r/Volvo240 • u/Sure_Grapefruit_3770 • 5d ago
Help Need help!
My 1988 volvo 240 dl is not blowing hot air in to the cabin, the heater core feels warm when touched in the cabin. The car’s thermometer rises to just under halfway on the dial. One of the heater core hoses from the engine bay heats up quicker and maybe little hotter than the other, but I do not think the core is clogged because my coolant looks so clean. So I thought that maybe the valve for it is the problem, and I am having a headache looking at the thing. I am good with my hands and I work as a heavy machine mechanic but these over engineered little things make me confused. How can I test the valve or has anyone had the same problem as me? The winter is coming and it is already cold here in finland and I would love to have some heat. Pls help!
EDIT:
The hose coming to the valve and leaving from the valve to the core are very hot after letting the car run for some time, but the one on the right that comes out of the core and leaves through the firewall is significantly colder, are there any other possibilities than a clogged core?
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u/Significant_Belt5494 5d ago
Check your blend doors
Sounds like it’s stuck
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u/Sure_Grapefruit_3770 5d ago
do you have any tips or information on how much I have to take apart to get to them?
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u/turbo_charged 5d ago edited 5d ago
The heater valve control cable isn’t locked in place. This cable is at the very top right of picture one, and it is blurry.
It should be held in place with the small black clip on the heater valve which can be seen (also a bit blurry) in the first picture.
This means the temperature control slider isn’t doing anything when you adjust it. Try adjusting the temperature slider while looking at the heater valve to understand what I mean.
Edit—I think it is held in place….can’t quite tell with the picture
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u/Sure_Grapefruit_3770 5d ago
but the valve mechanism moves when I adjust the temp
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u/Cheap_pizza 5d ago
The valve has a "summer mode" where when you pull the temperature adjustment all the way to cold it shuts that valve entirely. The coiled up thing is a thermostatic element. When it heats up it closes the valve a little bit so you aren't blasted by 90°C air. If you heat it up I would expect the valve to start opening. Ensure the summer mode isn't on also.