Yammer Dan Posted December 23, 2010 Share #1 Posted December 23, 2010 My Tarus is acting up again. Don't want to warm up takes it forever for heater to get warm never gets hot. Driving down the road it will cool down at times til it is blowing cold air. Running at Interstate speeds it will stay barely warm. Thermostat junk?? Always just stuck on me when they went bad and cause thing to overheat. I guess this is better if it has to act up but a heater would be nice...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini-muffin Posted December 23, 2010 Share #2 Posted December 23, 2010 Are you sure it isn't the heater core? Margaret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted December 23, 2010 Author Share #3 Posted December 23, 2010 Are you sure it isn't the heater core? Margaret Don't think so. It will warm up and cool back down. I guess could be plugged. I smell antifreeze when I stop sometimes but can't find a leak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mini-muffin Posted December 23, 2010 Share #4 Posted December 23, 2010 Give Jeff a call tomorrow he's up at my folks house at the moment. He might be able to walk you through some stuff to figure it out. Margaret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snaggletooth Posted December 23, 2010 Share #5 Posted December 23, 2010 Huh Oh! Sounds a bit familiar. Had mine do that and I was smelling just a trace of anti freeze inside the car at times. Never could find a leak or a puddle. Then one day the dam broke and anti freeze came pouring into the car. The shop said the core was plugging up causing the heat changes and when it got corroded enough it just blew out. And this winter my Lincoln TC is doing the heat/cool routine. I'm a smart guy, head for the shop to check it out. Did a back flush to clean it out and no difference. Estimate to replace the heat core? Sit down. And this is from a trusted friends shop who does any work I can't do....... $639.00 bottom end...with a lot of luck. Why? The dash panel has to be removed to access it. Geesh! I miss my '64 Impala. That was easy to work on. Now a thermo sticking open can cause a similiar problem with low heat at low speed driving. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradT Posted December 23, 2010 Share #6 Posted December 23, 2010 Low coolant level will also make it do that. Check the rad and overflow bottle to make sure they are full. If you smell antifreeze most likely the heater core could be leaking a bit. Brad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dano Posted December 23, 2010 Share #7 Posted December 23, 2010 Most thermostats have what they call a "fail-open" clip built in. If it goes bad it stays open instead of closed so that you can safely make it to your destination. Another case of a 25c addition to the manufacture of a part saves hundreds down the road. Happened to me on two different vehicles within 3 weeks of each other! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuddyRich Posted December 23, 2010 Share #8 Posted December 23, 2010 Low coolant level will also make it do that. Check the rad and overflow bottle to make sure they are full. If you smell antifreeze most likely the heater core could be leaking a bit. Brad Been there. Dan your probably low on coolant. You can somewhat control temp in the winter by blocking some of the airflow over the rad. You see truckers all the time with the adjustable rad covers. BETTER check that level though. the only time I got those hot/cold flashes was when the vehicle was WAY LOW on coolant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paysaw Posted December 23, 2010 Share #9 Posted December 23, 2010 It sounds like the heater core is plugged.You could have a small leak in the core or at the fittings in the firewall.If you can get underneath where the pipes connect in the interior of your car, check and see if inlet and outlet pipes are warm or hot.You could check it from the engine compartment as well.If it is hot on the inlet and cool on the outlet, your core is plugged Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarlS Posted December 23, 2010 Share #10 Posted December 23, 2010 Don't know what year Taurus you have but sounds like the famous Taurus heater core. The Taurus I had the labor was $500.00 to change it. Everything from the steering wheel to the firewall has to come off to get to it. Now get this, The ex-wife used to throw everything up onto the dash, so when they got down to the heater core they found a Bic lighter had worked it's way down from the defroster vent and wedged itself in the trap door that closes to stop outside air from coming in. (it moves open or shut when you move temperature control) Had the new heater core installed anyway because car was 11 years old and didn't want to pay that labor again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiCarl Posted December 23, 2010 Share #11 Posted December 23, 2010 Dan, have been struggling with a friend's daughter's Taurus over the same thing (except hers has progressed to blowing no heat). Neither hose to the heater core was getting hot. We back flushed the heater core and replaced the thermostat. No change. I read some articles on the web about the vanes corroding away on Taurus water pumps. Supposedly they'll move enough coolant to keep from overheating but not enough to heat the heater core. We were planning to replace the water pump but in the meantime the heater core has started leaking. Next week it gets a new heater core and water pump. When Googling around I did come across a video claiming that it showed how to change the heater core in the Taurus in only four hours without moving the instrument panel. I didn't watch it and I'll have to hunt it up again. Will let you know what we find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paysaw Posted December 23, 2010 Share #12 Posted December 23, 2010 I had a Tarus with a bad core.I remember when I had it repaired that they undid half my dash at the core side and swung it open.They said it took off hours from the repair. My Tarus ran great after that.Sadly the body melted off the frame.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted December 24, 2010 I really need to get rid of that thing!! Gets lousey MPG. Not enough power to suit me. Has rust starting all over and I just plain don't like it. I can't afford a new one on retirement check but I found a 99 Buick with only 24k on it for 5k. Think I'm going to go check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankd Posted December 24, 2010 Share #14 Posted December 24, 2010 Dan, What does the temperature gauge on the dash say? If the thermostat is stuck open, it'll stay at cold. If you're smelling anti freeze, check the level ASAP. BTW, which motor do you have?? My 97 is at 145K with the original thermostat, heater core and water pump, and I have the Vulcan motor (145hp. OHV) Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted December 24, 2010 Share #15 Posted December 24, 2010 Had a 99 buick Regal, put 99,000 miles on it, was still running good. I think $5,000 may be a little high for being 12 years old. Of course none of these newer (?) ones hold a candle to the '56 Buick Super 4 dr. hardtop I had back in 1959/1960. Wish I had it now! Nail head V-8, Dyna Flow tranny, MAYBE 15 MPG. But I could afford to buy gasoline then.Those were the days! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midnightventure Posted December 24, 2010 Share #16 Posted December 24, 2010 If that 99 Regal doesn't have anything wrong with it,it will probably get 30mpg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel Posted December 24, 2010 Share #17 Posted December 24, 2010 If that 99 Regal doesn't have anything wrong with it,it will probably get 30mpg. Yep, it got steady 28 to 30 on the interstate, sometimes up around 31. Hardly anyone would believe me when I would tell them that. That V-6 was a surprise for economy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trader Posted December 24, 2010 Share #18 Posted December 24, 2010 Low coolant level will also make it do that. Check the rad and overflow bottle to make sure they are full. If you smell antifreeze most likely the heater core could be leaking a bit. Brad I had the same thing with my GMC Jimmy....I eventually had to change the heater core but when the coolant was down it acted the same way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROG MAN Posted December 25, 2010 Share #19 Posted December 25, 2010 That front wheel drive buick I had went great in the snow and good gas mileage. Ramona couldn't see over the hood cause the seat was to low and not adjustable. A good car though. It was a LeSabre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yammer Dan Posted December 25, 2010 Author Share #20 Posted December 25, 2010 It is looking like it could be heater coil. Not a good thing. Eating what I got in this thing is going to be rough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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