No heat at highway speeds...

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Old November 16th, 2019, 08:25 AM
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No heat at highway speeds...

My heater was not working so we replaced the heater control valve and works great.....But when im driving 50mph or higher, it starts blowing cool air....It's acting like the heater control valve is loosing it's vacuum thus closing the valve... Any ideas????
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Old November 16th, 2019, 08:49 AM
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What thermostat is installed in your engine?
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Old November 16th, 2019, 10:04 AM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
My heater was not working so we replaced the heater control valve and works great.....But when im driving 50mph or higher, it starts blowing cool air....It's acting like the heater control valve is loosing it's vacuum thus closing the valve... Any ideas????
Do you have the vacuum reservoir hooked up correctly, and is the check valve connected properly?
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Old November 16th, 2019, 01:36 PM
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Maybe dumb bu a collapsing rad hose
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Old November 16th, 2019, 08:25 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
What thermostat is installed in your engine?
I don't know...
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Old November 16th, 2019, 08:27 PM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Do you have the vacuum reservoir hooked up correctly, and is the check valve connected properly?
where is the vacuum reservoir located?
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Old November 16th, 2019, 08:28 PM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Do you have the vacuum reservoir hooked up correctly, and is the check valve connected properly?
where is the check valve??
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Old November 17th, 2019, 04:39 AM
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Depending on year/model, the vacuum res is usually mounted to the firewall. There are two ports; one Gozinta and the other Gozoutta.
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Old November 17th, 2019, 06:15 AM
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You probably already checked this but, make sure your coolant is topped off. Seems like the heater is the first to loose coolant if it is low..
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Old November 17th, 2019, 06:21 AM
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Originally Posted by Greg Rogers
You probably already checked this but, make sure your coolant is topped off. Seems like the heater is the first to loose coolant if it is low..
I will check it out...Good idea
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Old November 17th, 2019, 06:27 AM
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Confirm that the coolant is full. Confirm that the engine reaches full temp. If both are good then it is likely a bad valve or the vacuum supply to it. If you can get a Mityvac style vacuum tester, put vacuum to the valve and go for a road test. If it works the problem is in the vacuum supply to the valve, if it does not work with a known vacuum application the valve is bad or there is a lack of flow of coolant to the heater core due to air or a blockage.

Good luck!!!
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Old November 17th, 2019, 09:05 AM
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Originally Posted by Sugar Bear
Confirm that the coolant is full. Confirm that the engine reaches full temp. If both are good then it is likely a bad valve or the vacuum supply to it. If you can get a Mityvac style vacuum tester, put vacuum to the valve and go for a road test. If it works the problem is in the vacuum supply to the valve, if it does not work with a known vacuum application the valve is bad or there is a lack of flow of coolant to the heater core due to air or a blockage.

Good luck!!!
Thank you...
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Old November 17th, 2019, 09:43 AM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
I will check it out...Good idea
Well low and behold, it was 2.5 inches low...Also the over flow reservoir hose was curled up in the up position not touching the antifreeze...So I adjusted the hose and topped off the antifreeze in the radiator...I will test drive it tomorrow...Drove the 300C today into work...
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Old November 17th, 2019, 11:03 AM
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Great sometimes the simple answer could be the solution,been working on cars since I

Originally Posted by COBRA2000
Well low and behold, it was 2.5 inches low...Also the over flow reservoir hose was curled up in the up position not touching the antifreeze...So I adjusted the hose and topped off the antifreeze in the radiator...I will test drive it tomorrow...Drove the 300C today into work...
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Old November 17th, 2019, 11:20 AM
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I will let you tomorrow when I drive it..But thanks soooo much!!
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Old November 18th, 2019, 07:46 AM
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Well that didn't work..Filled the radiator up and still no heat...Back to the shop we go...
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Old November 18th, 2019, 09:18 AM
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Originally Posted by BackInTheGame
Depending on year/model, the vacuum res is usually mounted to the firewall.
Like BackInTheGame mentioned you never told us what year and model Olds your driving. Or is this for a 2000 Ford Mustang?
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Old November 18th, 2019, 10:32 AM
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Originally Posted by Olds64
Like BackInTheGame mentioned you never told us what year and model Olds your driving. Or is this for a 2000 Ford Mustang?
Sorry...1970 olds 442-w30 conv
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Old November 18th, 2019, 01:03 PM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
Sorry...1970 olds 442-w30 conv
With or without A/C
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Old November 18th, 2019, 01:17 PM
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Originally Posted by 70W-32
With or without A/C
with AC
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Old November 18th, 2019, 07:09 PM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
Well that didn't work..Filled the radiator up and still no heat...Back to the shop we go...
Low coolant usually shows itself as increased heat. Do you know what your engine temps are?
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Old November 19th, 2019, 05:24 AM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
Low coolant usually shows itself as increased heat.
Not in the heater. Low coolant means that there are air pockets in the cooling system. Air does not transfer heat very well, so any air that gets into the heater core means no heat out. I've had this happen many times on cars where the coolant level was low.

Back to the OP's problem, which is apparently NOT caused by low coolant. For diagnostic purposes, tee a vacuum gauge into the line that operates the heater control valve. Tape the gauge to the windshield so you can see it when you drive. Note the vacuum readings when you have heat and when it fails.
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Old November 19th, 2019, 10:37 AM
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Originally Posted by joe_padavano
Not in the heater. Low coolant means that there are air pockets in the cooling system. Air does not transfer heat very well, so any air that gets into the heater core means no heat out. I've had this happen many times on cars where the coolant level was low.

Back to the OP's problem, which is apparently NOT caused by low coolant. For diagnostic purposes, tee a vacuum gauge into the line that operates the heater control valve. Tape the gauge to the windshield so you can see it when you drive. Note the vacuum readings when you have heat and when it fails.
good idea.. thank you!!
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Old November 29th, 2019, 08:05 AM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
What thermostat is installed in your engine?
im not sure...
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Old November 29th, 2019, 08:15 AM
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Well my heater core blew up the other day.It was the original one.Put a new one in...BRASS...But im still having the same problem..I hooked up the mity vac gage and pump and im not loosing vacuum...checked the temperature of both hoses to heater core and went it get's cool, the temperature drops to about 110-120 degrees..when working properly, temps are 180 degress...so now im thinking it might be a bad thermostat??? so I will install a new one..180 degrees..Some how the antifreeze is not flowing through the heater core at high RPM'S..
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Old November 29th, 2019, 08:29 AM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
Some how the antifreeze is not flowing through the heater core at high RPM'S..
What exactly is high RPM?
If it's high enough, possibly water pump cavitation or lower radiator hose collapsing.
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Old November 29th, 2019, 09:43 AM
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Originally Posted by fun71
what exactly is high rpm?
If it's high enough, possibly water pump cavitation or lower radiator hose collapsing.
3200 rpm
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Old November 29th, 2019, 03:31 PM
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Bad T stat. I went through two bad ones (brand new chinaman units!) 0n my fresh 455 in my '64, and finally bought a high end unit (made in israel of all places!) and its good. On my '72 XGS, I had another brand new one fail and re-installed the 10 year old Dole T stat and its still in there. Thats 5 years ago.

Just an FYI... some heater control valves are either vacuum to open or vacuum to close (fail open/fail closed). Just because it has the numbers doesnt make it correct. The cold heater hoses lend me to think T stat however.

For winter you can bypass the HCV and run the system direct. ws
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Old November 29th, 2019, 03:44 PM
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Originally Posted by yachtsmanbill
Bad T stat. I went through two bad ones (brand new chinaman units!) 0n my fresh 455 in my '64, and finally bought a high end unit (made in israel of all places!) and its good. On my '72 XGS, I had another brand new one fail and re-installed the 10 year old Dole T stat and its still in there. Thats 5 years ago.

Just an FYI... some heater control valves are either vacuum to open or vacuum to close (fail open/fail closed). Just because it has the numbers doesnt make it correct. The cold heater hoses lend me to think T stat however.

For winter you can bypass the HCV and run the system direct. ws
Thank you for the info...Im leaning towards the thermostat is the problem....Even at idle some times it runs cold...But im going to install a high quality stat....Also im going to install ANOTHER heater control valve...
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Old November 29th, 2019, 03:51 PM
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What is your water temps at idle and highway speeds? This should not be hard to figure out without throwing parts at it. If its the stat, I've always had good luck with the Stant Superstat.
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Old November 29th, 2019, 03:57 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
What is your water temps at idle and highway speeds? This should not be hard to figure out without throwing parts at it. If its the stat, I've always had good luck with the Stant Superstat.
I think was about 190- 210 aprox??
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Old November 29th, 2019, 03:59 PM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
I think was about 190- 210 aprox??
The stat im getting is from summit... https://www.summitracing.com/parts/MRG-4364 …. good reviews..
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Old November 29th, 2019, 07:05 PM
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If your getting 190-210* coolant temps at cruise, its not your stat.
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Old November 29th, 2019, 07:40 PM
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Originally Posted by oldcutlass
If your getting 190-210* coolant temps at cruise, its not your stat.
Well I will replace and see what happens..But thank you..
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Old November 30th, 2019, 06:30 AM
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Go to a John Deere dealer and buy a 180 degree thermostat from there. It will fit and work perfectly. I was turned onto these from a friend who builds pulling tractors and street/strip engines for years. He has NEVER had one of these fail. It is what I put in my 455.I can get the part number if needed.
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Old November 30th, 2019, 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by ajr2820
Go to a John Deere dealer and buy a 180 degree thermostat from there. It will fit and work perfectly. I was turned onto these from a friend who builds pulling tractors and street/strip engines for years. He has NEVER had one of these fail. It is what I put in my 455.I can get the part number if needed.
That would be nice... Im going to burp the system today and see what happens....
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Old November 30th, 2019, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by COBRA2000
That would be nice... Im going to burp the system today and see what happens....

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Old December 1st, 2019, 05:43 AM
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Originally Posted by ajr2820
Thank you!!
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Old December 6th, 2019, 05:53 AM
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Problem solved..... Replaced the new thermostat and still did not work..I had a hunch and bought another heater control valve and installed it.. WALLA!!! It's working great now..Hard to believe i had two back to back bad heater control valves...Third time is a charm...
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Old December 6th, 2019, 05:55 AM
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Glad you figured it out. Sucks when new parts fail out of the box.
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