced the thermostat with the 192 that i had bought, and the one i took was a 192 to begin with, so i thought damn not going to have much luck there, so i put in the new one cause it has some fail safe device on it, drove it yestrday and today and noticed that the gauge is now at least going above the cold mark and sometimes even higher in traffic, so i guess the new thermo helped a bit, going to put a piece of cardboard in front of about half the rad and see how that does. Sure do hope it warms up here in montreal cause its bitch ass cold right now, - 30c!!!!! i dont blame the little beast for not getting warm, i feel horrible staring it in the morning!!!!

[louthepou]

Yeah, I hear you. i'm not looking forward stepping out of my house in some 30 minutes to start my truck. Same ridiculous temperature once again. The truck's going to get many minutes of warm up... Can't wait for bike weather to be back!

Louis