Hi can anyone help? I've noticed as the weather is getting colder the heater in my wee van is blowing cold air. I've checked the water level, fitted a new thermostat, with no effect. I can get a slight heat if I set the temp at max and the blower at min, but nothing to speak of. The van temperature gauge does not overheat. no sign of any emulsification in the radiator water. I've tried squeezing the heater hose in case there is an air lock. Still wont work.
Please someone help before I freeze to death.
Frank Mc
Ford escort van heater wont work. Have changed thermostat. Blower etc ok?
Is the linkage to the heater Matrix connected ?
Is the Matrix air locked ? bleed
are the shutters letting air into car open ?
squeezing pipes will not work.
Ford escort van heater wont work. Have changed thermostat. Blower etc ok?
I assume the heater hoses are cool rather than hot.
My old Escort van had a little air vent in the heater hose to allow you to get rid of air locks. If yours doesn't have one, disconnect both hoses %26amp; flush through the heater matrix with a hosepipe. Refill the cooling system by parking the van on as steep an uphill slope as you can (or use ramps). This should keep the heater hoses full.
I've done a little research to determine the components used in this particular heater system. Being that I am from America and we don't have Escort Vans, I will have to rely on service maunual to determine how the heater system operates. The previous answers are very good suggestions. In my experience most of the time this condition is caused by lack of coolant flow to the heater core. This can be caused by a couple of different reason. First, an airlock in the system, which can usually easily be corrected by bleeding the coolant system. This bleeder screw will normall be located on top of the engine somewhere around the thermostat housing/upper radiatior hose. In short, ensure that the cooling system is actually full. Start the vehichle, remove the raditor cap, turn on the heater to full speed and temperature, and allow to reach operating temperature, After preparing the system to fill, begin filling at the radiator. Once the engine has reached operating temperature, the thermostat should open and any air pockets should be forced back out of the system. After ensuring the system is full, replace the radiator cap, and check the heater output temperature. If it is still not producing the desired output temperature. Place you hand on the Intake and Output hose of the heater core. If the system is working properly both should be fairly hot. Almost too hot to keep your hand on the hose very long. If both hoses are not hot, you have one of two problems. Either the heater core has an air pocket causing an air lock or from the research I have done, the heater control valve is not allowing the proper flow through the heater core. I believe this is a project that you will need to check these items and get back with me with what you found. I will be more than happy to walk you through the repair process to get your heater working. I don't think this is a serious or expensive repair, but you do need the knowledge to know what to check and how to correct the problem when we find it.
Good luck and Hope to hear from you soon,
it's the the valve that switches between cold and hot air as you turn the temp dial, i can't remember what the exact name of it is. The screw that it piviots on will have seized, it's a common fault on lots of Fords.
they call it blend door, yours might be cable operated ,check the cable when you move the temperature knob,feel if there is resistance,,some times the lock that hold the cable just come off making the blend door not to move fully
I had a build up of corrosion in one of my water pipes where it connected to the aluminum head. If your heat wasn't used for 6 months during the summer, a blockage could form due to the coolant not circulating through the hoses, pipes, and heater core.
I'm not familiar with the ford escort van. However you might want to check the lines coming out of your heater core in the engine compartment. After having the vehicle get up to operating temp and the heater on you should be able to feel both lines coming out of the heater core. Both of these lines should be hot! If one of the lines are still on the cool side you might have a blockage in your heater core. You can try clearing the blockage or replacing the heater core.
