Inadequate Heat

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Blackbeard44

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Posts
280
Reaction score
258
Location
Washington State
First Name
andy
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
6.0 LS
I didnt notice the blend door videos, I watched them and they dont look messed up, I'm sure some foam would help, but it should still have heat, how is the airflow, does it blow a good amount of air? maybe the squirrel cage is stripped out on the motor shaft.
One thing I have noticed with my truck is when it is 0°-20° in the AM it can blow so much air it will keep the motor from heating up, I turn it on 1 click once engine temp gets to 110°, than 2nd click at 150° and only put it on its highest speed once fully warmed up and driving
 

bucket

Super Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Joined
Aug 3, 2010
Posts
29,114
Reaction score
23,985
Location
Usually not in Ohio
First Name
Andy
Truck Year
'77, '78, '79, '84, '88
Truck Model
K5 thru K30
Engine Size
350-454
Well, I got around to changing the heater core today. Decent heat when the truck is idling for a long time. It will stay at 206*F for a long time before it gets any hotter so that must be where the thermostat opens. But as soon as I start moving it starts cooling down. I have to idle for like 15 minutes to get the electric fans to kick on.

Maybe I need to do the old diesel trick where I block off a portion of my radiator with cardboard to see if I can keep some heat in the thing.

The engine starts cooling down, or just the heater output starts cooling down?
 

LateOnTheBrakes

5.3-Swapped 86 CUCV
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Posts
463
Reaction score
123
Location
Virginia
First Name
Joshua
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
5.3
Both. I can actually keep the truck c
You must be registered for see images attach
ool with just the heater running at full blast. Air flow is not a problem. It just feels like the air coming out of the duct is no warmer than 50 or 60° f.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,742
Reaction score
11,319
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Well, I got around to changing the heater core today. Decent heat when the truck is idling for a long time. It will stay at 206*F for a long time before it gets any hotter so that must be where the thermostat opens. But as soon as I start moving it starts cooling down. I have to idle for like 15 minutes to get the electric fans to kick on.

Maybe I need to do the old diesel trick where I block off a portion of my radiator with cardboard to see if I can keep some heat in the thing.
Ya, so a lot of people don't know that the temp printed on the thermostat you probably have a 195 is the temp it starts to open at, fully open is typically 5 to 10 degrees higher, hence your seeing 205 and that's totally normal. @Blackbeard44 is right about the higher the blower setting the cooler the air is and it's just because more cold air is passing though the core. The same thing will happen with A/C too in the summer. So often times the best strategy to cool a vehicle is to start it on the second or third to highest blower setting on rec for a few minutes so the evaporator can get good cold before setting it to full blast to really cool down, and the same thing can apply to heat.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,742
Reaction score
11,319
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Well, I got around to changing the heater core today. Decent heat when the truck is idling for a long time. It will stay at 206*F for a long time before it gets any hotter so that must be where the thermostat opens. But as soon as I start moving it starts cooling down. I have to idle for like 15 minutes to get the electric fans to kick on.

Maybe I need to do the old diesel trick where I block off a portion of my radiator with cardboard to see if I can keep some heat in the thing.
What are you getting for vent temps now? How cold is it outside? I'll admit to blocking part of my radiator in cold temps in order to keep the engine temps up. That scenario can be somewhat aggravated by a larger than needed radiator.
 

LateOnTheBrakes

5.3-Swapped 86 CUCV
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Posts
463
Reaction score
123
Location
Virginia
First Name
Joshua
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
5.3
It was in the 60s today. Heat wasn't even 80.
 

Bextreme04

Full Access Member
Joined
May 13, 2019
Posts
4,192
Reaction score
5,096
Location
Oregon
First Name
Eric
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
K25
Engine Size
350-4bbl
It was in the 60s today. Heat wasn't even 80.
How are your heater lines run? Are they from, and back to, the ports on the pump behind the thermostat housing? My 2011 Suburban with a 5.3 gets up to 210 and locks in there(probably right in that 206 range like yours) with the 195 degree stock thermostat. The heat blows hot as hell in both the front and the rear and makes no difference to engine temp, even on sub-zero days. You obviously have some kind of major issue here.
 

Bextreme04

Full Access Member
Joined
May 13, 2019
Posts
4,192
Reaction score
5,096
Location
Oregon
First Name
Eric
Truck Year
1980
Truck Model
K25
Engine Size
350-4bbl
Nevermind, I just went back and looked at your pics from December in the thread. So your connections are correct, and the heat being the same both before and after the core tells me you have an airflow problem through the heater core.
 

SirRobyn0

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Posts
6,742
Reaction score
11,319
Location
In the woods in Western Washington
First Name
Rob
Truck Year
1984
Truck Model
C20
Engine Size
305
Nevermind, I just went back and looked at your pics from December in the thread. So your connections are correct, and the heat being the same both before and after the core tells me you have an airflow problem through the heater core.
I agree and frankly can't see what else could be the cause.
 

LateOnTheBrakes

5.3-Swapped 86 CUCV
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Posts
463
Reaction score
123
Location
Virginia
First Name
Joshua
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
5.3
I definitely think the heater core could be about an inch wider. But I filled in as much as I could with the foam tape that came with the new heater core.
 

Blackbeard44

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Posts
280
Reaction score
258
Location
Washington State
First Name
andy
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
6.0 LS
I just did a very quick search for "CUCV heater core difference" and it seems the first 2 thing that come are people having issues with a replacement core, GM must of had a different spec for the CUCV trucks
 

LateOnTheBrakes

5.3-Swapped 86 CUCV
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Posts
463
Reaction score
123
Location
Virginia
First Name
Joshua
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
5.3
It wouldn't be the first time the mix of military and civilian parts screwed me. I'll spend some time tomorrow looking at the tech manuals for the M1008 and see if I can get a part number to cross reference.

For what it is worth the only options I see are air conditioning or non-air conditioning. The size of the air conditioned one looks better to fill the HVAC box but the holes in the firewall line up with the non AC version.

You must be registered for see images attach


You must be registered for see images attach

You must be registered for see images attach
 

MBC25

Junior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2022
Posts
1
Reaction score
0
Location
California
First Name
Mike
Truck Year
1977
Truck Model
C25
Engine Size
454
Check both hoses for heat in and out if both hot look for delivery door inop
 

LateOnTheBrakes

5.3-Swapped 86 CUCV
Joined
Feb 2, 2020
Posts
463
Reaction score
123
Location
Virginia
First Name
Joshua
Truck Year
1986
Truck Model
CUCV
Engine Size
5.3
 

Blackbeard44

Full Access Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2020
Posts
280
Reaction score
258
Location
Washington State
First Name
andy
Truck Year
1985
Truck Model
K20
Engine Size
6.0 LS
i did read a little ways into one of those articles and someone posted a part # of what they used to fix it.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
42,136
Posts
909,944
Members
33,636
Latest member
ehef
Top