I know this has been posted before but it is worth bringing back up. Where I live it gets down to the 30-10s. The former being the norm. However, some of you guys have even colder climates. So this may be of more help.

I recently flushed my heater core out by disconnecting the hoses from it and using a water hose with nozzle on the end to flush it. Flushed it one way then the other. My camaro has the cleanest cooling system out of all my cars so I figured my weak heat was a poor design until I did this. I never have rust or deposits. I flushed all sorts of stuff out of the core. Put the hoses back on, filled her up and the thing is hot now. I have to turn it on low-medium once the car heats up.

So, if you are having problems with no or low heat, definately take 30 minutes to do this. It was definately worth it for me.

 

sounds like a good deal, thankx for the info bro

 

Ya, that is good stuff to know. Thanx

 

That's definitely true. Flushing out the core can really help if it's never been done before.

Another pesky "no heat" cause on fuel injected 3rd gens is if the diverter valve (plastic thing with a bunch of coolant hoses and one vacuum hose attached to it on top/pass. side of the motor) sticks in the "divert" position. It diverts the coolant, bypassing the heater core altogether and you get no heat. Normally it's only supposed to divert coolant around the heater core when the temp selector on the dash is in the full-cold position, but the mechanism can internally go bad and stick in one position or the other.

 

My diverter broke with my wife and overheated on her. When I swapped in the LT1, I did away with that piece.

 

Good call. I ditched it on my Wife's 92 RS when I converted it over to carburetor, too. Lots less hoses and crap on top of the engine to clutter up the view or cause a problem.

 

i had terrible heat (and a wet pass. floor) one year so I just plugged the core lines and froze my butt off all winter and when I decided enough was enough, I installed a new heater core (thinking that wast he problem). old heater core was in fine shape upon inspection it was the two hoses outside of the fire wall not connected all the way and leaking into the firewall and pass. floor.... ***check them hose clamps fellas!!***

hey slimdawson, thats a great car you built!!

 

Thanks JSkeet. Still in progress though.