86 5.0 Not Heating Up

[chrismc101]

Thanks everybody for your replies so far. Now, I haven't seen a "mist of antifreeze", nor have I had a chance to run the defrost or see a wet spot on the floor. Those two hoses. Should they be hot just while the engine is idle or while I'm running the heater or what? If I do see a wet spot on the passenger side floor, what does that wet spot mean? I guess I'll checked those things tomorrow.

I do have a new thermostat ready to install though. Will a bad thermostat cause it not to heat like it should? Cause it's cold as hell now in North Carolina, LOL...

Thanks for your responses. I appreciate all assistance cause I'm gonna have this '86 pissing on other stangs/imports/whoever, lol...

[~The Jester~]

A thermostat that's stuck open won't let the car heat up. A thermostat that's stuck shut will over heat the engine. If you think it's cold in NC, take a little road trip up here to Ohio! LOL

Change the thermostat, and while you have it apart, flush the heater core. Run a garden hose through it BACKWARDS.

The wet spot on the carpet if it's there is from the heater core leaking. It's supposed to leak out the drain through the firewall, but they almost never do.

Heater core on a NON-AIR car is a piece of cake. Remove heater hoses, remove glove box door, remove 2 screws, slide out the heater core.

Heater core on an AC car is a baaaaad thing. Start with the left rear taillight and work your way in from there. Little exaggeration, but it's a royal pain. Let me put it another way, with the 8 point cage in my stang, the heater core almost CAN'T be changed. Just not enough room in there anymore.

Good luck, let us know!