No after a long period of research I still have a few questions...

It is about -20 here, when i let the car idle for about 20 minutes in the morning it is still freezing with no cold air blowing, after a little while of driving it warms up just a little...

The cures:

First I topped up the coolant to the cold weather line....

...Then I discovered that the little hose that attaches to the heater core was actually unplugged! so I plugged it in and let it idle for about 15 minutes, still cold air blowing....

I then tried the bypass, but still the air is cold, and the car has been idling for about 30 minutes...

So my questions, are given the above, when the car is running the coolant reservoir is empty is this right or do I need to put in more? And if these fixes aren't working does it look to be the heater core that needs replacing?

I desperately need heat!!!!!

Thank you for your time guys, I learn so much from your help and all of your previous posts!

 

what i've noticed is that my car gets fairly warm if i let it idle for like 10 minutes, but when i accelerate is when i feel it get much warmer.. so if i let it idle for 10 minutes and start driving it would be pretty warm after i've given it gas..
is your car warming up enough for you to feel comfortable at some point during your travel?

 

What little tube to the heater core? What bypass? If you are talking about the heater control valve w/solenoid, then be sure you have vacuum in the small line you are bypassing to the heater valve. You may then get heat and you can diagnose heater valve solenoid vs. a/c head unit by checking for 12V across the solenoid leads during heat demand conditions.
Good luck

 

oops yeah I must have meant the heater control valve! Either way, the bypass as described in another thread had no effect... Well it doesn't get warm after a long idle nor does it get really warm after a few minutes of driving...

I do know that the A/C does not work, and that the heat worked fine when it wasn't so fricken cold out!!!! lol


Arrgggggg....

 

If, as you indicate, your coolant reservoir is empty when it is running you don't have enough coolant. Likely air in the system...... if anything, your coolant level should rise as the engine warms...... basically, low coolant level results in no heat. Keep filling it until level almost fills the reservoir when up to operating temp.

Could also be a problem with the interior temp. sensor.... try turning your temp control all the way to hot or all the way to cold. any differnece? Regardless, you won't get heat if your don't have proper coolant level.

 

-20 yikes....I hope your using a block heater

 

I thought you weren't supposed to remove the cap to the reservoir when the car is hot.... just to add there is no radiator cap on top of the radiator, just the one cap on top of the reservoir, and the coolant level sensor...

 

your coolant reservoir should not be empty at operating temperature.... if this is the case then you need to add coolant. I wouldn't advise doing it with engine at operating temperature.

 

its full when the engine is off and then when the engine starts it all dissapears, i should fill it then before the engine heats up?

 

Sounds like you have a bunch of air in the system.... park your car on an incline with engine on up hill side, remove coolant res. cap, start engine & bring to operating temperature... should be lots of gurgling etc. going on at this point. when this finally calms down you can add coolant. I would top it off, if you get a little too much in there it will just go out the overflow hose...... also, do a search on "burp system" there are other ways to do this if you want to buy the gear.

 

Man you guys are missing the most important part on the car the air bleeder! Saying this is for a SC400 not sure on the 300 there is a air bleeder to bleed it out in the front of the motor. You can fill it up there with coolant also if you want. You might want to also check your thermostat! Since it really doesn't get that hot your car won't overheat possibly. It could be partially opening and not giving you the full effect. Take it out and put it in boiling water around 210 degrees and see if it open up. If it doesn't really or not at all replace it. Then you should have your a/c working. -20 degrees man I am surprised your car would even warm up lol. Make sure that your blend air door is working correctly also. You would have to listen cause you would have to rip the dash apart which you don't want to do lol.