Wish I had a real heater
12-02-2003, 03:56 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 38
Wish I had a real heater
I've got a 90 maxima and its now cold in the land of the coldair, aka MN. Anyways, I am begining to relize that the heater in my maxima cant keep up with the cold. It blows luke warm air and cant seem to get hotter. So, yah basically what I am trying to say is the radiator in this car is way to good for minnesota weather. Anyone know how to cure this little problem I am having?
12-02-2003, 04:01 PM
#2
Does the temp guage stay in the middle or does it move down when you put the heator on? You might have a faulty thermostat that opens too fast. If you temp guage stays ok but you still don't get heat, you might have a clogged heator core or some of the valves aren't working right.
12-02-2003, 04:06 PM
#4
Okay, sounds like the radiator and thermostat is okay. DEFINATELY check the valves controling the water flow into the heator core and your control wires that are attached to your cold-hot climate controls.
Why? Because doing a heator core replacement in a maxima is one of the most irritating experiences known to modern man. I'd rather to an engine swap.
Why? Because doing a heator core replacement in a maxima is one of the most irritating experiences known to modern man. I'd rather to an engine swap.
Originally Posted by farkum
The temp gauge stays right about in the middle. I will look into that valve thing. I dont think its the heater core but I suppose I could throw a new one in just in case.
12-02-2003, 04:08 PM
#5
12-02-2003, 04:09 PM
#6
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Posts: 797
No offense, but is your fresh air vent closed?
Someone had this problem last winter and we couldn't figure it out for like a month straight... Finally he posts "oh, yeah, turns out the fresh air vent was open the whole time"... lol
Someone had this problem last winter and we couldn't figure it out for like a month straight... Finally he posts "oh, yeah, turns out the fresh air vent was open the whole time"... lol
12-02-2003, 04:12 PM
#7
Originally Posted by Spipedong90
No offense, but is your fresh air vent closed?
Someone had this problem last winter and we couldn't figure it out for like a month straight... Finally he posts "oh, yeah, turns out the fresh air vent was open the whole time"... lol
Someone had this problem last winter and we couldn't figure it out for like a month straight... Finally he posts "oh, yeah, turns out the fresh air vent was open the whole time"... lol
Heh.. that's the first questions I always ask, after doing the same thing in my car.
Otherwise, I'd point to a low coolant situation or air in the cooling system. the heater control valve is also a common problem. have the old one out of my GXE if anyone needs it.. someone else asked for it the other day and after I pulled it and sent pics, they never replied back.
12-02-2003, 04:14 PM
#8
Pusssseeeehhhh
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,001
Originally Posted by Jeff92se
Why? Because doing a heator core replacement in a maxima is one of the most irritating experiences known to modern man. I'd rather to an engine swap.
12-02-2003, 05:39 PM
#10
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 38
haha yeah with the fresh air vent open it gets really cold. Then I cant even getit to blow luke warm air. I was playing with the heater control valve and it doesnt seem to move whether the heat is on high or cold so I am thinking that may be a problem. That little vaccum powered cylinoid is supposed to move when you turn the heat on right?
12-02-2003, 05:42 PM
#12
Originally Posted by Spipedong90
No offense, but is your fresh air vent closed?
Someone had this problem last winter and we couldn't figure it out for like a month straight... Finally he posts "oh, yeah, turns out the fresh air vent was open the whole time"... lol
Someone had this problem last winter and we couldn't figure it out for like a month straight... Finally he posts "oh, yeah, turns out the fresh air vent was open the whole time"... lol
i notice NO difference with that little lever... it makes a sound but there is no change in the power of the blowing nor the smell of it. i notice nothing... everything is cold on either setting and it's hot on either setting despite the temp outside... it's very odd...
12-02-2003, 05:44 PM
#13
yeah, the vacuum solenoid should move when someone plays with the heater thermostat controls inside the car.
Might be as simple as a cracked vacuum hose too.. those guys are small and get very brittle. mine didn't seal well for a while and I lost heat.. replaced the vacuum hose on it and it fixed it.
If not, as I said above, I've got the control valve off my parts car.
you might want to have a helper play with the temp control slider inside the car and you see what happens under the hood..
Might be as simple as a cracked vacuum hose too.. those guys are small and get very brittle. mine didn't seal well for a while and I lost heat.. replaced the vacuum hose on it and it fixed it.
If not, as I said above, I've got the control valve off my parts car.
you might want to have a helper play with the temp control slider inside the car and you see what happens under the hood..
12-02-2003, 05:45 PM
#14
Originally Posted by antonthegrey
i notice NO difference with that little lever... it makes a sound but there is no change in the power of the blowing nor the smell of it. i notice nothing... everything is cold on either setting and it's hot on either setting despite the temp outside... it's very odd...
sounds like your fresh air intake vents are clogged..
when you open that, it's supposed to blow colder air out the dash vents to help keep the driver alert.. (supposedly nissan's theory)
12-02-2003, 05:54 PM
#16
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
sounds like your fresh air intake vents are clogged..
when you open that, it's supposed to blow colder air out the dash vents to help keep the driver alert.. (supposedly nissan's theory)
when you open that, it's supposed to blow colder air out the dash vents to help keep the driver alert.. (supposedly nissan's theory)
Almost as funny as the little drawings they have in the beginning of it, you know, the ones for the air bag, anti-theft, seatbelts, etc (IIRC)
12-02-2003, 07:25 PM
#20
Originally Posted by MrGone
arent they just the vents infront of/under the hood, where all the pine needles/leaves accumulate and then sometimes over time that promotes rust?
12-02-2003, 07:27 PM
#21
Originally Posted by Jeff92se
Okay, sounds like the radiator and thermostat is okay. DEFINATELY check the valves controling the water flow into the heator core and your control wires that are attached to your cold-hot climate controls.
Why? Because doing a heator core replacement in a maxima is one of the most irritating experiences known to modern man. I'd rather to an engine swap.
Why? Because doing a heator core replacement in a maxima is one of the most irritating experiences known to modern man. I'd rather to an engine swap.
12-02-2003, 10:05 PM
#27
You sure? In a maxima, you have to take out the ENTIRE dash area. ALL of it. Even the big brace that spans the whole width of the dash area.
Originally Posted by shoult
I'll swap you a Heater core job on a Maxima for a heater core job on a Fox chassis Mustang any day!
12-02-2003, 10:08 PM
#28
yeah, but a Fox you have to do that, and mess with a stupid plastic box that is supposed to be hell, among other things. I dunno
Hey Jeff, want to replace my heater core? It works perfectly, but I want to do some preventative maintence
heehe
Hey Jeff, want to replace my heater core? It works perfectly, but I want to do some preventative maintence
heehe
12-02-2003, 11:00 PM
#29
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2000
Posts: 627
Originally Posted by farkum
The temp gauge stays right about in the middle. I will look into that valve thing. I dont think its the heater core but I suppose I could throw a new one in just in case.
I had the same problem about 3 years back. My temp gauge did go to the middle, but it started going to the middle much SLOWER than it did before. Usually it takes about a mile or 2 from my house, but it got to be like 5 or 8 miles.
I changed the thermostat (Nissan genuine part) and everything was fine again (back to a mile or 2 to warm up).
12-03-2003, 12:54 AM
#31
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 477
This doesnt sound like your problem, but just to FYI others who might read this. My Maxima slowly started to have less heat out of the passenger side vents. Driver vents were warm. But still the car's heater wasn't doing a very good job. One day the car started to run hot, for the first time. Turns out it was low on coolant. After cooling off, and topping of the radiator, and the overflow bottle, perfect heat!! Just something to think about if your pass. side vents start giving less heat-I was afraid a vent or vent motor was malfunctioning.
12-03-2003, 06:26 AM
#33
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2001
Posts: 312
Took me 6 hours to do my heater core and still really didnt fix the problem. What I did see is that the design of the heater core sucks big time on our cars. And with the design I dont think it can keep up with really cold conditions.
12-03-2003, 06:07 PM
#35
I got a great solution on my car:
remote start
group deal here
ok self plug over.
But I do love the remote start
remote start
group deal here
ok self plug over.
But I do love the remote start
12-03-2003, 06:14 PM
#36
Junior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 88
Originally Posted by Matt93SE
Heh.. that's the first questions I always ask, after doing the same thing in my car.
Otherwise, I'd point to a low coolant situation or air in the cooling system. the heater control valve is also a common problem. have the old one out of my GXE if anyone needs it.. someone else asked for it the other day and after I pulled it and sent pics, they never replied back.
Otherwise, I'd point to a low coolant situation or air in the cooling system. the heater control valve is also a common problem. have the old one out of my GXE if anyone needs it.. someone else asked for it the other day and after I pulled it and sent pics, they never replied back.
Is this the 'slide' switch that controls heat/cold? If so, and ya think it'd fit in my 93 SE Auto - I'll take it. Can you point me to the pics?
Thanks
Ken
12-04-2003, 06:32 PM
#37
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2003
Posts: 38
Originally Posted by mtcookson
mine heats up very, very fast. makes me wonder if its reading correctly. although i have no heat so i need to do a flush tomorrow.
how exactly do you guys go about flushing the coolant system?
how exactly do you guys go about flushing the coolant system?
http://www.cybrrpartspro.com/Chilton...961m/8961.HTML
12-06-2003, 12:57 PM
#40
i finally have heat now. i flushed my heater core really good. reverse flush, forward, reverse, hook the lower hose up, filled it up so there weren't any air bubbles, then finally hooked it all back up. the only problem i'm having is low to no heat when slowing down after cruising. anyone have this problem?