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No heater core in my 83?


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Sorry I figured it out just too used to heater cores coming in thru the firewall on the passenger side had plugs where it should be and everything but my car doesn't have ac so hindsight. That and by the time I thought to ask on here my friend had showed up and fireball ensued, thanks for the replies, and sorry to sound like an idiot but by that point pretty much where I was lol. Found the heater core flushed it, core gets hot now I think it's either the vacuum/no vacuum problem or the bad selector valve.

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Fireball..... Nuff said. lol IIRC, the 83 heat controls don't use vacuum, so it's probably the temp/flow valve. The temp valve is located inside the firewall where the hoses come through. You should be able to see it clearly to tell if the arm moves when you move the temp lever. Of course, if you know the core is getting hot, it's most likely the mode door, lever or cable.

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Skishop after I flushed the core now it gets hot and I found the temp selector which seems to move fine and the linkages on the opposite side move fine also. So I am assuming it's another flap inside tat isn't allowing air to run through the core? How do I access that one? Pull apart the dash I am guessing? The dash has been apart a few times it looks like from previous owners so I'm not too worried about breaking anything thanks for any help.

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Fireball..... Nuff said. lol IIRC, the 83 heat controls don't use vacuum, so it's probably the temp/flow valve. The temp valve is located inside the firewall where the hoses come through. You should be able to see it clearly to tell if the arm moves when you move the temp lever. Of course, if you know the core is getting hot, it's most likely the mode door, lever or cable.

 

there is one vac hose that operates the Fresh/recirc flap on the blower box.  Opens the flap when car starts, closes to keep critters out when engine off.  Sometimes I pull the line and clamp it in winter to make it recirc.  Canadian models have a switch for doing this, but we gotta unhook it manually in the US cars for recirc.

 

 

Skishop after I flushed the core now it gets hot and I found the temp selector which seems to move fine and the linkages on the opposite side move fine also. So I am assuming it's another flap inside tat isn't allowing air to run through the core? How do I access that one? Pull apart the dash I am guessing? The dash has been apart a few times it looks like from previous owners so I'm not too worried about breaking anything thanks for any help.

 

 

follow the cable from the Hot/cold selector down to the blend door assembly and make sure it's housing is secured in the clip and not just sliding around with no effect on the door.

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Correct, but I didn't mention that since the recirc doesn't have anything to do with temp control. I didn't want to start any confusion in case there was more Fireball involved. lol Are you sure about it being closed when the car id off? I only mention it because I've been into the controls on my Brats several times and there is a vacuum valve in the recirc position that supplies vacuum when in the recirc position and causes the door to close causing recirc. When the car is not running or recirc is not selected, the door is in outside air position. I mention that part, because that's how the critters find their way into the heater box when the car is sitting like so many people post here that their car was sitting and now they have rodent refuse in the box.

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Correct, but I didn't mention that since the recirc doesn't have anything to do with temp control. I didn't want to start any confusion in case there was more Fireball involved. lol Are you sure about it being closed when the car id off? I only mention it because I've been into the controls on my Brats several times and there is a vacuum valve in the recirc position that supplies vacuum when in the recirc position and causes the door to close causing recirc. When the car is not running or recirc is not selected, the door is in outside air position. I mention that part, because that's how the critters find their way into the heater box when the car is sitting like so many people post here that their car was sitting and now they have rodent refuse in the box.

unless there is a check valve, it is close when engine vac goes away

 

 

*** Edit*** 

 

Just checked FSM,  there is supposed to be a check valve.  so I guess they would stay open in factory form.

 

I do know on my car that there is not a check valve, so that's why mine closes when engine off.  Someone must have removed it.  I like it that way.

Edited by Gloyale
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Gotcha and that makes sense. I've never seen one operate the other way on any car, but if the engineers had been thinking, they could've come up with a way to close it at car off to prevent rodent infiltration and not have that be the default in case something happened in cold, humid weather. If it did fail closed, you have a nasty fogging problem. :o

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Hot cold selector is firmly fastened double checked that, there are two vacuum lines that run up into the console to a small switch which has a button that gets depressed when it's on a/c recirculate ( slider all the way left). So if that switch completes the vacuum to put it on recirculate then I should be open at all other times correct. When I get home I will warm it up and check if it opens when the car is off but from the gems you guys have given me it sounds like I am just stuck in the recirculate position

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Whether it's in recirc or not will not affect getting hot air. It only changes where the air comes from. Inside or out.

correct

 

 got sidetracked  

 

although  in severe cold the fresh/recirc can be vital to get closed.

Hot cold selector is firmly fastened double checked that, there are two vacuum lines that run up into the console to a small switch which has a button that gets depressed when it's on a/c recirculate ( slider all the way left). So if that switch completes the vacuum to put it on recirculate then I should be open at all other times correct. When I get home I will warm it up and check if it opens when the car is off but from the gems you guys have given me it sounds like I am just stuck in the recirculate position

 

just to clarify.  per FSM and observed testing today, the re-circ switch vents to atmosphere to close the fresh air flap.

 

all other positions, vacuum applied, flap open for fresh air.  Check valve in the line that supplies the vacuum holds it when engine turned off.

 

so if you want to store the car wth flap closed, switch to max/recirc before shut off.

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Well if the hot cold knob and linkage move freely could the valve itself be bad, ie does the coolant bypass the heater core if you have it on cold and just head back to the motor so if I was stuck internally on cold both hoses could be hot but there would be no flow in the core Itself or minutely warm due to conduction through the hose

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Well if the hot cold knob and linkage move freely could the valve itself be bad, ie does the coolant bypass the heater core if you have it on cold and just head back to the motor so if I was stuck internally on cold both hoses could be hot but there would be no flow in the core Itself or minutely warm due to conduction through the hose

 

check the linkage between teh blend flap and teh bypass valve in the hoses. 

 

Just above/right of the throttle pedal.  Left side of the ventilation box/controls.

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I was just getting pissed cuz everything you guys said was right but nothing was working and I am not an idiot when it comes to cars (unless fireball is involved) so took off the plastic diverter on the DS that sends the air up to bi level and defrost missing part of the linkage that goes from either the white plastic piece on the hot/cold valve or one that comes down from the fresh air on/off FML the previous owner had a piece of blue jacketed copper twisted to it and BAM blazing hot air. Being blue jacketed I thought it was the stereo ignition wire, anyways thanks a bunch.

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sweet, glad you got it solved.  You can leave it jammed open and just use the blend door to adjust heat.  Although in Reno summer you may want to close it again!

 

Yeah the newer ones don't even have a valve for coolant bypass, they just use the blend door.

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