heater performance.

[Dr. Rog]

Mentioned this a while ago I know, but with everything going on I haven't managed to do anything about anything.

My "new" cars heater is not very good. The engine warms up quickly on the gauge, but the air never gets really hot like the old one did.

I have been running around with it on maximum most of the time, even though its only -2 to -5.

What's more likely an air lock or blockage? Do I fiddle or blast it with a hose?

[Oilydad]

Bleed the system. Get the front of the car as high as possible (possibly on ramps) to get ALL the air out of it.

If that doesn't do the trick, then try a new thermostat.

For some strange reason, people think thermostats last forever. I've seen more broken, damaged and plain seized ones than I care to remember. They are dirt cheap and a new one usually works wonders.

[Paddy Wagon]

A simple test of the thermostat without having to remove it is to start the engine, go for a quick drive (about 10 minutes is fine). Park up, and with the engine still running check the air temp from the heater by hand. Switch the engine off for about 5/10 minutes and then restart it, and then recheck the air temp, if there is a noticable increase in temp then the themostat is faulty (most likely stuck open, preventing full engine warm up) if no noticable increase in air temp then the thermostat is working ok and the fault is somewhere else. Most likely places to check are the hot/cold flap in the heater (not closing fully) heater trunking (fallen off) heater cable's out of adjustment, heater intake (blocked/restricted) or heater rad/matrix (blocked/restricted) a simple test of the heater rad is to simply feel the inlet and outlet hoses by hand, the outlet should be slightly cooler than the inlet, if its very much cooler then the rad is blocked or restricted, that can usually be cured by back flushing, disconnect both hoses and use a garden hose in the outlet connector and blast it thru. It's very unlikely to be an air lock, the engine would overheat very quickly if it was.

[SMITHBAYVOLVO]

did you just replace the heater core?if you did the newer heater core do not produce as much heat as the all aluminum originals.i just replaced mine on my 740 t 92 last mt ,works good but it cant compare to the original volvo ones.

[Dr. Rog]

Thanks guys,

Firstly I shall check the fluid with the engine end at the top of the sloped drive not at the bottom (doh!)

Then, if that does not help I shall try the other issues. It would appear there are enough failure modes to warrant investigation, even if the weather is better.

This car has had a lot of work, much of the recent work being second-rate with second rate parts. It would not suprise me if the heater matrix had been replaced at some time.

I think I was lucky with my "old" car, that was all Volvo and I had few issues until the end. That said I am still happy with my purchase as the engine is particularly sweet.

[stevieturbo]

If dash gauge is at normal operating temperature, it has nothing to do with the stat.

You could maybe try backflushing the heater matrix to clean it out with a hose.

But as an example...when I bought my recent volvo, I was driving back in say -5, and I was well cosy inside and the dash knob was bang in the middle of red/blue.