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How Does it Work /
Heater
How a Car Heater Works
The heater core in your car is similar to the radiator in the front of your car,
in fact it looks like a small radiator. The difference is the heater is mounted
inside the car and air is blown through the fins of the core. The heater hoses transfer
engine coolant to the heater core, this allows the heat from the engine coolant
to be utilized and warm the passenger compartment air.
Heater Core
A heater control valve stops the coolant from flowing into the heater core when
the system is off or the air conditioner is turned on. When the engine is cold the
heater will not work. The heater core must have hot engine coolant to produce
heat.
Heater Control Valve
Controlling the heater varies in most cars, but primarily there are two designs,
the first design is the manual system, which constantly needs adjustment to maintain
the desired temperature. The other system is a computerized management system, this
system can keep the cabin at the selected temperature or split the set temperature
from the driver or passenger side compartments.
When a heater core fails it can leak coolant inside the car on the driver or
passenger side floor board. Replacing a heater core is different on every vehicle,
for the exact procedure consult a
repair manual.
Replacement can vary from undoing 5 screws and replace it, to the " they started
with the heater core, then, built the rest of the car" kind of job which removing
the entire dash is not unheard of and can take many hours.
Car Heater Hoses
The heater hoses are held in place by spring loaded hose clamps and can be removed
with the proper tool.
Common Problems
- When a vehicle is low on coolant it can cause the
heater
to stop functioning.
- When the car is running you can hear bubbles flowing through the heater
core, (like a fish tank) this is do to air becoming trapped inside the heater
core, in time the air should dissipate to silence the noise.
How Does it Work
/ Heater
Check Manufacturer Specific Heater
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