240SX poor heating system OR cardboard on rad

[twitchy]

Tonight it was 30 below. I wasnt going to go out but I decided to anyhow, let the car warm up 10 mins before I left. It was barely warm inside when i got in the car, and although it quickly reached operating temperature, it never got warm in the car. I had to wear gloves and a hat. It was freezing- i put the windsheild defogger on and the side glass freezes up with fog. There was no stopping it. Every single piece inside the car was squeeking and rattling as though i was driving a neon. The vents spit out kind of semi warm air but even on full blast they struggle to get the cars interior anything more than slightly warmer than outside.

My friend drives a newer ford cougar. We went for a spin and his heat is so hot that you cant even hold your hand onto the vent for more than 5 seconds before it starts to burn.

another friend of mine has a CRX and swears by putting cardboard in front of his rad in the winter to keep it warm inside.

Would I benefit from this cardboard idea or is it stupid? I hear different things depending who I ask. What about a hotter thermostat? What can I do to get really hot heat in my car? :coolugh:

[mrmephistopheles]

yes, the cardboard idea isn't bad. i'd say cover 1/4 at a time until you reach desired effect. make sure you take cardboard out when it warms.
also, this means that the car has an efficient COOLING system, which tends to be much more important than it's heating system.

[kandyflip445]

Or there might just be gunk in your heater core. I backflushed mine out recently when the temp. actually got a little warmer. Put 50/50 mix in and it got like how it is in your friends Cougar. I just woudn't suggest trying flush when it's below freezing.

[HiPSI]

also, put the air on recirc to help it out a little if you didn't have it set for that. without recirculating the air you're pulling -30 degree air through the heater core and into the car, and even your engine isn't going to make 30 below air very hot on one pass through the core.;)

[LanceS13]

Yeah, it sounds like you're either not re-circulating the air or something is wrong with the core.
I cover half my Koyo up with cardboard in the winter just so the car can reach operating temp. If it's already making operating temp, then covering up part of it won't help.

[twitchy]

Yeah, it sounds like you're either not re-circulating the air or something is wrong with the core.
I cover half my Koyo up with cardboard in the winter just so the car can reach operating temp. If it's already making operating temp, then covering up part of it won't help.

hmm, yeah thats a good point--> it DOES get up to operating temp. Ill have to try recirc..the reason I dont usually is that it gets nasty foggy inside the car.

maybe ill have a bonfire in it