wizzy01

whats up, i dont know if im posting this in the right place, but after replacing my cast iron intake manifold with a Edelbrock #3711 intake, after market thermostat and a water control valve from Kregens (o'reilly) , i developed some cooling and heating problems, ive had no problem out of my cooling system or heating before installing the intake and the other parts..


my problems is

heater is working, but not blowing hot air..

radiator is not circulating (usually when car is warm i can look inside radiator and see water circulation)

radiator top hose soft to touch ( can squeeze the hose i feel no pressure)

no heat to the heater hoses..

clicking noise when turning heater on, its gone now but comes and goes...


please help, i know you guys been down this block before..

oh btw, i got 1977 delta 88 403ci...thanks

GAOldsman

Sounds to me like the new thermostat is stuck closed hence the water not circulating in radiator once warmed up to operating temperature. You can check it's operation by removing it and placing it into a pot of boiling water. You can see it open if it works correctly, if not open in boiling water then it is defective and you should take it back.

wizzy01

well i checked the thermostat, it opens at boiling temp so i guess we can check off the t-stat right. But what about the clicking noise when turning on heater too...

Bluevista

The air is all bled out of the system for sure???
Vacuum line hooked to the valve and working when it's supposed to?
Didn't put the thermostat in upside down did you?...it happens.
That clicking is probably the blower motor relay, normal if it is.

GAOldsman

Not sure about the clicking noise, I'd have to hear it or find out where exactly it's coming from. Back to your coolant circulation problem, if your coolant is not circulating after engine is up to operating temperature and you rev the engine a little and still no circulating, then the water pump is bad. As far as the water control valve you replaced, are you referring to the heater control valve? If this is the case then the heater control valve controls the amount of heated water that circulates through the heater core or none at all depending on where you set the heater control on the dash. Some are lever operated and some are vacuum operated this wouldn't have anything to do about the coolant circulating through the radiator but could be why you aren't getting any heat. By the way is the circulating fan inside the car working? Hopefully this helps.
Scot

ozoneblue

Like vista says try to hold rpm @1200 with cap off then fill & fill reservoir. Have you checked your radiator pressure cap? & what # is it. Also if you have the old climate control system ATC the clicking is coming from the plastic gear in the programmer be hind the glove box,The blend air door motor

wizzy01

didnt even know i had to bleed the coolant system..guess thats my next step, thanks

how would i test that? its a little vac hose in the back of the heater control valve.

lol, dont think so, the pointed tip upwards right...lol good one

never heard it until installing intake manifold, might just be air in the system, so im going to eliminate that thought next.

wizzy01

well since im draining the car again, i might as well replace the water pump, another process of elimination.

wizzy01

nice tip!! gonna go to the parts store now, and pick up a pressure kit and pump, i will report maybe 2morow if i get to it tonite..

Rickman48

If you repace the pump, take into consideration the timing chain and gears, if original - you're half way there!
I've aways done both if one was needed - hate repeats, and the other was always bad.

GAOldsman

I hope you are able to pin point your problem without changing out unnecessarily a plethora of parts. With the t-stat you shouldn't have had to drain all of the coolant out, but in fact if it is the H2O pump then yes you should drain it and reuse it only if its new coolant. A faulty water pump may have been the source of your problem to begin with, if it is the original pump they were built to last back then but certainly not forever. Good luck and use the process of elimination when possible to eliminate buying unnecessary parts. If in doubt just ask, someone here will steer you in the right direction.
Scot

GAOldsman

No doubt this is definitely super sound advice. Advisable 100% on the timing chain & gears. Unless they're within 2-3 yrs old then and only then would I not worry about them. If unsure then change them if at all possible.
Scot

wizzy01

damn, i wish i wouldve came back to the site last nite, cause ive already installed the pump and t-stat. Thanks i will take that into consideration next time...

wizzy01

thanks bro, i rented the coolant pressure tester, had warranty on water pump and t-stat, so might as well replace em while im there, just wish i wouldve came back last nite, so i couldve done mt timing chain too..

wizzy01

what is the proper way to use this pressure tester? the way i did it is after letting the gasket sealant cure overnite. After i got home i added water to the radiator, put the pressure tester on, pumped it up to 16psi (my cap req) and let it sit for like 20min, and it still had the same pressure. Its my first time using one of these, so if theres anything you guys can add would be greatly accepted...

oldcutlass

What temp is your thermostat????

wizzy01

180

wizzy01

well coolant is circulating better now, i traced the heater not blowing hot air problem back to the heater control valve, which is working fine (i used a different vacuum to open the valve), except for the vacuum hose in the back of valve. i checked for suction or pressure nothing, so i guess its either the hard plastic hose maybe cracked or came off some how...
my question is will i have to replace the whole climate control unit if its not the hose?

jag1886

If the heater valve works by hooking it up different then maybe you have the source vacuum hose hooked up in the wrong place or not at all, you should check the vacuum at the vacuum storage container and see if there is any. If this started with a manifold change then the problem is probably under the hood.

wizzy01

theres is vacuum coming from the manifold to the vacuum storage container, but after that im lost, i just pulled a a/c heater control with the hoses, which is better then mine, so imma see how this go...ill check back

wizzy01

problem fixed, replaced a/c heater control.....thanks for the help fellas