@@mjmulenga3 Dude that's like middle of winter at 3am here.. almost as cold as it gets (Brisbane, Aus) 10.2C average July lows over last 20 years. Midday temps in winter are usually around 20C too. I don't understand how my lawyer buddy wears a suit to work everyday, when I get barely a month of long pants and a jacket outside I envy people who have a reason to ever press the heated seat buttons, or turn that dial into the red, as I never have in my life
Me: laughs in Russia, where I don't turn on the heating in severe winter on purpose, and instead open the windows, because it helps prevent frost buildup on windshield afterwards.
Hello, over 30 years experience as a tech. Coolant level and condition is always the first thing I check. Because it is so often overlooked. And it's very simple and safe to evaluate. And I wouldn't want a customer's car to overheat and blow a head gasket while I'm playing with the controls to make sure they are set right. I know some mechanics rely on the temperature gauge. What's the temperature gauge gets a signal from the coolant temp sensor. The coolant temp sensor doesn't read very well if the coolant is so low that it is not surrounding it. I've had cars that's a customer complained would overheat, but yet no heat in the car. And as soon as I checked the radiator, it was ice cold. Once I remove the cap, I saw that the radiator was a solid block of ice. Further examination , the heater core was also a frozen block of ice.
@@SonsOfLorgar Fun fact straight antifreeze usually will free solid at around +10F to +20F, 60% antifreeze 40% water is usually good to -50F then turns slushy.
This reminds me of the one time I was driving an old Peugeot 309 during a very cold winter night. I glanced at the temperature knob and it was roughly at the middle. I cranked it all the way up and it didn't help at all. After some time the windshield started to freeze up. The next day I realized that the Peugeot geniuses had placed the cold on the clockwise direction and heat on the anticlockwise.
For the coolant level getting low, I have learned while I was working at mercedes that the level was droping just because the AMG engines (mostly the V8) were getting so hot, the water was evaporating
Excellent video! Because you mentioned the thermostat I might be able to fix my mother's car, it seems to have the exact same issue you described with your Integra.
Yeah - if it can't get up to temp, or you can see temp drop ever while driving, likely a failed thermostat! Was an easy fix on my integra: th-cam.com/video/P_mUBJ12BNs/w-d-xo.html
@@MadsTer Some cars cooling systems are not easy to bleed the air out. There are techniques mechanics use to overcome this but if you dont know them it could be a problem. Just letting you know.
@@FixingWithFriends no? Pressurized reservoirs/surge tanks will bleed pressurized coolant away from the cap and radiator caps can be covered with a rag to containing the splashing. Use your palm with your fingers out flat to spin the cap, dont grip around the cap. We're pretty good at saving time and not hurting ourselves in the process.
Not remotely as bad. Full windows down even on a really hot day is tolerable since your moving, AC not even being optioned on half of new cars sold globally until a fairly recent point in history, but heat being standard in almost everything... after all if its freezing outside and your trying to drive in a coat for a long duration and still shivering, life just feels like it sucks... it also becomes a threat to human life a lot easier in extreme climates.
Thanks so much for this guys. After learning about the blend door, discover that my problem is a bad blend door actuator. Heat only comes out of the dash and cannot redirect to footwell. Leading up to the failure I could hear distinct "click, click" as the actuator tried to move the blend door. Now to figure out how to replace it!
Some vehicles are even picky about the airflow around the engine and that gets irritating. My S10 is a model that has incredibly picky cooling requirements. It is very easy to accidentally over cool the engine because you left some little dinky shroud off or just looked at it wrong. Ultimately with those trucks I just cut a piece of cardboard with slots to place in front of the radiator, I adjust slot size in the winter for 75ish cabin temp and that's generally good enough flow for summer cooling to stay in ideal range. Didn't invent the idea either, got it from someone I saw doing similar but took it a bit more seriously then they did.
2:00 I was an aircraft mechanic for a while and we frequently got RO's from pilots for inoperational units. You'd be amazed how many RO's were signed off as "does not work in the 'OFF' position". We can only imagine the razzing they got back in the ready room.
Thank you! I have a 2003 mk4 VW Jetta. Heat went out years ago, BUT I'm near Houston TX, so just drive with a jacket on for 2 months per year. 😄 Yeah, in almost 18 years I've already been through 3 thermostats, a new coolant reservoir tank,... AND all that cheap foam dried and pieces blew out the AC into cabin. Hey, the AC is still ice cold, it runs fine, and its paid off years ago. I'm keeping her. 👍
Changed everything on my friends Dodge Journey, no heat!!! New hoses, new heater core, new thermostat, new blend door actuator. Everything but the rad. The rad was the problem. Flushed the system more then 4x. But the problem was the gummed up pieces in the rad. They were so big they didn’t break down while flushing and would settle after putting the system all back together causing blockages. New rad and more flushes later, good to go. You likely understand the issue if you’re a journey owner.
What if I'm driving a 1960 Chevrolet Corvair ? That vehicle had an air cooled engine and a gasoline heater...the only year of that type of cabin heating source.
I’ve driven a tractor trailer last winter here in North Dakota it was like 10 degrees out I had to drive a truck like 2 hours with no heat. It was freaking cold and I was shivering so bad.
@@colinscutt5104 to be fair, most old Volvos might sound like a tractor, weigh like a tractor and have the crash durability of a tractor, but it really isn't a tractor when it comes to load pulling unless it's a Volvo BM 6x6 all terrain dumper truck,because those things can get anywhere that there's a point going, and they have a generous range of variants,from the standard ore hauler, through logging processor, to self propelled armored 155mm self loading howitzer...
@@SonsOfLorgar I was suggesting Kevin use a Volvo truck in the cold as they are super reliable and AFAIK designed as standard to work inside the artic circle....
I realized after I commented that the battery cooling system might be even _more_ complicated than an ICE car: e.g. octovalve. Probably still has pumps, valves, thermostats, etc.
@@cwmaguire Unless you get a Leaf, in which case your temperature control system is just air blowing over it as you drive. Great for keeping things cool, lousy for keeping things warm in winter.
My air blend/mixture motor failed for the little door that lets hot air in so I removed the motor, zip tied the door in the open position and controlled the amount of heat with the fan. Then in the spring I replaced the motor and was good to go. Sadly, I flushed out my heater core before realizing it was the air blend motor but at least I know the heater core is clean.
There is so much more to the system that was not explained. That didn't even cover 10% of the basics. Keep going, you only touched the tip of the iceberg.
I had a coworker come in on a Monday after spending all weekend changing the heater core on his car. After that ordeal he maintained that if you go to the car assembly plant and went the very start of the line, there was a guy standing there holding a heater core that they then built the car around.
Step 1 should be to make sure there's coolant in the radiator. Without that, there won't be any heat moving around. (I have found cars without any coolant....)
The thermostat on my car got stuck open. it was fine in slow moving traffic as it got up to normal running temperature but on the open road at speed the running temperature dropped right down.
My first car was an ancient Mustang. Winter came, and I found I had no heat. I conferred with a mechanic friend and followed his advice. Disconnected heater hoses. Stuck a garden hose nozzle in one. Nothing came out the other. Stuck nozzle in other hose. Nothing. Grabbed air compressor nozzle and shoved in one. Suddenly a geyser of red mud erupted from the other hose...all over me...all over the wall of the garage. But at least I had heat, after the mess was cleaned up.
My worst experience of driving without functional AC was actually on a motorbike. The bike had an in built ambient temp sensor which was accurate to a few degrees give or take for wind/sun. The sensor itself is inside the dash and shielded from direct headwinds, engine heat, sun etc so it was pretty good. One day, it display reads 50 degrees and starts flashing at me because it reached the limits of the sensor and going further could damage it. Now you might be thinking pfft, only 50f? that's not cold at all! But you see.. it wasn't 50f, but 50C Middle of summer in Australia, ~10km/h in heavy traffic, textile breathable jacket doing nothing because no wind.. and the sun beaming down so much parts of the road surface were literally melting and tearing the rubber off shoes. I was out there barely 20 mins and nearly passed out from the heat.. don't know what the true temperature was on the road either due to the thermometer capping out. I envy all you peeps that actually have a reason to use heating controls, as I've never used them in any car I've owned
No videos on suspension geometries as of yet. An idea. Start from basic leaf springs. Please explain why the 2 joints in leaf spring setup of Daihatsu Hijet/Piaggio porter are uneven. Also explain the dynamics.
Jason if you would move to Florida you wouldn't have this problem... I drove a '97 Jetta GLX mit der wonderbar VR6 motor for 4 years in Memphis...Without heat. I bought the car in Florida for use in Memphis as an "airport car" and drove it around for a month before taking it there. No problems whatsoever. First day in Memphis: It blows the seal between the oil cooler and the block and loses all its oil. Fixed, expensively, at the dealer. Then, a week later the heater core explodes in traffic on I-40. When I say it explodes I mean it, it suddenly went with no notice or symptoms and flooded the dash with coolant. Instead of spending $1500 to replace it, I elected to drive the car with the heater core bypassed. And I froze my ass for for years each winter because despite the fact that Memphis calls itself the "mid-South", in the winter there is nothing "south" about this place and I froze in that car. It's a shame, since that thing was a tiger! It drove like a go-cart, I loved it, but it HATED me~ Great video!
Thank you Jason for all the Details about Car Heat / it is true A Car without Heat is a Pain specially Up North / Here in Miami is ok we only get a few moths of cool weather .
Changing out a clogged heater core is the worst job you can imagine. It's hours of snapping off trim piece clips, laying with all of your weight on that ridge where your door meets the floor in pain, trying to twist your head upwards under the glove box or inside of the glove box cutout trying to reach the screws on the blend door actuator which for some reason has like 20 mounting points. Then you break off a one-of-a-kind plastic retainer clip and have to melt and fuse it back together with a soldering iron. You get the old core out and excess rusty coolant lands on your floor mats. The new one doesn't come with the outside foam so now you take a trip to the hardware store and hope to god the foam you choose to wrap it isn't flammable under that amount of heat. You slide the new one in place, but since it's a tight fit you damage like half of the fins on one side. Then you get slide your dashboard back into place and pray that none of the wires back there got pinched when you first slid it out. 0/10 wouldn't recommend.
I like how listening to this I couldn't stop thinking about how similar this sounds to dealing with tech issues. One seemingly simple issue can lead you down a few dozen different rabbit holes.
Also something so simple that I’ve seen people doing, they turn off the A/C button which turns on the compressor, which helps cool AND heat up the interior, much like a Heat Pump HVAC system.
Great video, looking at it in the morning with mid 20s (F) outside and my Tesla model 3 is warming up. :-) Yesterday I found an unopened container of antifreeze and gave it to my neighbor, who might need it.
As a veteran professionally trained technician, it’s refreshing to see and listen to 2 intelligent TH-cam hosts. Tired of half ass, cavemen gear heads clogging up this media
Jason, for a future video, consider talking about complete electrical heating systems (EVs) and adjunct systems (hybrid). PTC heaters are the future, even for ICE vehicles. Excellent video, BTW. Hats off, so to speak, to you and Charles.
Greetings from Scandinavia, pro tip: If your car shows inner temp in°C, ~17-19°C is comfy in high summer heat, ~21-24°C is comfy in sub freezing temps of winter.
I've had a cracked thermostat cause a slow overheating issue on my old BMW E46 i went through the whole system before i thought the thermostat would cause slow overheating.
Riddle me this: My '06 Mazda 3 Si has been regularly getting the P0128 (failure to reach operating temperature) when outside temperature is under 50F. This would suggest a thermostat is stuck open. However, the temperature gauge still reads about the center of the dial, maybe moving a tick down when I'm pulling a lot of air into the engine or in a stronger headwind. I am also not getting much heat in the cabin, suggesting the thermostat is stuck closed. As stands, I have to run without any heating in the cabin for about 2 miles to build heat and the cabin takes about 30 minutes to actually warm up a significant amount. I also had to shift my inspection from March to May so it can pass.
I have an 04 Mazda 6, and have tested the temp gauge and found it was non-linear, meaning it would stay at near the middle over a range of temperatures, like 180F - 210F. I'd simply replace the T-stat with a quality part, with the oem 195F rating.
@@kevink2315 Thanks for the info. I've added it to "eventually" list, just below new headlights but above switching the 16" rims the previous owner had put on with the 17" ones that it's suppose to have.
Great episode. I would have liked to hear about the temperature indicator on an older dashboard. Where is that temperature taken? My guess is near the engine, before the Thermostat.
I had a 1985 1.6 Diesel Jetta back 30 years ago. We had a snow storm so we could not go faster then 10 mph. The 45 minute commute took me 5 hours. Lots of standing as well. Point is my little Diesel would not go past the bottom C. So yes a freezing cold car is the epitome of miserable driving.
An engine should reach operating temperature just idling for far less than that, so you likely have an issue like the thermostat stuck open mentioned in the video.
@@SheepInACart Because of the efficiency of the diesel it cooled it's self down plus the -10 Celsius. Everything worked perfectly on it. And it had an electrical fan. Most European cars had electrical fans already in the 70's.
@@bradwick212 As a thermodynamic cycle diesel isn't transferring less heat to the cylinder (and thus cooling jacket) per unit of work completed, but instead increasing the burn-up of fuel compared to an otto cycle engine. Hence while more "efficient" in terms of volume/weight of fuel used, you'll notice diesel vehicles neither have smaller radiators nor less coolant than a similarly powerful petrol/gas powered car, indeed most of the time its larger. More to the point is the lack of a throttle on most older designs, meaning that at idle the cylinder still sweeps a lot of air, but only injects a little fuel required to keep running, resulting in extremely lean mixtures. Yet unlike on the large but low powered naturally aspirated diesels found in trucks of the pre 1970's, on the smaller swept volume of more modern turbocharged vehicles the actual idle airflow is still far from large, and while it will result in a exhaust gas temprature of 100-200°C without load, plenty to reach the operating mark on the engine and even provide some heat to the cabin if the cooling regulation system is working properly.. at least after 20mins or so to very slowly warm up given that starting temprature. Yet even still, reaching operating heat faster is one of the three reasons that mush newer diesels have started to have throttle valves, enabling them to fuel enrich to bring the exhaust temperatures up as high as ~500°C without making more power when the engine is cold. Other reasons include generating a vacuum for exhaust gas re-circulation/emissions controls and in some cases even on the fly NOX mitigation.... but even without a throttle valve no small euro car engine should fail to reach operating water temperatures (oil is another story) after hours of running, even just at idle.
Talk about a good moment fot his video... I just replace my heather core... A week to get the dash out, 5 minutes to replace the core, another week to put it all back together... At least, I got heat now !
@@HumbleMechanic Was the process for removal a little more reasonable on the NMS? When the core went out on my moms b5, I was stunned by the amount of things that needed to be removed lol
That is super interesting about the colorblindness issue in temperature control. About 95% of the faucets I have ever used, hot is on the left, cold on the right. Every temperature dial like that, cold on the left. I was taught a standard for salt/pepper shakers when working in a restaurant for ADA purposes: pepper left, salt right. They also have different hole patterns. Interestingly, my shower is plumbed backwards, cold on the left, hot on the right. Seriously though, the basic car temperature dial is totally lacking for the colorblind. There is no C or H like a faucet. I do abhor the digital displays/automatic systems though, I prefer manual controls.
While traveling in Munich, Germany I was driving my cousins VW Rabbit in summer. Returning to the city, the highway was clogged with traffic, forcing us to slow down. I noticed the car engine temp was suddenly rising quickly. While stuck in traffic, this was going to end badly, quickly. I turned on the cabin heater to full heat. My cousin was annoyed until I pointed out that this was the only thing keeping the car from overheating in traffic. This was a temporary reprieve but it was enough to get us home without further mechanical mishap. Next day the car was taken for service, problem solved, though I did not hear what the ultimate cause of the problem was.
It's really awesome to have a cooling thermostat fail and stay closed in mid summer... Engine was overheating but we managed to limp home by turning the heating to max and having the windows open in +30°C temperatures outside. So apparently the coolant was not going to the radiator but was feeding the heating system in that old Ford Mondeo?
I love advance auto mainly bc they are super close and it’s easy to get a bunch of stuff like oil, break cleaner, vacuum lines and some sockets. Harbor freight is definitely my go to for tools but advance auto has a bunch of generic stuff
A follow up video addressing different methods for each symptom would be helpful! My 2010 focus had no heat at idle. Revving it for 30 seconds and idle 30seconds, off 1 min. Repeat 3-4 times (while engine is up to temp). Helped me remove the trapped air in my system! The root of this problem could be a leak..
Thank you so so much. A very short yet powerful knowledge you to have... I study automotive technology at Bronx Community College and I’m currently taking heating and air-conditioning system in a car class. Would it be possible if you make one same way same style regarding air conditioning????
White smoke however can be mistaken for cold days (well below freezing) and starting your car. Don't mistake the two thinking you have coolant in your oil once you see it.
For those with newer vehicles, use the AUTO settings!! Auto 72F is generally what OEMs tune to be comfortable in most situations, and you can often just leave it in that setting and the HVAC will manage itself perfectly fine.
Honestly outside of the most moderate climates where you don't really need AC for anything more than cooling a car thats been parked in the sun, the Auto never worked for me either... you want it to be a couple of degrees the comfortable direction of outside, not try and hold one temperature. If its 21c in the morning you don't want it heating, but if its 31c at midday and your sweating, you don't want it trying to be anything like 21c, else its going to be loud, cold, and enough of a temperature swing getting in/out to give you a headache.
I hate auto climate control. When shopping for cars, I cross any car off the list that doesn't have a trim level available with manual climate control.
@@clayduval1255 Most of the auto climate systems that I've seen let you switch to manual for fan speed and air location, but they still have thermostatic temperature control, with no way to override it. During the heating season (which is 6 months out of the year here), I want gentle warm air blowing on my fingers on the steering wheel, for a long time until my fingers warm up. I do NOT want the system readjusting its output temperature as the cabin warms up. I don't care about the cabin temperature; I care about the temperature of my fingers. The auto climate controls force me to constantly fiddle with their temperature control to counteract their thermostatic "feature".
What infrared thermometer do you use? I use mine almost daily for synchronizing motorcycle carburetors based on header pipe/head block temp but I find myself doubting the readings on occasion... It's just a cheap Amazon unit.
VW's have the heatercore integrated in the small cooling circuit. Also it isnt the highest point in that small circuit. the head is. If you have a thermostat failure where its stuck close you can save your car by putting the heater on max with the fan on full speed. This way you can extract a good amount of heat from the coolant.
Video Suggestion: Why don't Car Manufactures make car power systems like Earth Movers? Using the engine as an electric generator and supply power to the wheels with electric motors. Ex.: Terex MT 6300AC - The vehicle is equipped with a four-stroke diesel engine, with 20 cylinders powering an AC electric alternator, which in turn supplies power to the electric motor fitted at each side of the rear axle.
Pro tip: if you drain all your coolant, you'll get a lot of heat real quick.
Thanks for the tip. I will try that right now.
none of that heat will make it into the cabin though.
@@TheWolvesCurse
Therein lies the joke
@@TheWolvesCurse is it not? If you throw a rod on the exaust side and the car burns to the ground you will absolutely get some heat in the cabin!
@HOD0R I don't think that's possible, not enough air. Myth busters did that with a bucket full of gas, just puts itself out lol
Come back Jason... I miss you
You guys are awesome.
Those two yellow cars were meant to be in the same garage!
@@EngineeringExplained FACTS
I have a question how do I find a leak in the coolant system. my car is leaking coolant somewhere in the engine bay but i can't find any obvious leak
@@GameCyborgCh clean and dry everything and look again for wet spots
What is this ”heat” mode you speak of? (Florida resident here)
Your state always has it cranked! You'd be in trouble if it stopped working!
@@EngineeringExplained lol
@@EngineeringExplained What is this ”heat” mode you speak of? (Brazilian resident here)
My blower went out in my truck at -35C , as the Humble Mechanic put it....miserable 😂 still haven’t fixed it yet
Your Username contradicts your statement of being a Floridian 💁
The bromance is strong between those two
Charles is the man! 🤜🤛
@@EngineeringExplained FTFY 🤵🤵💍
"the cooling system is a closed system and you really shouldn't be losing coolant over time..." Jason must be new to Volkswagens.
Heavy use of plastic to contain the coolant which cracks and leaks.
Audi/vw.
@@oldfashionedwrx3574 Still not as bad a a BMW E46's cooling system.
VW owner here, you should just put new coolant and a turbo every year and you'll be fine.
@@adam145 my issue seems to be clock gears...
He might spend a lot of time looking for the coolant system on an old Beetle...
"A car without heat is a miserable ride."
Me: Laughs in tropical Africa.
Me not so much living in Canada 😂
@@brianwaldo2642 in my country it never gets cold enough to kill anyone. Coldest daytime temp is like 12° or so. Nothing a brandy can't fix. 😀
@@mjmulenga3 Dude that's like middle of winter at 3am here.. almost as cold as it gets (Brisbane, Aus)
10.2C average July lows over last 20 years. Midday temps in winter are usually around 20C too. I don't understand how my lawyer buddy wears a suit to work everyday, when I get barely a month of long pants and a jacket outside
I envy people who have a reason to ever press the heated seat buttons, or turn that dial into the red, as I never have in my life
Me: laughs in Russia, where I don't turn on the heating in severe winter on purpose, and instead open the windows, because it helps prevent frost buildup on windshield afterwards.
@@victortitov1740 may you never run out of vodka, mate. 😄
Hello, over 30 years experience as a tech. Coolant level and condition is always the first thing I check. Because it is so often overlooked. And it's very simple and safe to evaluate. And I wouldn't want a customer's car to overheat and blow a head gasket while I'm playing with the controls to make sure they are set right. I know some mechanics rely on the temperature gauge. What's the temperature gauge gets a signal from the coolant temp sensor. The coolant temp sensor doesn't read very well if the coolant is so low that it is not surrounding it.
I've had cars that's a customer complained would overheat, but yet no heat in the car. And as soon as I checked the radiator, it was ice cold. Once I remove the cap, I saw that the radiator was a solid block of ice. Further examination , the heater core was also a frozen block of ice.
Sounds like he topped upp the coolant with distilled water throughout summer while nevef reflecting over the probability that there was a leak...
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@@SonsOfLorgar Fun fact straight antifreeze usually will free solid at around +10F to +20F, 60% antifreeze 40% water is usually good to -50F then turns slushy.
This reminds me of the one time I was driving an old Peugeot 309 during a very cold winter night. I glanced at the temperature knob and it was roughly at the middle. I cranked it all the way up and it didn't help at all. After some time the windshield started to freeze up. The next day I realized that the Peugeot geniuses had placed the cold on the clockwise direction and heat on the anticlockwise.
There's nothing quite as relaxing as Jason and Charles chatting over glory shots of engines.
This video is brought to you by advanced auto parts.
Oriley ads: O-O-O-Oh I don’t think so.
For the coolant level getting low, I have learned while I was working at mercedes that the level was droping just because the AMG engines (mostly the V8) were getting so hot, the water was evaporating
Excellent video! Because you mentioned the thermostat I might be able to fix my mother's car, it seems to have the exact same issue you described with your Integra.
Yeah - if it can't get up to temp, or you can see temp drop ever while driving, likely a failed thermostat! Was an easy fix on my integra: th-cam.com/video/P_mUBJ12BNs/w-d-xo.html
@@EngineeringExplained it drops and goes up to 90C while driving, will be looking into it. Thanks!
@@MadsTer Some cars cooling systems are not easy to bleed the air out. There are techniques mechanics use to overcome this but if you dont know them it could be a problem. Just letting you know.
@@tubester4567 im aware of that but thanks anyways :)
What about if your blinker fluid is low?
Your*
Don't forget to grease the muffler bearings...
It's a sealed system, you have a bigger issue going on.
you're = you are
Probably driving on rusted tires.
"Never open the coolant system while hot"
Flat rate guys: hahaha. Wait, seriously? Nah, I got a rag.
I mean yeah I am with ya., but I can't tell people to do it. HAHAH
@@FixingWithFriends no? Pressurized reservoirs/surge tanks will bleed pressurized coolant away from the cap and radiator caps can be covered with a rag to containing the splashing. Use your palm with your fingers out flat to spin the cap, dont grip around the cap.
We're pretty good at saving time and not hurting ourselves in the process.
No heat is a miserable driving experience
No A/C enters the chat room
No HVAC, no bueno!
i think i’d rather go without ac, but i’m from the south so i’m used to the heat
Welcome to the gen 1 Chevy Volt and it's anemic HVAC system.
Not remotely as bad. Full windows down even on a really hot day is tolerable since your moving, AC not even being optioned on half of new cars sold globally until a fairly recent point in history, but heat being standard in almost everything... after all if its freezing outside and your trying to drive in a coat for a long duration and still shivering, life just feels like it sucks... it also becomes a threat to human life a lot easier in extreme climates.
No ac is bearable. Plus mo powa. No heat up north is terrible
Thanks so much for this guys. After learning about the blend door, discover that my problem is a bad blend door actuator. Heat only comes out of the dash and cannot redirect to footwell. Leading up to the failure I could hear distinct "click, click" as the actuator tried to move the blend door. Now to figure out how to replace it!
When you are so early that ChrisFix hasn't commented
Charles, your shop looks SO GOOD!!! Jason, nice catch on the coolant leak catch. That's the most common problem I see come in.
There also heater valves which I see all the time with VAG cars
Some vehicles are even picky about the airflow around the engine and that gets irritating. My S10 is a model that has incredibly picky cooling requirements. It is very easy to accidentally over cool the engine because you left some little dinky shroud off or just looked at it wrong. Ultimately with those trucks I just cut a piece of cardboard with slots to place in front of the radiator, I adjust slot size in the winter for 75ish cabin temp and that's generally good enough flow for summer cooling to stay in ideal range. Didn't invent the idea either, got it from someone I saw doing similar but took it a bit more seriously then they did.
2:48 Make sure the key is in the ignition and the ignition is in the run position.
I just direct my exhaust into my car for heat. It works so well, I really recommend it.
that is just mean...
2:00 I was an aircraft mechanic for a while and we frequently got RO's from pilots for inoperational units. You'd be amazed how many RO's were signed off as "does not work in the 'OFF' position". We can only imagine the razzing they got back in the ready room.
Thank you! I have a 2003 mk4 VW Jetta. Heat went out years ago, BUT I'm near Houston TX, so just drive with a jacket on for 2 months per year. 😄 Yeah, in almost 18 years I've already been through 3 thermostats, a new coolant reservoir tank,... AND all that cheap foam dried and pieces blew out the AC into cabin. Hey, the AC is still ice cold, it runs fine, and its paid off years ago. I'm keeping her. 👍
Videos with actual parts is great to visualize precisely what we are talking about even for people that does not know much about mechanic. Nice video!
I've learnt this before and forgot about it. Only yesterday was I thinking how it works and today there's this! Love it.
Changed everything on my friends Dodge Journey, no heat!!! New hoses, new heater core, new thermostat, new blend door actuator. Everything but the rad. The rad was the problem. Flushed the system more then 4x. But the problem was the gummed up pieces in the rad. They were so big they didn’t break down while flushing and would settle after putting the system all back together causing blockages. New rad and more flushes later, good to go. You likely understand the issue if you’re a journey owner.
You haven't lived until your climate control system fails, stuck on cooling, in the middle of winter.
I had it happen. Pulled the blower motor fuse
If that happens just roll the windows down.
Then it gets so cold you cant feel the cold.
On second thought, fuse is the smarter idea.
@@ALovelyBunchOfDragonballz -- I wish it was just the fuse.
@@lamplighter5545 windscreen troubles?
@@mcspikesky -- The control unit failed.
What if I'm driving a 1960 Chevrolet Corvair ? That vehicle had an air cooled engine and a gasoline heater...the only year of that type of cabin heating source.
Hello IT, have you tried turning it off and on again?
I’ve driven a tractor trailer last winter here in North Dakota it was like 10 degrees out I had to drive a truck like 2 hours with no heat. It was freaking cold and I was shivering so bad.
get a volvo ...
@@colinscutt5104 to be fair, most old Volvos might sound like a tractor, weigh like a tractor and have the crash durability of a tractor, but it really isn't a tractor when it comes to load pulling unless it's a Volvo BM 6x6 all terrain dumper truck,because those things can get anywhere that there's a point going, and they have a generous range of variants,from the standard ore hauler, through logging processor, to self propelled armored 155mm self loading howitzer...
@@SonsOfLorgar I was suggesting Kevin use a Volvo truck in the cold as they are super reliable and AFAIK designed as standard to work inside the artic circle....
@Harold Potsdamer I think he means 10 deg Farenheit
@Harold Potsdamer Americans....
This. This is why I'm enjoying my electric car. Awesome video (since I still have ICE cars too).
EVs have infinite blinker fluid.
I realized after I commented that the battery cooling system might be even _more_ complicated than an ICE car: e.g. octovalve. Probably still has pumps, valves, thermostats, etc.
@@cwmaguire Unless you get a Leaf, in which case your temperature control system is just air blowing over it as you drive. Great for keeping things cool, lousy for keeping things warm in winter.
@@mjc0961 Interesting, I did not know the Leaf was air cooled.
My air blend/mixture motor failed for the little door that lets hot air in so I removed the motor, zip tied the door in the open position and controlled the amount of heat with the fan. Then in the spring I replaced the motor and was good to go. Sadly, I flushed out my heater core before realizing it was the air blend motor but at least I know the heater core is clean.
There is so much more to the system that was not explained. That didn't even cover 10% of the basics. Keep going, you only touched the tip of the iceberg.
I had a coworker come in on a Monday after spending all weekend changing the heater core on his car. After that ordeal he maintained that if you go to the car assembly plant and went the very start of the line, there was a guy standing there holding a heater core that they then built the car around.
Changing the heater cores are always fun in small cars.
Step 1 should be to make sure there's coolant in the radiator. Without that, there won't be any heat moving around.
(I have found cars without any coolant....)
The thermostat on my car got stuck open. it was fine in slow moving traffic as it got up to normal running temperature but on the open road at speed the running temperature dropped right down.
Nice nice, a dodge ram's AC controls. I thought I recognized it so I had to rewind again lol. 1:14
My first car was an ancient Mustang. Winter came, and I found I had no heat. I conferred with a mechanic friend and followed his advice. Disconnected heater hoses. Stuck a garden hose nozzle in one. Nothing came out the other. Stuck nozzle in other hose. Nothing. Grabbed air compressor nozzle and shoved in one. Suddenly a geyser of red mud erupted from the other hose...all over me...all over the wall of the garage. But at least I had heat, after the mess was cleaned up.
My worst experience of driving without functional AC was actually on a motorbike. The bike had an in built ambient temp sensor which was accurate to a few degrees give or take for wind/sun. The sensor itself is inside the dash and shielded from direct headwinds, engine heat, sun etc so it was pretty good.
One day, it display reads 50 degrees and starts flashing at me because it reached the limits of the sensor and going further could damage it.
Now you might be thinking pfft, only 50f? that's not cold at all! But you see.. it wasn't 50f, but 50C
Middle of summer in Australia, ~10km/h in heavy traffic, textile breathable jacket doing nothing because no wind.. and the sun beaming down so much parts of the road surface were literally melting and tearing the rubber off shoes.
I was out there barely 20 mins and nearly passed out from the heat.. don't know what the true temperature was on the road either due to the thermometer capping out.
I envy all you peeps that actually have a reason to use heating controls, as I've never used them in any car I've owned
No videos on suspension geometries as of yet.
An idea.
Start from basic leaf springs.
Please explain why the 2 joints in leaf spring setup of Daihatsu Hijet/Piaggio porter are uneven. Also explain the dynamics.
Such fun! I’m interested in AI and 3D printing, if that’d be a cool video
Jason if you would move to Florida you wouldn't have this problem...
I drove a '97 Jetta GLX mit der wonderbar VR6 motor for 4 years in Memphis...Without heat. I bought the car in Florida for use in Memphis as an "airport car" and drove it around for a month before taking it there. No problems whatsoever. First day in Memphis: It blows the seal between the oil cooler and the block and loses all its oil. Fixed, expensively, at the dealer. Then, a week later the heater core explodes in traffic on I-40. When I say it explodes I mean it, it suddenly went with no notice or symptoms and flooded the dash with coolant. Instead of spending $1500 to replace it, I elected to drive the car with the heater core bypassed. And I froze my ass for for years each winter because despite the fact that Memphis calls itself the "mid-South", in the winter there is nothing "south" about this place and I froze in that car. It's a shame, since that thing was a tiger! It drove like a go-cart, I loved it, but it HATED me~
Great video!
Thank you Jason for all the Details about Car Heat / it is true A Car without Heat is a Pain specially Up North / Here in Miami is ok we only get a few moths of cool weather .
Changing out a clogged heater core is the worst job you can imagine. It's hours of snapping off trim piece clips, laying with all of your weight on that ridge where your door meets the floor in pain, trying to twist your head upwards under the glove box or inside of the glove box cutout trying to reach the screws on the blend door actuator which for some reason has like 20 mounting points. Then you break off a one-of-a-kind plastic retainer clip and have to melt and fuse it back together with a soldering iron. You get the old core out and excess rusty coolant lands on your floor mats. The new one doesn't come with the outside foam so now you take a trip to the hardware store and hope to god the foam you choose to wrap it isn't flammable under that amount of heat. You slide the new one in place, but since it's a tight fit you damage like half of the fins on one side. Then you get slide your dashboard back into place and pray that none of the wires back there got pinched when you first slid it out. 0/10 wouldn't recommend.
More collabs please! You guys work well together and are usually entertaining. 🤘
thank you!
I like how listening to this I couldn't stop thinking about how similar this sounds to dealing with tech issues. One seemingly simple issue can lead you down a few dozen different rabbit holes.
Great video! I would love to see a series of videos about diagnostics of different car systems and mechanisms by you both!
Also something so simple that I’ve seen people doing, they turn off the A/C button which turns on the compressor, which helps cool AND heat up the interior, much like a Heat Pump HVAC system.
MAN that yellow R looks so good
Great video, looking at it in the morning with mid 20s (F) outside and my Tesla model 3 is warming up. :-)
Yesterday I found an unopened container of antifreeze and gave it to my neighbor, who might need it.
Thanks for an awesome video from 2 awesome fellas! Your teaching makes it stick to my head :))
As a veteran professionally trained technician, it’s refreshing to see and listen to 2 intelligent TH-cam hosts. Tired of half ass, cavemen gear heads clogging up this media
EE 10 years ago: I'm going to be a mechanical engineer and change the world for the better!
Now: Thumbnail picture
Love these multipart videos.
2:20, Jason plays with his nob(s), paying little attention to our Humble M.
Jason, for a future video, consider talking about complete electrical heating systems (EVs) and adjunct systems (hybrid). PTC heaters are the future, even for ICE vehicles. Excellent video, BTW. Hats off, so to speak, to you and Charles.
Greetings from Scandinavia, pro tip:
If your car shows inner temp in°C, ~17-19°C is comfy in high summer heat, ~21-24°C is comfy in sub freezing temps of winter.
Clean out heater core
Check for leaks
Check for bad water pump
Check for low coolant
Air in the system. Was mentioned very briefly, but worth a bigger mention. And in some cars will be hell to get out, it’s a silent killer imo
Great collaboration guys
I've had a cracked thermostat cause a slow overheating issue on my old BMW E46 i went through the whole system before i thought the thermostat would cause slow overheating.
Hey! My favorite Humble Mechanic! :-) I really like it when y'all do crossover videos like this.
Sort of like back in the day when characters from one sitcom would show up on another.
Need to pass my 609 Test. This helped thank you.
Keep in mind that’s an open book test :)
Jason, Could you talk about the topic about the commonality and difference of automotive engines and aircraft piston engines?
I need more videos about your yellow Miata and how it's doing with the Supercharger please!
Riddle me this:
My '06 Mazda 3 Si has been regularly getting the P0128 (failure to reach operating temperature) when outside temperature is under 50F. This would suggest a thermostat is stuck open. However, the temperature gauge still reads about the center of the dial, maybe moving a tick down when I'm pulling a lot of air into the engine or in a stronger headwind.
I am also not getting much heat in the cabin, suggesting the thermostat is stuck closed.
As stands, I have to run without any heating in the cabin for about 2 miles to build heat and the cabin takes about 30 minutes to actually warm up a significant amount.
I also had to shift my inspection from March to May so it can pass.
partial thermostat failure perhaps. dont run your engine without proper temperature
I have an 04 Mazda 6, and have tested the temp gauge and found it was non-linear, meaning it would stay at near the middle over a range of temperatures, like 180F - 210F. I'd simply replace the T-stat with a quality part, with the oem 195F rating.
@@kevink2315 Thanks for the info. I've added it to "eventually" list, just below new headlights but above switching the 16" rims the previous owner had put on with the 17" ones that it's suppose to have.
Great episode. I would have liked to hear about the temperature indicator on an older dashboard. Where is that temperature taken? My guess is near the engine, before the Thermostat.
Fantastic information guys - Thanks!
I had a 1985 1.6 Diesel Jetta back 30 years ago. We had a snow storm so we could not go faster then 10 mph. The 45 minute commute took me 5 hours. Lots of standing as well. Point is my little Diesel would not go past the bottom C. So yes a freezing cold car is the epitome of miserable driving.
An engine should reach operating temperature just idling for far less than that, so you likely have an issue like the thermostat stuck open mentioned in the video.
@@SheepInACart Because of the efficiency of the diesel it cooled it's self down plus the -10 Celsius. Everything worked perfectly on it. And it had an electrical fan. Most European cars had electrical fans already in the 70's.
@@bradwick212 As a thermodynamic cycle diesel isn't transferring less heat to the cylinder (and thus cooling jacket) per unit of work completed, but instead increasing the burn-up of fuel compared to an otto cycle engine. Hence while more "efficient" in terms of volume/weight of fuel used, you'll notice diesel vehicles neither have smaller radiators nor less coolant than a similarly powerful petrol/gas powered car, indeed most of the time its larger.
More to the point is the lack of a throttle on most older designs, meaning that at idle the cylinder still sweeps a lot of air, but only injects a little fuel required to keep running, resulting in extremely lean mixtures. Yet unlike on the large but low powered naturally aspirated diesels found in trucks of the pre 1970's, on the smaller swept volume of more modern turbocharged vehicles the actual idle airflow is still far from large, and while it will result in a exhaust gas temprature of 100-200°C without load, plenty to reach the operating mark on the engine and even provide some heat to the cabin if the cooling regulation system is working properly.. at least after 20mins or so to very slowly warm up given that starting temprature. Yet even still, reaching operating heat faster is one of the three reasons that mush newer diesels have started to have throttle valves, enabling them to fuel enrich to bring the exhaust temperatures up as high as ~500°C without making more power when the engine is cold. Other reasons include generating a vacuum for exhaust gas re-circulation/emissions controls and in some cases even on the fly NOX mitigation.... but even without a throttle valve no small euro car engine should fail to reach operating water temperatures (oil is another story) after hours of running, even just at idle.
I'd be willing to drive all the way to these guys to get my car fixed!
Talk about a good moment fot his video... I just replace my heather core... A week to get the dash out, 5 minutes to replace the core, another week to put it all back together... At least, I got heat now !
the removed eibach sticker in the engine bay :D
Hold up... Ive been searching for days for heat fixes because my new truck has non... Then you post this... There is a god
I wonder how many times Charles did a heater core on a b5 Passat. It's absolute madness.
More than enough. But not nearly the amount that are getting done on the NMS. LOL ALL The time.
@@HumbleMechanic Was the process for removal a little more reasonable on the NMS? When the core went out on my moms b5, I was stunned by the amount of things that needed to be removed lol
That is super interesting about the colorblindness issue in temperature control. About 95% of the faucets I have ever used, hot is on the left, cold on the right. Every temperature dial like that, cold on the left. I was taught a standard for salt/pepper shakers when working in a restaurant for ADA purposes: pepper left, salt right. They also have different hole patterns.
Interestingly, my shower is plumbed backwards, cold on the left, hot on the right. Seriously though, the basic car temperature dial is totally lacking for the colorblind. There is no C or H like a faucet. I do abhor the digital displays/automatic systems though, I prefer manual controls.
While traveling in Munich, Germany I was driving my cousins VW Rabbit in summer. Returning to the city, the highway was clogged with traffic, forcing us to slow down.
I noticed the car engine temp was suddenly rising quickly. While stuck in traffic, this was going to end badly, quickly.
I turned on the cabin heater to full heat. My cousin was annoyed until I pointed out that this was the only thing keeping the car from overheating in traffic.
This was a temporary reprieve but it was enough to get us home without further mechanical mishap. Next day the car was taken for service, problem solved, though I did not hear what the ultimate cause of the problem was.
It's really awesome to have a cooling thermostat fail and stay closed in mid summer...
Engine was overheating but we managed to limp home by turning the heating to max and having the windows open in +30°C temperatures outside. So apparently the coolant was not going to the radiator but was feeding the heating system in that old Ford Mondeo?
Hi, I was just made aware of something called Evans which is a cooling liquid replacement. Could you please do a take on that?
I love advance auto mainly bc they are super close and it’s easy to get a bunch of stuff like oil, break cleaner, vacuum lines and some sockets. Harbor freight is definitely my go to for tools but advance auto has a bunch of generic stuff
A follow up video addressing different methods for each symptom would be helpful! My 2010 focus had no heat at idle. Revving it for 30 seconds and idle 30seconds, off 1 min. Repeat 3-4 times (while engine is up to temp). Helped me remove the trapped air in my system! The root of this problem could be a leak..
"Having a car with no heat, is a miserable driving experience" -Charles. There is not a more true statement!
Nah. I always have heat cause my headers and cat are directly underneath me. Summer or winter you can feel the hat right under you lol
Thank you so so much. A very short yet powerful knowledge you to have... I study automotive technology at Bronx Community College and I’m currently taking heating and air-conditioning system in a car class. Would it be possible if you make one same way same style regarding air conditioning????
damn that yellow R looks awesome
White smoke however can be mistaken for cold days (well below freezing) and starting your car. Don't mistake the two thinking you have coolant in your oil once you see it.
Fun fact heat for most small piston airplanes (like the Cessna 172) comes from a simple shroud around the exhaust pipe!
have you tried plugging it in? is the blinker fluid low?
For those with newer vehicles, use the AUTO settings!! Auto 72F is generally what OEMs tune to be comfortable in most situations, and you can often just leave it in that setting and the HVAC will manage itself perfectly fine.
In 13 years of owning audis I have never figured out the auto climate. It never feels right!
Honestly outside of the most moderate climates where you don't really need AC for anything more than cooling a car thats been parked in the sun, the Auto never worked for me either... you want it to be a couple of degrees the comfortable direction of outside, not try and hold one temperature. If its 21c in the morning you don't want it heating, but if its 31c at midday and your sweating, you don't want it trying to be anything like 21c, else its going to be loud, cold, and enough of a temperature swing getting in/out to give you a headache.
I hate auto climate control. When shopping for cars, I cross any car off the list that doesn't have a trim level available with manual climate control.
@@kc9scott You know you can operate them all manually right? You can have total control of the temperature, direction and recirc/fresh
@@clayduval1255 Most of the auto climate systems that I've seen let you switch to manual for fan speed and air location, but they still have thermostatic temperature control, with no way to override it. During the heating season (which is 6 months out of the year here), I want gentle warm air blowing on my fingers on the steering wheel, for a long time until my fingers warm up. I do NOT want the system readjusting its output temperature as the cabin warms up. I don't care about the cabin temperature; I care about the temperature of my fingers. The auto climate controls force me to constantly fiddle with their temperature control to counteract their thermostatic "feature".
Me: my ac isn't working.
Mechanic: sir u did not pressed the ac button.
Both you guys are awesome
Watching this video in SoCal and it’s 100 degrees out 😂
Great video, thanks
Can you make a video about the can bus and why the resistor
Wait didn't this garage have the floor epoxy coated? Was this video really filmed so long ago?
Quite observant! Yep - this was filmed back when Charles & I supercharged the MX-5!
What infrared thermometer do you use? I use mine almost daily for synchronizing motorcycle carburetors based on header pipe/head block temp but I find myself doubting the readings on occasion... It's just a cheap Amazon unit.
Could you explain how the heaters in the original VW Bug worked (or more often didn't work)?
That must be a magic wireless fan control 1:13. There's no wires but the fan still turned on!
VW's have the heatercore integrated in the small cooling circuit. Also it isnt the highest point in that small circuit. the head is. If you have a thermostat failure where its stuck close you can save your car by putting the heater on max with the fan on full speed. This way you can extract a good amount of heat from the coolant.
Video Suggestion: Why don't Car Manufactures make car power systems like Earth Movers?
Using the engine as an electric generator and supply power to the wheels with electric motors.
Ex.: Terex MT 6300AC - The vehicle is equipped with a four-stroke diesel engine, with 20 cylinders powering an AC electric alternator,
which in turn supplies power to the electric motor fitted at each side of the rear axle.