I have an '87 4x 4 turbo EA82. The HVAC heater performs poorly. Both heather hoses are about the same temperature. I have looked around the best I can with scopes. Looked at the air flow controller and have found no defects. Everything looks great all baffles work fine best I can tell. The only thing I have noticed is on the passenger side, lower heater vent, I feel a separate stream of cold air. Mind you the car is parked and not moving, engine temp is 1/4 up from bottom. 

I cant figure out what is wrong.  Why would I feel some cold air in addition to the heat. Is this the problem? Is this normal?  Any thoughts?? The heat does not seem to be that hot, as it was in the past. I am original owner.   I sure could use some help on this one. I have looked over a few old posts on this, they have helped, but I'm still stumped.

I would try flushing the heater core if you have checked all of the other obvious things (bubble in the system, stuck thermostat, bad water pump etc) and the car is not overheating. Do you know if anyone has ever used that coolant stop leak stuff in this one? That stuff is nasty and can clog things up.

 

I flushed the core in my '87 and it brought the heater back to life really well. Just go easy on it at first, you don't wanna break anything with a bunch of pressure from the garden hose right away, first flush one way through the core, then swap the hoses and flush back the other way. Repeat if necessary. I have done this to several older cars and am always amazed and the amount of stuff that comes out.

Possibilities:

 

blower motor needs replacing

 

blower motor control module not working properly

 

hoses are plugged

 

AC system O-rings and/or gaskets need replacing (they might be leaking and that's why you feel cold air)

 

Personally, I would start with replacing all hoses, since that is the least expensive way to go. That way you will know that at least the hoses are in top shape.

Mind you the car is parked and not moving, engine temp is 1/4 up from bottom.

 

 

Seems pretty obvious to me, temp gauge should read about 1/2. The engine is not up to temperature = Thermostat is opening too soon.

Ea82 temp gauges are notoriously inaccurate. I have had a few that are normal below 1/4 as well as a few that read about 1/2 when at normal engine temperature, verified with a real thermometer.

The heater on my '86 GL works well enough but the temp gauge needs to be at the half-way mark before any real heat comes out. I don't know if that is normal or not. I plan to have the HVAC all redone (AC doesn't work, needs compressor) in the coming year and that is something I will have addressed. I can't complain, the factory AC worked great for about 26-27 years.

I would start with a new thermostat and radiator cap. These cars arent great heat generators to begin with, but it sounds like it just not getting up to operating temp.

Flush the heater core. 

The only thing I have noticed is on the passenger side, lower heater vent, I feel a separate stream of cold air. Mind you the car is parked and not moving, engine temp is 1/4 up from bottom.

I cant figure out what is wrong. Why would I feel some cold air in addition to the heat. Is this the problem? = i think it mix freah air..Is this normal? =probably Any thoughts?? -->The heat does not seem to be that hot, as it was in the past. × I got that same cool air flow from somewhere on the passenger side, did a full flush new radiator/re- core the way I see it and a new OEM thermostat from the dealer... the weirdness I got going on is... while flying down the freeway for about 10 mins I have the upper defrost vents blowing and it will automatically switch to bilev even though the switch is still upper defrost... oooEEooo!! Lol !!

Edited December 21, 20169 yr by Len Dawg

Possibilities:

 

blower motor needs replacing

 

blower motor control module not working properly

 

hoses are plugged

 

AC system O-rings and/or gaskets need replacing (they might be leaking and that's why you feel cold air)

 

Personally, I would start with replacing all hoses, since that is the least expensive way to go. That way you will know that at least the hoses are in top shape.

The problem is with the heat not AC...if there was a freon leak it wouldn't cause the heater to blow below desired temperature. I have worked in the automotive repair industry for 5 years and never seen that. There is not enough Freon stored in the system to have a large leak at the evaporator that would affect temperatures for more then a minute, and once it drained it would be all gone. Passenger side of the dash is where the blower motor is located. You can put your hand on it and feel or hear if it's running or not. If it does not function on all speeds replace the resistor. It is located at the bottom of the blower case and easy to access. Verify your engine reaches operating temperature. If it does not, replace your thermostat. If this still does not resolve your problem flush or replace your heater core. If this STILL does not resolve your problem you may have a stuck blend door under the dash that is preventing airflow, or causing a mix of outside air to enter the system

Edited December 22, 20169 yr by Logan K

The lever that works my blend door came disconnected on my '86 Wagon. Here's a pic (courtesy of TomRHere) of the assembly. Red arrow is pointing to where it can come unattached. I couldn't get behind there to see, had to work blindly. I did get it reattached somewhat. It's on permanent "full warm" setting.

 

http://i.imgur.com/XOIG8G4.jpg

are the blend doors vacuum actuated?  I get some heat blowing out on the drivers side, but not the passenger side.  wifey not happy.....

Blend door is a cable from the lever. I don't think it's different on turbo vs non turbo.

 

There isn't anything that should make heat on one side and not the other, that's odd.

I have no levers.  88 DL wagon

probably a mouse nest blocking it 

What does it use to adjust the heat temp? I've only had GLs and Loyales - I've seen a DL or 2, but not recently enough.

I just flushed my heater core today.  Actually, my helpers did the work.  Disconnect both hoses to the heater core (closest connection to engine)...  Not the firewall.    Flush both sides.    I used one of those brass sprayer connectors to a garden hose.   

  It brought my heater back to life.    Heater HOT now.

What does it use to adjust the heat temp? I've only had GLs and Loyales - I've seen a DL or 2, but not recently enough.

well, I take that back, it does have the Hot to cold lever, but it's got pushbuttons for heat/defrost/ac ....

Ok, sounds like same as GL. Buttons that use a combo of switches and vacuum for the modes, lever and cable for temperature of heat. The ac in ac mode is full on, but when you put the temp in between cold and hot, the heater re warms the air, making it less cold.