Ke70 Heater Doesn't Work

[Mybowlcut]

Hey guys.

 

The heater in my 1982 KE70 doesn't work... it's not hot at all. I have the time tomorrow morning to have a look at it so I'm wondering what things I'd look for to determine the cause...

 

Cheers.

[LittleRedSpirit]

Hey guys.

 

The heater in my 1982 KE70 doesn't work... it's not hot at all. I have the time tomorrow morning to have a look at it so I'm wondering what things I'd look for to determine the cause...

 

Cheers.

 

 

Are your feet wet?

 

The heater works by passing hot water from the motor through a small radiator in a box under the dash while a fan blows through it.

 

Either, the heater tap is busted/not working, this tap allows water into the radiator when you engage the heater slide on the dash.

 

Or the fan isn't blowing and actually creating any hot air.

 

Or, if the heater core had started leaking in your cars interior, someone would have done the easy fix and just plain disconnected the heater by bypassing it completely with a loop of heater hose. Therefore there might be no actual hose connected to the heater tap to supply hot water. This is often done to pass roadworthy dodgily (its what I did once!).

 

If its been disconncted and looped off then I say just buy a new core, or remove the old one and have it tested and fixed with some more braising. There is only really one reason to disconnect a heater core, so if you just reconnect it, then expect wet feet while driving. Its a bit of a pain to change, but since you're going to have the dash apart, you could do some other maintenance while you are there, like check the stereo wiring out for dodgy contacts, joined wires, fix any blown bulbs and replace any parts you see which are cracked or broken.

 

If you have never pulled the dash apart before then take your time and be patient, and remember where the screws were! There are little tricks to most things. Tip: look from an angle where your head usually isn't and you will find the screws/clips for most things.

 

Good luck. Let us know how you go.

[Teddy]

^^ barch, i was in the mood to write something of that depth for once :yes: Good Reply, Its smack bang on the money.

[Mybowlcut]

Are your feet wet?

No haha.

 

The heater works by passing hot water from the motor through a small radiator in a box under the dash while a fan blows through it.

Is that why in my old KE70 which had a working heater, a bubbling noise occurred when the heater hadn't been used and had just been turned on?

 

Either, the heater tap is busted/not working, this tap allows water into the radiator when you engage the heater slide on the dash.

If the bubbling noise that I mentioned above is how it should be... then I guess the tap is not working because it doesn't even make a bubbling noise haha.

 

Or the fan isn't blowing and actually creating any hot air.

 

Or, if the heater core had started leaking in your cars interior, someone would have done the easy fix and just plain disconnected the heater by bypassing it completely with a loop of heater hose. Therefore there might be no actual hose connected to the heater tap to supply hot water. This is often done to pass roadworthy dodgily (its what I did once!).

 

If its been disconncted and looped off then I say just buy a new core, or remove the old one and have it tested and fixed with some more braising. There is only really one reason to disconnect a heater core, so if you just reconnect it, then expect wet feet while driving. Its a bit of a pain to change, but since you're going to have the dash apart, you could do some other maintenance while you are there, like check the stereo wiring out for dodgy contacts, joined wires, fix any blown bulbs and replace any parts you see which are cracked or broken.

Yeah... My door light doesn't work. Stereo sounds ok though.

 

If you have never pulled the dash apart before then take your time and be patient, and remember where the screws were! There are little tricks to most things. Tip: look from an angle where your head usually isn't and you will find the screws/clips for most things.

 

Good luck. Let us know how you go.

So I need to take the dash off (to check all of the things you said) if the heater is broken? :yes:

 

Cheers.

[LittleRedSpirit]

First thing is pop the bonnet, i.d. the tap, and see if its connected. I dare say it will not be. If it isn't Id pull the dash apart and remove the big black box that holds the core. This will require removing most of the under-dash area.

[7shades]

Steel thy resolve, young padawan... trial by skinning of knuckles awaits you.

[Mybowlcut]

First thing is pop the bonnet, i.d. the tap, and see if its connected. I dare say it will not be. If it isn't Id pull the dash apart and remove the big black box that holds the core. This will require removing most of the under-dash area.

Would you i.d. it for me if I got a picture? I'm pretty sure I know what the big black box is though... it's right under the glove box right?

 

Steel thy resolve, young padawan... trial by skinning of knuckles awaits you.

Hahaha what does that mean? I'm going to get angry and punch something? I don't get it haha. I don't watch much Star Wars.

[Medicine_Man]

I think he means don't be afraid to skin your knuckles and get your hands dirty to find out why its not working..

[LittleRedSpirit]

I think he means don't be afraid to skin your knuckles and get your hands dirty to find out why its not working..

 

 

The heater tap is right at the top of the firewall, it will probably have some hose connected to it, and be operated by a short cable popping through the firewall right next to it.

 

The box with the core is easy to find because it has the cores brass hose connections protrudung into the engine bay. Just line it up from the other side to work out where it is. You will need to remove most of it to get to it.

 

Now come on, with a little rational thinking you should be able to do this easy enough. The real time waster is working out how the dash works.

[Mybowlcut]

I'm not doubting that I'll probably be able to do it haha.. it's just that I need the time and need to make sure I know what the heater tap/core actually is! Haha.

 

Here are some photos I got just so I can figure out what parts they are:

 

 

Is the tap the first picture (upper right corner) and the core the second one?

[Medicine_Man]

Heater tap is circled in red

 

Heater core in/out circled in blue..

[HRV-00S]

It all looks to be connected as it should be, check that the switch on the dash is actually operating the tap before you pull any thing apart, could be broken or disconnected at the tap.

 

 

The cable on my old KE70 was broken and the tap was in the off position so no heat, pulled or pushed the tap the other way in or out can't remember. I just left it open during winter and closed during summer :yes:

 

 

 

The second pic is the fan? I think. The heater core is in the black box directly behind the center console/on top of the transmission tunnel.

 

Cheers Dan

[LittleRedSpirit]

Yep, you are all spot on, the tap might just be stuck. If you don't use it for 6 months its conceivable it could just fail. Tidy looking car btw.

[Mybowlcut]

Heater tap is circled in red

 

Heater core in/out circled in blue..

Cheers for that. :yes:

 

It all looks to be connected as it should be, check that the switch on the dash is actually operating the tap before you pull any thing apart, could be broken or disconnected at the tap.

 

 

The cable on my old KE70 was broken and the tap was in the off position so no heat, pulled or pushed the tap the other way in or out can't remember. I just left it open during winter and closed during summer :wink:

 

 

 

The second pic is the fan? I think. The heater core is in the black box directly behind the center console/on top of the transmission tunnel.

 

Cheers Dan

So I would check if the switch is broken at the tap end in the engine bay? How can I test if it's broken? What cable/switch would I look for? I know this might be common sense to you guys but I've never dabbled with heaters before. :no2:

 

Yep, you are all spot on, the tap might just be stuck. If you don't use it for 6 months its conceivable it could just fail. Tidy looking car btw.

If you're talking about the interior, then all thanks go to the first owner (a granny) for getting it this far. :lolcry: I do try to keep it clean though.

 

Cheers for all your help so far.

[HRV-00S]

So I would check if the switch is broken at the tap end in the engine bay? How can I test if it's broken? What cable/switch would I look for? I know this might be common sense to you guys but I've never dabbled with heaters before. :lolcry:

 

 

Get someone to operate the HOT/COLD switch on the dash and you watch if the valve is opening or closing, basicly if the stuff attached to the tap is moving it should work. Might want to give it a spray with some WD40 or similar.