Just like to let everyone know, I finally got my RX8. Winning Blue, gorgeous car. Woot.

Problem is lack of heat. It's cold outside...

I already ripped the dash apart, soldered the heater chip, now it passes the diagnostic.

Problem is, it's gotten only a little warmer, and only on the passenger side. Driver's side still blowing freezing cold air in my face.

Wtf do I do?:banghead:

passenger side and defrost blowing warm air?

passenger side and defrost blowing warm air?
Yes. Both warm on passenger. Cold on driver.
Edit: Same goes for floors too.

Anyone?

I'm doubting it's the antifreeze, i added to it, with no luck.

Maybe it's a fuse? I checked the fuses I thought might be related under the hood, they're all good.
Maybe it's one near the driver's side floor?

Should I attempt to change the thermostat?
(Bought the car in Arizona, where the previous owner most likely NEVER used the heat since it's the desert)

None of your issues would issolate cold air to the drivers side and warm air to the passenger. It isn't even like the 8 has dual climate controls to get hung up. You have one heat pump that services both sides.

None of your issues would issolate cold air to the drivers side and warm air to the passenger. It isn't even like the 8 has dual climate controls to get hung up. You have one heat pump that services both sides.
Do you think the heat pump is bad? The engine temp is where it's supposed to be, just slightly below half. Oil pressure is 2 notches above half. I'm really considering replacing the thermostat.

There is an actuator valve on the left side that directs air to the drivers side...it might not be working. That is the most likely thing if you have heat on the other side

If you have a shop manual I think it has a picture and diagnostics for this valve

There is an actuator valve on the left side that directs air to the drivers side...it might not be working. That is the most likely thing if you have heat on the other side

If you have a shop manual I think it has a picture and diagnostics for this valve

Thanks a lot, I'll get right on it. Just thought I'd ask though, a lot of people on here say the heat is Really hot. When I say the passenger gets hot, i really only mean warm at best.

It's noticeably warmer than the passenger, but it's not scorching hot or anything. Lukewarm, and this is with the heat on full blast, engine's been idling for about 10 minutes.

Takes a while to heat up...10 minutes with the temp it is today...will take a bit longer than that.....

Do you think the heat pump is bad? The engine temp is where it's supposed to be, just slightly below half. Oil pressure is 2 notches above half. I'm really considering replacing the thermostat.

No...if the pump was bad you would have no heat at all. Dannobre has an idea there...however dannobre wouldn't the airflow be restricted to the drivers side as well? And as for the heat...yes...you could probably melt an ice cube quickly when the thermostat opens and you get full on heat.

Well, I will admit that the thermostat is probably OK. When I was driving it home, stuck in traffic, the heater kicked on finally, and it was pretty hot. Had to open the windows to vent a little. But, that's the only time It's worked properly, and I was stuck on I5 while everyone put on chains for a couple hours.

Very little movement.

Did you have heat on the drivers side while you were sitting there?

Did you have heat on the drivers side while you were sitting there?

Yeah, I think so. My hands were freezing, so I don't remember clearly. But it was hot enough to warm my hands up. After we got back on the road, it went back to cold.

Sounds like the A/C amp? Or tje thermoregulator isn't working?

Sounds like the A/C amp? Or tje thermoregulator isn't working?

I don't know, I regret, I know very little about cars. :banghead:
But I can fix just about any computer. :lol:

If it was something like the AC amp or thermoregulator thingy it would effect both sides...right?

I'd put money on this thing, it's not working correctly.

http://www.myrotarycar.com/portal/forum/uploads/RX8TX/Manuals/CD05-xx-03le/esicont/en/srvc/html/images/CHU0711W001.png

Sure...it could be the blower if the air isn't moving at all. I just went through all 89 pages of the service manual. There is nothing that is driver vs. passenger side specific except for the duct. You probably have a dead rat or something stuck up in there.

LOL crap. How would I fix that?!

For that matter, how would I check?

I am having the exact same issue. If it weren't so cold outside i would be out there troubleshooting it myself. I need a garage!

It's only 1F here...-15 with the wind. Come on over. A wrench might freeze to your hand in 5 minutes...but that will give us 4 minutes to try and get in there. :P

Seriously...best bet would probably be to take a coat hanger and try and fish it in and see how far you can get. Out of curiosity...does your rear drivers side duct put out hot air?

Good question, didn't think to check. Let me go run my 8 for a bit and i'll check back with ya.

Yeah that would involve me going outside :uhh: ... We'll just see what Rogueain finds out.

Prognosis:

Same thing in the back, as the front. Unless i found the wrong vents...

Under the seat is where i found it blowing in the back.

Cold on driver, warm/warmish on passenger. Seems the vents blow a little colder in the back, which would seem normal to me, since the air has to travel a bit farther. Plus it's freezing outside ;p

How is the air speed between the two?

in the front? It seemed about the same. But i'm not positive. let me know if it's important, and i'll gladly go check.

I meant left vs right

Haha, yeah that's what I meant, in the front, the left versus the right. It seemed about the same. If the driver wasn't blowing as hard, it wouldn't be very much difference to really notice.

That rules out a blockage.

Did I mention the car smelled like maple syrup for a while? I found this on another forum...

"Youre in arizona.....that is all I know! can you hear it change when you move the slide on your logicon? Kenny may have some insight on this, but I think its a flap that diverts air into the heatercore, so maybe your flapper is broken and or not hooked up?"


"thats pretty much it. does it smell kinda like maple syrup? if so heater core is most likely bad. the moter that controls the air temp is on the driver side of the heat box."

Just been trying to determine what the problem symptoms are, the line in is going in hot, but the line out, is coming out very lukewarm. I think there might be gunk in line somewhere. Not sure if I can flush it out myself properly.

Colored in the lines from the schematic
Enlarged
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/FreaLancer/smallheaterlinescopy.jpg

Big view
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v367/FreaLancer/bigheaterlineswowow.jpg

1
Blower unit

2
Air filter

3
A/C unit

4
Airflow mode main link

5
Rear heat duct

6
A/C compressor

7
Condenser

8
Heater hose

9
Refrigerant line

So, I've deduced that there could be four things going on...

The thermostat is stuck partially open, which is keeping the engine temp regular, but not throwing out enough heat. (cheap fix)

There might be air in the coolant/heat lines. (free)

The heater core is most likely clogged. ($90 for a flush/back flush)

The heater core is bad. ($400+work)

1) If the thermostat is stuck open your heater core would get hot coolant when you car warmed up and provide hot air to both sides of the cabin. You would probably also notice that it will take longer for your car to heat up.

2) Air in the coolant would find the highest point in the car and collect there...this is where your radiator fill is, not in your heater core. When your thermostat opened the air would rush into the overflow and not stay in your heater core.

3) If the heater core is "clogged" you would not get any heat anywhere in the car. You would just have cold air from the blower constantly.

4) If the heater core were bad you would have no heat at all and would really really notice it.

3) If the heater core is "clogged" you would not get any heat anywhere in the car. You would just have cold air from the blower constantly.



This is most likely the cause. When I get a chance to take it into this radiator place, I'm gonna have them back flush the heater core and the coolant lines. This should hopefully fix the problem.

I think that the heater core isn't, "Clogged" per se, but rather, bottlenecked. Since I am getting a little bit of cold/warm air, but it's warmish when it hits the passenger side, and cold when it makes it to the driver's side.

I would put the clogged heater core much further down the list than the electronics running the valve that opens and closes the coolant ingress into the core.

Modern cars....with sealed cooling systems and long life coolant just don't plug up very often anymore....

even if it magically clogged up...the air would be cold in the car as no warm air would make it to the blower.

I got her stuck in some snow last night, had to turn off the DSC to get out. But while I was stuck, the heat kicked on finally, and pretty warm too. Until I got out and moving. Then it went cold... What the F.

That makes it sound like your AC is on.

That makes it sound like your AC is on.

It wasn't... The only reason I'd kick on the AC in this weather, is to defrost my windows, and that's a slow process as well...

unless it is stuck on. Have the metra dash kit by chance?

broken control knob:) you turn the knob but nothing happens because the knob is only spinning the control a little or not at all

read

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=106331&highlight=heat+broken+knob

which also has AC amplifier info and actuator info

and

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=40719&highlight=heat+broken+knob

when mine broke it did not falloff like above- i just couldn't adjust the heat.

read

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=106331&highlight=heat+broken+knob

which also has AC amplifier info and actuator info

and

http://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=40719&highlight=heat+broken+knob

when mine broke it did not falloff like above- i just couldn't adjust the heat.

I appreciate it bro, but I already did your DIY tooth and nail, it was only doing 0 or 16, but after i re-soldered the 3 pins, it works great now. Good DIY btw ;)
Wait a minute here, gonna check this other one out.

unless it is stuck on. Have the metra dash kit by chance?

Naw, stock deck, stock dash.

I'd like to update, I pulled the heater hoses off, and flushed some nasty funk out of the lines with my hose. Low pressure of course. The car gets MUCH warmer now than it ever did. BUT... the side vents are still a wee bit cold.

If I shut the side vents, they make the dash vents a little cooler. Are they supposed to be cold?

PS: Funk was yellow, black, clear, and maybe a little green as well. It came out quick ;)

Found my own thread while searching for a DIY to replace the heater core, because that's what's bad on my 8.

I've had the same problem for years with my 8 (driver's side vents blow cold), but never really looked into why. Curious to see if you can find a solution.