Are fox heaters really this bad?

lancec2c30 · Dec 8, 2009

I was going to drive my coupe this morning, but with it being 12 degrees outside. I was hoping the heater would work.

I got the car out on the road yesterday. Now today, I let it idle for a good 15 minutes and the temp gauge came up, but the inside of the car was still not heating up at all?

This can't be normal, would the heatercore be plugged up or something?

GreenDragon · Dec 8, 2009

I had this when I first got my gt back in 1998. The issue was a leak in the water pump caused the fluid level to be below the level of the core, so no heated water was circulating through the core. First thing to check is the level of the coolant in your radiator. My guess is it's low.

GreenDragon · Dec 8, 2009

Second thing I'd check is if the heater core has been bypassed by a previous owner. If so, you should see two connectors poking through the firewall on the passenger side. Third thing is to see if your ventilation controls are working, allowing you to adjust the air to come into the dash. If you have a broken/cracked vaccuum line, then your vents may be in the default closed position, so no matter how hot the core, no heated air is being pushed into the interior.

stykthyn · Dec 8, 2009

heater core could be plugged, but first I would check your thermostat, if it is failing it will not allow heated fluid to the core, I would also check the fluid level and make sure that it is indeed under pressure. if you have a leak somewhere or your cap is loose the liquid will not be able to absorb as much heat as they should.

tannerc91gt · Dec 8, 2009

mine was blowing lukewarm heat for the longest time and its just now starting to get really COLD. so i swapped in a new 192 thermostat, and she heats up like a champ now

time only · Dec 8, 2009

Hope you don't have a 160 thermostat in there.

2000xp8 · Dec 8, 2009

time only said:
Hope you don't have a 160 thermostat in there.

Ya, that was my thought.

tannerc91gt · Dec 8, 2009

160 is definitly not winter friendly

BlackGT89 · Dec 8, 2009

Yeah, I think these heaters are really that bad, and the thermostats don't seem to last anytime. I've found that treating the heater core to a dose of CLR and replacing the thermostat is pretty much a yearly thing if I want heat. Brrrrr...

srtthis · Dec 8, 2009

the heat in mine sucked more then a **** star... biggest reason its gone now

krazedstang · Dec 8, 2009

i live in Chicago and we get every season here and everything in between, and my heat cranks like you would believe. i was always taught in school that thermostats don't go bad as much as you would think, a 180 t-stat is plenty, that means it starts opening up at 180 and isn't fully opened until about 190. and thats plenty warm

SVTFreak · Dec 8, 2009

Mine doesn't blow very warm Either. Granted I can almost live without in south Louisiana but I'm a cold natured one. Glad to see about the thermostat thing. Never thought of that. I know the core isn't bypassed and I'll check level after reading this.

A friend told me that a bunch of cars left te factory without some kinda switch installed. Anyone know anything about that?

stykthyn · Dec 9, 2009

a 160* thermostat has no place being in a mustang period

lancec2c30 · Dec 9, 2009

Thanks for the help guys.

We never have temps this cold here. So my coolant was actually starting to slush ever so slightly. I went to down and grabbed a jug of antifreeze and swapped in half of it.

I still need to check the thermostat, for all I know it could be the original, and have 180k on it.

rwood126 · Dec 9, 2009

srtthis said:
the heat in mine sucked more then a **** star... biggest reason its gone now

Mine went out 2 weeks ago...I have small heater that plugs in to the cig. lighter socket. Yeah...it sux!!

srtthis · Dec 10, 2009

rwood126 said:
Mine went out 2 weeks ago...I have small heater that plugs in to the cig. lighter socket. Yeah...it sux!!

haha i had an issue with my lightning for 1 winter that heat didnt work. keep popping fuses for some reason.. it SUCKED! the stang is just a weekend toy. so i could care less if it has heat or ac.

THOR74 · Dec 10, 2009

I don't drive my car in the winters, but in the late fall it gets fairly cold up here and when I have had occasion to use the heater it turned the cabin into a sauna in short order.

As far as I've known, the stock heating system works great - but the V8 has to warm up first and that can sometimes take a bit longer than smaller engines and when not actually being driven shortly after start up.

I generally agree with all the other advice given here.

beyondspexj · Dec 10, 2009

ill have to try that CLR. mine was bypassed when i bought it. no clue if the core is bad or if they were bypassing whatever they could since the egr is gone and smog pump equipment has been disconnected. think im just going to run hoses back to it and find out if it leaks or if its just clogged before pulling it out and/or replacing it.

Are fox heaters really this bad?

lancec2c30

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GreenDragon

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GreenDragon

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stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

tannerc91gt

This last 25% is foreign territory at this point

time only

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2000xp8

tannerc91gt

This last 25% is foreign territory at this point

BlackGT89

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srtthis

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

krazedstang

SVTFreak

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stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

lancec2c30

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rwood126

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srtthis

the guy doing it does every local racers rear end

THOR74

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beyondspexj

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