Cabin Heat slow to warm up

[Robyn]

The little coupler on the Xover (RH side) has a restrictor orifice in it, and this could have issues.

Getting the aluminum pipe out requires that you retract the little lips on the plastic insert and slide the pipe out.

Now, you are already up to speed on these things, yesss they break off in the xover and are a bitch to get out.

If you do break it off, DO NOT despair, the Xover can be salvaged easily.

You simply remove thye Xover get it out where you can see what your doing, then using a die grinder relieve the aluminum from the inside of the coupler on opposite sides (make a little groove the length of the coupler part thats broke off)

Once you have a little groove on opposite sides that just starts to show the threads of the Xover port your good.

Now you take a small capeing chisel and small hammer and peal the offending part inward and away from the threads in the Xover.

This may seem like a tough task, but I can usually manage to extricate these within 15 minutes or so once the Xover is off and on the bench.

Once the broken part is out, run a Pipe tape (1/2") through the threads to just clean it out.

Install the steel version of the coupler from NAPA or ??? parts house and your good to go.

Smear some Hi Temp RTV on the threads before installing the new coupler.

Good luck and keep us posted

Missy

[DennisG01]

Thanks, Missy. Now that you mention it, I remember taking the advice of this forum a few years ago and the one I bought (the one currently in there) is the steel version from NAPA.

Just to be sure -- to remove the Al line from the QD fitting -- just push the plastic "ears" into the fitting and pull the Al line out?

[Robyn]

Yup, Thats the ticket.

The factory "pot metal" connectors were a mess once they had been in there a few years.

I noticed that your rig has the RED coolant.

If this stuff has ever had any other stuff mixed with it it can cause the stuff to plug up the heater cores and such.

Is that a possibility ??

Missy

[DennisG01]

No - it's always had the cool-aid in it. I've thought about changing it to the green stuff, but I've always been worried about what you're referring to. Plus, when I flushed it, it wasn't too bad. It wasn't as bright as it is now, but it was OK.

[DennisG01]

Oh... I should add some info about my little contraption, in case anyone reading this (now or in the future) needs to do something similar and is not completely sure how to do it (as I originally was).

I used 1/2" garden hose (with 1/2" barbed connectors) to extend the factory heater lines, after first removing them from the "T" connector (I have rear heat). If you don't have rear heat, I'm not sure if you'll have any connector at all.

I used what I had lying around for the bottle - it's an apple juice container - it's got decently stiff sidewalls. The heater hose that would normally go to the core is plumbed to the TOP of the bottle. I simply drilled holes (use a step drill bit) in the cap and the sidewall.

Then, use 1/2" barb to pipe connectors. The connector screws in nice and tight to the cap (don't drill the hole to big the first time - experiment in gradual steps). For the sidewall, I first placed an 0-ring on the 1/2" pipe threads to help seal against the container's sidewall. It sealed "OK", but some AF still dripped out - not enough to worry about, though.

I drained about a gallon of AF out the drain plug on the bottom, port side of the radiator before starting this little project. Then, I put it back in through overflow tank before starting the engine. Years ago, I used Kennedy's tip (from his website) of making an access hole through the metal support (that is right underneath the drain plug). Sooooo much easier!

[Robyn]

10-4 on making an access hole.

I cut a rat hole in the inner fender on DaHooooley to allow accessing the drain cock in the radiator too.

The engineers had their head buried a mile on that one. They give you a drain cock, but no way to get to it without tearing the shroud off first.

Missy

[DennisG01]

In the immortal words of Bo & Luke Duke.... Yeeee Haaawww!!!!

After years of having no rear heat and chalking it up to "well, it's an old system", we now have rear heat, as well! I was hoping for that - as soon as I saw the flow problem, things started clicking... the weight of the rear heat system (amount of fluid) is substantially more than the front. So, of course, as any fluid does, it takes the path of least resistance.

It was almost a "free" repair. After only a few years, though, that little plastic retaining clip (in the QD fitting) just about exploded in my fingers. So, I just unscrewed to whole thing (QD and metal/rubber line) and took it into the work bench. Fished out the remaining pieces of plastic. Got a new Dorman QD fitting from Autozone ($13).


This is the first thing I saw when I took things apart. I was actually a little frightened... it was a bit dark outside so when I took off the QD fitting, all I saw were these two little "tentacles" waving at me! Yikes!



Golly, do you think this might have accounted for the no-heat problem??? They were all wrapped around the little crossbar in the restrictor.




Guys (and of course gal!) - thanks so much! I couldn't have done it without 'yall (still keeping with the Duke theme, there).

And just because I feel so good right now... Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaawwwwww!!!!!!!!!