95 240sx - Heat not working anymore! It's cold outside! Brrrr!!!

[ned4spd8874]

So, I just got my 240 up and running. It was sitting in the garage for the winter, but my girlfriend crashed her car and she needed to borrow my other car while her's is in the shop.

No biggie, just take the 240 out of winter retirement and we'll be set....wrong!

We drove it last night and found out that the heater is not blowing hot air. It was broken into a few months ago just before I stored it and I have not driven it since so I never really tested the heater after the break in.

The whole center dash was almost torn apart when they stole the stereo. The only wires that appear to be cut are the radio wires.

However, now I know that the heater is not working either as well as half my dash blinking on and off now too from time to time. They were working perfectly before my radio was stolen.

Could some wires been cut that would case this? Could some obscure fuse be blown?

I checked the wiring that I could see, and saw no broken or damaged wires, but I did not take it all the way apart, nor do I feel comfortable doing such a thing.

Help!!!! Any suggestions out there???

P.S. Okay, I did some checking and the control valve under the hood near the firewall appears to be working fine. And the hose that on either end is warm to the touch. That tells me that everything under the hood is working properly and that it's something under the dash, correct?

I checked again, and could find no broken or damaged wires under the dash and behind the middle console.

Could it be just bad timing and the heater core went? It's just hard for me to believe that since it was all working fine before the theft.

Help!

[ned4spd8874]

So I checked the hoses and both the top and bottom radiator hoses are warm. Both the coolant hoses going into the firewall are warm. The coolant is topped off. The engine temp stays at the mid-point on the gauge.

Help!

[onosqv]

Clogged heater core? That seems to happen to a lot of old cars.

[ned4spd8874]

How much do you think it would cost to get that fixed?

[sup4fr34k]

im not a huge mechanic but when you say your lights go on and off that means its either a loose plug or shorting probably.... sooo you might just wanna check if they're plugged in securely and the pins aren't damaged and such.. only thing i can think of. someone please tell me if this is a stupid suggestion.

[Logan76]

Have your checked your thermostat yet?

[ned4spd8874]

No, but would it really be that? Seems as though the car would be running colder or hoter than normal...or I am I wrong? The temp has been the same as it always has been. The temp gauge works the same as it always has been.

I will check it tomorrow though just to see.

[Logan76]

worst that can happen is you spend 10 minutes to take it out and throw it in a pot of boiling water, If you overlook something thats broke and cheap like that and repalce expensive stuff youll kick yourself.

[ned4spd8874]

I will try to check this tonight after work...it sucks that it's getting dark so early! Not helping!!!!

Also, now my lights don't seem to be working correctly either! The dash is completely out now and when I locked my car with the remote, my lights didn't blink like they normally do. I will have a co-worker help me out at lunch and check to see if my lights are working or not now....geez...it keeps getting better and better!!!

[onosqv]

I will try to check this tonight after work...it sucks that it's getting dark so early! Not helping!!!!

Also, now my lights don't seem to be working correctly either! The dash is completely out now and when I locked my car with the remote, my lights didn't blink like they normally do. I will have a co-worker help me out at lunch and check to see if my lights are working or not now....geez...it keeps getting better and better!!!

That's probably a fuse you blew, or a light bulb that went out in your taillights or sidemarkers - the interior dash lights are connected to your parking lights - a nifty lil feature to tell you that something is wrong outside the car.

[rotorimp]

You said that both hoses are warm--so you probably have coolant running through the heater core--and you also said that the car was broken into--so I would look aroung that general region--a wire is probably exposed and causing one of the fuses to blow.

1. check your fuses2. if you have a bad one replace it and see if that fixes it.3. if the fuse blows right after you apply power then find what wire is causing it to blow--.

give us a update/fix--also is the fan working on all settings?

[ned4spd8874]

Okay, I have confirmed that the running lights are not working as well. Half of the dash was flickering yesterday off and on throughout my drive, but as of this morning, it is completely not working.

I have checked the fuses and all are okay. I tested all of them and they all worked, both under the dash and the couple under the hood.

The blower fan works at all 4 speeds.

I can see no visible broken or exposed wiring.

P.S. I worked late and by the time I got home it was dark and cold. I will have to check the thermo tomorrow.

[ned4spd8874]

I think it may be the thermostat.

I took the top off of the radiator, stated the car and let it run for about 10 minutes and the level never really changed. It maybe went down an 1/8", but that's about it.

It doesn't look that hard to change, but how messy would it be? Do I need to drain the fluid? Will a lot leak out when I disconnect the hose??

[rotorimp]

I had the same problem-(except mine was AC) and the little mixer motor gears had stripped out. If you were sitting in the drivers seat it would be about where your shin bone is on your right leg. look up under there and see if it moves when you cycle through the functions (floor,defrost, ect..)

I do not think it is your T-stat because of the symptoms and the fact that both of the hoses are warm.

[ned4spd8874]

Anyone wanna buy a 1995 240SX SE??? Cheap!!!

Ug...the problems never stop. I'm at work and tried to take my car to lunch, but the battery is dead after only sitting for 4 hours! Funny thing is it sat all weekend without a problem!

I pretty much have no doubt in my mind now that there is some sort of short in the wiring back behind the dash from when the guy stole my radio.

I'm getting tired of this! I'll be bringing it in to a shop soon...I'll post an update with what they found.

Hurry up tax money!!!