engine and drivetrain No Heat in Car

[Chris_B]

My blower motor is bad but i should be able to get heat from the engine nonetheless. I've noticed that i cannot slide my heating lever all the way to the right to warm. It only goes as far as halfway. Do I need to remove the entire dash to get a look at the mechanism? Thanks. 1974 2002.

Have you just now discovered this problem, or did your heater valve recently work properly? The heater valve is indeed on the passenger side of the car. Yours looks pretty corroded. It may be that the valve or cable is stuck and not allowing you to open the valve all of the way- this certainly is suggested by the fact that your control lever will not move all of the way to the "warm" position. On the other hand the problem could be the result of poor (or no) flow of coolant through the heater core, because of blockage in the core or no input (i.e., coolant hose missing or blocked).

Have you tried to move the lever on the valve manually? I am suggesting that you reach your hand in there and try to move it toward the front of the car. Be careful, because if the valve is still mounted on the heater box by the plastic bracket, you could easily break that by applying too much pressure to the valve, particularly in the side-to-side direction.

Another approach would be to remove the cable clamp from the valve. It is possible to do this while the heater box is in the car, but difficult. Dunno what size the nut on the cable clamp is... maybe 6mm? If you can loosen that clamp, you can determine whether the valve or the cable is jammed (or both).

You might want to give this a read:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/images/stories/faqs/heater_refurb/heater_box_removal_and_refurbishment.pdf

[jgerock]

Here is a picture of mine almost completely open. Note the position of the lever and you can see the inside of the valve. My dash lever is pushed all the way to the right.

Based on your pictures, it looks as if the lever isn't moving the valve fully open - but you still should be getting some coolant thru it.

[asifallasleep]

My blower motor is bad but i should be able to get heat from the engine nonetheless. I've noticed that i cannot slide my heating lever all the way to the right to warm. It only goes as far as halfway. Do I need to remove the entire dash to get a look at the mechanism? Thanks. 1974 2002.

Have you just now discovered this problem, or did your heater valve recently work properly? The heater valve is indeed on the passenger side of the car. Yours looks pretty corroded. It may be that the valve or cable is stuck and not allowing you to open the valve all of the way- this certainly is suggested by the fact that your control lever will not move all of the way to the "warm" position. On the other hand the problem could be the result of poor (or no) flow of coolant through the heater core, because of blockage in the core or no input (i.e., coolant hose missing or blocked).

Have you tried to move the lever on the valve manually? I am suggesting that you reach your hand in there and try to move it toward the front of the car. Be careful, because if the valve is still mounted on the heater box by the plastic bracket, you could easily break that by applying too much pressure to the valve, particularly in the side-to-side direction.

Another approach would be to remove the cable clamp from the valve. It is possible to do this while the heater box is in the car, but difficult. Dunno what size the nut on the cable clamp is... maybe 6mm? If you can loosen that clamp, you can determine whether the valve or the cable is jammed (or both).

You might want to give this a read:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/images/stories/faqs/heater_refurb/heater_box_removal_and_refurbishment.pdf

Would you recommend spraying WD40 or Carb Cleaner on the cable before trying to move it? Thanks.

[Napes]

As noted above, if the heater valve is not opening you'll get no heat, but with the lever in the car only halfway open in both my cars I still get enough heat in the car for my wife to yell, "My feet are burning up. Could you turn the heat down a little?"

I'm inclined to think the heater valve is your problem. I think Mike S. has a procedure on refurbing the valve, you could see if you can find a good used one on the Parts Wanted board here, or, bite the bullet and purchase a new one (they're a little pricey).

Bob Napier

To contact Mike go to this link and click on his email tab:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,356116/

[asifallasleep]

As noted above, if the heater valve is not opening you'll get no heat, but with the lever in the car only halfway open in both my cars I still get enough heat in the car for my wife to yell, "My feet are burning up. Could you turn the heat down a little?"

I'm inclined to think the heater valve is your problem. I think Mike S. has a procedure on refurbing the valve, you could see if you can find a good used one on the Parts Wanted board here, or, bite the bullet and purchase a new one (they're a little pricey).

Bob Napier

To contact Mike go to this link and click on his email tab:

http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,50/page,viewtopic/t,356116/

I live in LA and i have noticed that my temp gauge never gets to the halfway position. It's usually at the 1/4 position or lower. Seems like the engine never gets really really hot. I only drive it typically for 25 minutes or less each trip. Last night I drove 40 minutes, it was in the 40's and the temperature gauge only went as high as the 1/4 position. Not sure if at this position there would be enough heat generated. In the position my lever is, do you think sufficient heat could be generated if the temp gauge is at the 1/4 position? Thinking there may be other issues as you've noted the intensity of your heat at the halfway gauge position.

[esty]

i'd say your temp's fine...my 76, in heavy traffic heat only reaches the 1/4 mark...take a look at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/bmw-2002-tii-all-brass-heater-valve-L-K-good-stuff-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1c1ad0ba97QQitemZ120708971159QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

and like bob...i get ample hot air at the 1/2 open mark

[asifallasleep]

i'd say your temp's fine...my 76, in heavy traffic heat only reaches the 1/4 mark...take a look at:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/bmw-2002-tii-all-brass-heater-valve-L-K-good-stuff-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem1c1ad0ba97QQitemZ120708971159QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

and like bob...i get ample hot air at the 1/2 open mark

thanks a bunch. I'm watching this on ebay and have contacted a few on here for a used one.

[Chris_B]

Would you recommend spraying WD40 or Carb Cleaner on the cable before trying to move it? Thanks.

Neither. It is pretty hard to get to that cable when it is mounted in the car, but what you need to use is some kind of penetrant (not WD40) like "Kroil" or "PB Blaster." Again, it might not be a problem with the cable. If you can move it at all (e.g., can you return the level to the cold side?), it probably isn't.

[asifallasleep]

Would you recommend spraying WD40 or Carb Cleaner on the cable before trying to move it? Thanks.

Neither. It is pretty hard to get to that cable when it is mounted in the car, but what you need to use is some kind of penetrant (not WD40) like "Kroil" or "PB Blaster." Again, it might not be a problem with the cable. If you can move it at all (e.g., can you return the level to the cold side?), it probably isn't.

Thanks Chris. The lever moves fine to cold and back halfway to warm. So sounds like the valve itself is the issue and not the cable. I may remove the valve and see if i can manually open it as i'm still trying to find a reasonably priced used valve.

[Mike Self]

1. Be VERY careful when you unbolt it from the heater--it's fastened to a flimsy plastic bracket that's part of the heater box; it's easily broken.

2. Unbolt the lever from the valve, not the control cable from the lever. Much easier to reinstall. And note carefully the vlave lever's position in relation to where the control lever is set in the pax compartment. It's really easy to install backwards so when the lever is set to cold you get heat and vice versa.

3. PLEASE replace the little short hose that goes between the valve and the heater core nipple. It looks original and I'll bet it's hard as a rock. You may have to cut/crush it to get the valve off.

4. Your valve looks pretty crusty--you may have to replace it. Be advised there are two sizes--you need the larger (late) one from a mid-71 or later.

5. Lube the valve end of the control and make sure there's enough cable to allow the valve to move through it's full range of motion. If not you'll have to pull the heater box and replace the cable.

6. I suspect your thermosat is not so good. Your temp gauge should sit at about 3 o'clock when the engine is at normal operating temperature. Below that you won't get the typical sock-melting heat that you should from a 2002.

If you want to try and dissect the old valve, check the archives on how to. The main problem is getting those two steel screws out of the brass valve body.

Good luck and happy tinkering

mike

[Chris_B]

These valves are pretty easy to take apart and clean up. You likely have an early style, all brass valve. They get full of crud (build-up of deposits from the coolant), IIRC there is an O ring inside that seals the piece together. I would guess that is NLA (if it ever was available), but I have had good luck matching these at hardware stores with a decent O ring inventory.

[asifallasleep]

1. Be VERY careful when you unbolt it from the heater--it's fastened to a flimsy plastic bracket that's part of the heater box; it's easily broken.

2. Unbolt the lever from the valve, not the control cable from the lever. Much easier to reinstall. And note carefully the vlave lever's position in relation to where the control lever is set in the pax compartment. It's really easy to install backwards so when the lever is set to cold you get heat and vice versa.

3. PLEASE replace the little short hose that goes between the valve and the heater core nipple. It looks original and I'll bet it's hard as a rock. You may have to cut/crush it to get the valve off.

4. Your valve looks pretty crusty--you may have to replace it. Be advised there are two sizes--you need the larger (late) one from a mid-71 or later.

5. Lube the valve end of the control and make sure there's enough cable to allow the valve to move through it's full range of motion. If not you'll have to pull the heater box and replace the cable.

6. I suspect your thermosat is not so good. Your temp gauge should sit at about 3 o'clock when the engine is at normal operating temperature. Below that you won't get the typical sock-melting heat that you should from a 2002.

If you want to try and dissect the old valve, check the archives on how to. The main problem is getting those two steel screws out of the brass valve body.

Good luck and happy tinkering

mike

Thanks for your help. Turns out the reason the heating lever couldn't get to warm and fully open was because the heater valve connection to heater box was compromised. The plastic bracket was cracked all over, which caused the heater valve's position to shift further away from the heater box, which stretched the cable. Going to get a new hose, but the question is can the heater valve exist and be functional without the stability of being attached to the heater box? I may try some double sided velcro and plastic binders ties. Or begin a search for a heater box.

[esty]

you'll have to secure the valve in a fix'd position or the cable will always move it back & forth...i've never done it but i would think that if you'll think like heloise, there's a crafty way to secure it in a stationary position

another option is a simple, cheap, pvc, ball valve from home depot or lowe's plumbing dept...the down side is that you have to turn the valve on & off from under the hood...i had my original valve crap out a few years ago and spent a couple of winters with a $3 pvc valve on duty as my heater valve

[asifallasleep]

I live in LA so it never really gets too cold.

[Napes]

Mike wrote, "Your temp gauge should sit at about 3 o'clock when the engine is at normal operating temperature. Below that you won't get the typical sock-melting heat that you should from a 2002. "

But, except on 100º+ days my temp guage never gets up to the 3 o'clock position, but after driving 2+ miles on a 35º morning I start getting heat (guage just at the top of the blue) and another mile or so and I get very hot air from the heater vents. I've never been convinced my temp guage is all that accurate.

That having been said, it does appear you're getting a handle on your problem and steps toward a solution. You're going to have to have the heater valve fixed or you will not get the cable to fully operate it. This appears to be an excellent time to replace the valve and short hose, as long as you've got them out. And, like mentioned above, I also use AeroKroil to lubricate the cable ends in the passenger compartment (thou it's a little smelly).

Bob Napier