289 Not Warming up

R

Rmoore45

Member

Jun 5, 2011

142

0

17

Dec 6, 2011

#1

• Dec 6, 2011

• #1

I have a '66 289 in a '67 coupe. With it getting colder in Texas I would like to start using my heater, however the engine takes for ever to hear up. I recently changed the radiator to an aluminum one but I'm still using the 180 deg. thermostat. I have a mechanical temp gauge in my car and it takes a long time for it to start climbing up to 180. I'm using a classic auto air a/c and heater setup and it worked great last winter but now the heater just blows out cold air. I know the valve is open to the heater and the a/c compressor isn't on so what could be the problem?

Thanks in advance

 

robbz28

Member

Sep 23, 2009

775

5

19

Epps, LA

Dec 6, 2011

#2

• Dec 6, 2011

• #2

Maybe your thermostat is stuck open....or it could be stuck closed and no water is passing by your sending unit....i don't have a thermostat in my 289 and my car won't get over 100 when im cruising on these cold days (the old one froze shut and i didnt replace it, just removed it, need to get one back in there)

 

Realmongo

I prefer to be called "Evil Genius"

Founding Member

Oct 10, 2001

2,468

86

99

Western Mass

Dec 6, 2011

#3

• Dec 6, 2011

• #3

How old is your heater core? It could be plugged up with years of cooling system sediment.

 

R

Rmoore45

Member

Jun 5, 2011

142

0

17

Dec 6, 2011

#4

• Dec 6, 2011

• #4

The heater core is couple years old, it came with the classic auto air kit. I'm thinking that the thermostat may be stuck open, it warms up some when idling in a parking space after driving.

 

rbohm

Founding Member

Apr 12, 2002

6,698

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tucson,az

Dec 6, 2011

#5

• Dec 6, 2011

• #5

i agree that it sounds like your thermostat is stuck open.

 

Realmongo

I prefer to be called "Evil Genius"

Founding Member

Oct 10, 2001

2,468

86

99

Western Mass

Dec 6, 2011

#6

• Dec 6, 2011

• #6

rbohm said:

i agree that it sounds like your thermostat is stuck open.

Click to expand...

It could be. I has a '99 Zx-2 that did the same thing to the point of getting a check engine light that I traced to a bad thermostat.