My 95 Accord has not been heating properly. The engine will get to operating temp. which is just below half on the temp gauge. The heater will not blow out warm/hot air. The warmest is gets is about luke warm. I've flushed my radiator and checked for leaks and put all new coolent/water in and bled the system. Also Checked to make sure my valve is not stuck, which its not. Is it the thermostat or heater core, or maybe something different. I don't know.

 

sometimes the valve might not be stuck but it will not open completly. Make sure that both line that lead to the heater core a hot.

 

heater core...

 

Try replacing your thermostat, same problem many of times in vehicles. Plus it's a lot cheaper to replace your thermostat to troubleshoot the problem than it is the heater core.

 

when you switch the **** from cold to hot, can you hear a "thump" from inside the dash?

 

Are you sure that you don't have a broken temp switch ****. These are notorious for breakage and you'd be surprised how many people don't even think that it's broken. Most of the time, it can be broken but it doesn't feel like it.

Just tug on the **** and it should come off. Check the back of the **** where it slides over the switch and ensure that the plastic around the small metal keeper is not cracked or broken.

Just a thought...

 

i believe this problem is associated with the thermostat and i think an easy fix would be to switch that out, if the problem then persists, i dont know, usually when a heater core burns out you can smell it having burnt out...its usually obious, and if that is the case, try and find yourself a used heater core!

 

Heater cores don't "burn out". They radiate heat from the cooling system, like a miniature radiator. If they fail, it's because they can't flow any more or they start leaking, which would then give you a coolant smell in vehicle.

If the thermostat was stuck open, then engine temperature would be fine at idle while car is still, but temp would get cold as car was driven and air flow increased over radiator.

If thermostat was stuck shut, engine temp would start overheating as you drove vehicle.

If these are not your symptoms, it would be hard to condemn the thermostat as of yet.

Is the thermostat an easy part to replace, yes. Especially if you just like throwing parts and money at a car as a means of hoping to fix it.

Some more info in regards to what other, if any, symptoms you have would be greatly appreciated.

 

Considering thermostats are only a few dollars to replace that would be the cheapest start. Plus he says that the car is getting to temp and blowing cold air. It's a start and a cheap start that he can do himself.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hondatim &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Are you sure that you don't have a broken temp switch ****. These are notorious for breakage and you'd be surprised how many people don't even think that it's broken. Most of the time, it can be broken but it doesn't feel like it.

Just tug on the **** and it should come off. Check the back of the **** where it slides over the switch and ensure that the plastic around the small metal keeper is not cracked or broken.

Just a thought...</TD></TR></TABLE>

amen to that -- it'll still turn fine but is cracked on the inside so it doesn't really turn. good call. that stumped me about 4 years ago and was just a simple $10 manufacturer part fix.

 

yes, but the car should have heat if it is indeed getting up to operating temp. If t-stat was stuck open, A) car wouldn't get to operating temp, or B) when got to operating temp, should have heat until vehicle was driven.

Just a few diagnostic procedures I picked up along the way in a 10+ year career

 

MY temp control *** seems like its a little harder to turn then its suppose to be, I don't hear anything when I turn it from warm to cold. My temperature gauge seems to be taking awhile to get to operating temp now. Could be just cause its so cold....? My car wouldn't run right if it was the thermostat right?? I've never really noticed a smell when I first turn it on untill last night when I got in and it was really cold, i turned the blower on and it did smell a little different, possibly the heater core??

 

How cold has it been in your neck of the woods lately? Yes if it has been real cold out, it will take longer for engine to warm up. You said that when you moved temp control ****, that it felt hard to turn and when you turned it you didn't hear anything moving. Like I said earlier, check you control **** by pulling out on it until it is removed from switch and check back of the **** to see if it is cracked or broken, it doesn't cost anything to check and would be a good start.

 

it's ******* freezing here (i'm in carroll, iowa for the holidays - like -4 temp right now...we won't even get into the wind chill!) so your car taking awhile to heat up is normal. the smell - what does it smell like?

if your **** in the dash was cracked it'd turn VERY easily, but if you don't hear anything, it can't hurt to just pull the **** off and turn the dial with a pliers to see if it works. just grab the ****, and pull towards yourself straight out and it'll pop off, then turn the **** to full heat and see if that fixes it - it'll take you 20 seconds and is a cheap fix if that turns out to be the problem.

 

go with the heatercore buddy...i bet its bad...bad heatercore equals no heat...