DIY: No Heat? Repair the Heater Control
11-02-2014, 08:05 PM
#526
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We started out with cold air on the drivers side, and lukewarmish air on the passenger side. We did this fix, and now we have lukewarmish air on the drivers side, and warmER air on the passenger side, but nothing like actual HEAT.
BUT the Radio/Scan button 0-16 are also now working perfectly. We let the car idle for a very long time to ensure it was fully at temperature, but still not getting the roast you out of the car heat.
Any ideas on what to do next?
BUT the Radio/Scan button 0-16 are also now working perfectly. We let the car idle for a very long time to ensure it was fully at temperature, but still not getting the roast you out of the car heat.
Any ideas on what to do next?
Heater core flush is usually the next step.
Travis
11-02-2014, 08:11 PM
#527
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thank you! - was wondering if maybe one of the solders wasn't done well enough possibly?
Since it did get warmer than it was before the fix.......
Think we could get this thing apart and back together much quicker the second time. Any tips on the heater core flush - with the hard line seems like it would be a harder flush than if we didn't have the hard line.
Thanks!
Since it did get warmer than it was before the fix.......
Think we could get this thing apart and back together much quicker the second time. Any tips on the heater core flush - with the hard line seems like it would be a harder flush than if we didn't have the hard line.
Thanks!
11-02-2014, 08:28 PM
#528
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As long as the 0-16 control is functioning properly, the fix is done.
As for the heater core flush. The two lines below the washer fluid bottle/epitroch mounting kit are the lines that go into the heater core. Always flush backwards first.
This will help.
Travis
Found it here.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...r-side-208781/
As for the heater core flush. The two lines below the washer fluid bottle/epitroch mounting kit are the lines that go into the heater core. Always flush backwards first.
This will help.
Ok. Heat is working again, and it is now coming out burning hot. Since I see a bunch of people having this issue, I wrote up some instructions of what I did.
1) From the image below, I have indicated where the heater core is, the intake hose coming out of the engine block, and the outtake hose going back into the engine block after passing through the heater core.
2) The intake and outtake hoses can be removed at a few places, but I've indicated where I found it to be the easiest to access and to fit a garden hose. In order to access the outtake hose, you will have to remove the battery, and it's compartment completely. This is not difficult, as there are only a few bolts in the assembly and it comes off in several pieces.
3) The radiator hoses are held by a clamp. You will need pliers to release the tension and slide the clamp off the nipple (this is the pipe that the hose fits onto). The clamps can be difficult to remove, but wiggling them back and forth while forcing it down the hose helps.
4) Once the clamps are off, you will have to pull the radiator hose off the nipple. This is a bit difficult as its stuck on pretty good. I first rotated the hose to break it loose, and then I rotated as I forced it downward off the nipple. It will take some muscle and you will likely end up with calluses, but it will eventually come off. You can also buy a tool that will make it easier to remove, if you want.
Note: I removed the outtake hose first so I can drain the line from coolant (though there isn't very much). There is not much room to move the hose once its off the nipple, so I stuck a plastic shopping bag underneath to collect whatever coolant drained.
5) Take a garden hose and use a high pressure nozzle. Something like this is what i used: http://images.orgill.com/200x200/6813729.jpg
6) We want to backflush the heatcore, so you need to stick the garden hose in the outtake line. I connected some spare hose i had to the intake line and ran it into a bucket. I didnt have a great seal, but it was good enough that it didnt spray all over the place.
When I did this step, i immediately saw in the bucket some gunk that probably was blocking the heater core from passing hot coolant through.
7) Now you want to flush the heater core from the intake line to the outtake. Alternate between intake and outtake a couple of times to make sure its all out and the water is running clean.
8) After you've cleaned out the core, let the water drain out well from the outtake line. Once clear, slide the radiator hose back onto the nipple of both the intake and outtake lines. This can be a bit difficult, especially with the outtake line, but with some muscle and rotating it back and forth while pulling it up will eventually get it on. Once positioned, take your plier and slide the clamp back onto the nipple where it was before.
9) Put back together the battery and start up the car with the hvac off. Let the engine properly warm up before turning on the heat to test if its working. Once the heat is running, grab a flashlight and check the radiator hoses to make sure there are no leaks. Also, once the engine has cooled, open the coolant reservoir and fill it back up to the indicated line to replace the coolant that was drained.
Attachment 165889
1) From the image below, I have indicated where the heater core is, the intake hose coming out of the engine block, and the outtake hose going back into the engine block after passing through the heater core.
2) The intake and outtake hoses can be removed at a few places, but I've indicated where I found it to be the easiest to access and to fit a garden hose. In order to access the outtake hose, you will have to remove the battery, and it's compartment completely. This is not difficult, as there are only a few bolts in the assembly and it comes off in several pieces.
3) The radiator hoses are held by a clamp. You will need pliers to release the tension and slide the clamp off the nipple (this is the pipe that the hose fits onto). The clamps can be difficult to remove, but wiggling them back and forth while forcing it down the hose helps.
4) Once the clamps are off, you will have to pull the radiator hose off the nipple. This is a bit difficult as its stuck on pretty good. I first rotated the hose to break it loose, and then I rotated as I forced it downward off the nipple. It will take some muscle and you will likely end up with calluses, but it will eventually come off. You can also buy a tool that will make it easier to remove, if you want.
Note: I removed the outtake hose first so I can drain the line from coolant (though there isn't very much). There is not much room to move the hose once its off the nipple, so I stuck a plastic shopping bag underneath to collect whatever coolant drained.
5) Take a garden hose and use a high pressure nozzle. Something like this is what i used: http://images.orgill.com/200x200/6813729.jpg
6) We want to backflush the heatcore, so you need to stick the garden hose in the outtake line. I connected some spare hose i had to the intake line and ran it into a bucket. I didnt have a great seal, but it was good enough that it didnt spray all over the place.
When I did this step, i immediately saw in the bucket some gunk that probably was blocking the heater core from passing hot coolant through.
7) Now you want to flush the heater core from the intake line to the outtake. Alternate between intake and outtake a couple of times to make sure its all out and the water is running clean.
8) After you've cleaned out the core, let the water drain out well from the outtake line. Once clear, slide the radiator hose back onto the nipple of both the intake and outtake lines. This can be a bit difficult, especially with the outtake line, but with some muscle and rotating it back and forth while pulling it up will eventually get it on. Once positioned, take your plier and slide the clamp back onto the nipple where it was before.
9) Put back together the battery and start up the car with the hvac off. Let the engine properly warm up before turning on the heat to test if its working. Once the heat is running, grab a flashlight and check the radiator hoses to make sure there are no leaks. Also, once the engine has cooled, open the coolant reservoir and fill it back up to the indicated line to replace the coolant that was drained.
Attachment 165889
Travis
Found it here.
https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-tec...r-side-208781/
11-05-2014, 09:02 AM
#529
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I had the same no heat problem and followed Wingnut's repair guide. I didn't have the appropriate soldering tools so I took the board to the local Computer Shop. They said the solder points looked fine but I asked them to resolder them anyways and problem was solved. I now have heat. The PC shop told me to through $10 in this Charity collection box on their front counter. So it was a $10 repair instead of the $350 the Dealer wanted. Thanks
11-16-2014, 09:04 PM
#530
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Thanks for the guide! I finally got it fixed. The hardest part was reaching the plugs in the back. After pulling the antenna cable out first, it made the other two cable easier to unclip (more slack). Saved me a lot of money. So happy!
11-21-2014, 06:38 PM
#532
I did mine today . Fix the hot air only situation. Mine has an aftermarket radio in it so I did not have to remove the bolt . I had a broken button I was going to super glue . I laid the two parts on my rolling work bench . I knocked them off with out seeing it and I hunted for 2 hours all over my garage . I have yet to find them .
Put control back in . New air filter came today installed that . I had noticed wires hanging down for cat converter . I got those put up ....
Thanks guys....
Put control back in . New air filter came today installed that . I had noticed wires hanging down for cat converter . I got those put up ....
Thanks guys....
11-22-2014, 11:34 AM
#535
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
Thanks for this
01-17-2015, 05:19 AM
#542
Driving my unreliable rx8
01-17-2015, 06:04 AM
#543
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
I still haven't gotten around to fixing mine yet.
I've been waiting for it to quit working completely, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
I noticed it works reasonably well on warmer days.
On mornings when it's near 0° it takes quite a bit of fiddling with it to get it to work.
Strange.
I've been waiting for it to quit working completely, if it ain't broke don't fix it.
I noticed it works reasonably well on warmer days.
On mornings when it's near 0° it takes quite a bit of fiddling with it to get it to work.
Strange.
01-17-2015, 06:19 AM
#545
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
I've had bad luck trying to fix minor things & turning them into major projects.
It's probably going to get fixed soon.
01-17-2015, 08:14 PM
#547
I fixed mine . Big C is is a very easy fix . I took my lap top and set it up by my car and followed it step by step . The three spots to solder look fine I just put a drop on each and re installed board . Heat works like it should now .
I drove mine hard today ! Zoom Zoom
I drove mine hard today ! Zoom Zoom
01-20-2015, 07:26 PM
#549
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I couldn't get the hold power, and scan to work at all for me. it would just turn the radio off. and no matter what I did with the scan up button, it just scanned up. maybe there's something wrong with my power button?
01-21-2015, 10:23 AM
#550
You gonna eat that?
iTrader: (1)
Just to be clear, you press & hold the power button down, then press the arrow up while holding it down at the same time.