heating concerns

[cb1101]

Every morning it takes 10 minutes to finally warm up enough to where i can drive and not have it stall out... i feel it when i rev it, it studders a bit. If i was to try and drive, it would just stall out and i would have a lot of trouble starting it back up.

Also when i am idling and the car is warmed up, there is absolutly no heat coming out? It is when i drive that the heat will be hot.

By the way this is not the firebird but my 92 mercury sable...any answers will be greatly appreciated

[MississippiMaro]

Easiest thing to check first on heating/ac is the coolant level.

low coolant = poor heating/cooling or none at all

[MississippiMaro]

Easiest thing to check first on heating/ac is the coolant level.

low coolant = poor heating/cooling or none at all

[cb1101]

I did notice that i have a small leak in my radiator...this explains why i have no heat....but this does not explain why my car has to take so long before I can drive. this never happens in the summer..only cold start ups, i whave to sit there for atleast 10 minutes or i will stall out??

[cb1101]

is there a way to repair a leak in the radiator? or do i have to replace it?

[Red2K1]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> is there a way to repair a leak in the radiator? or do i have to replace it? <hr></blockquote>

Much depends on the size of the leak. Since your car is a '94, personally, I would replace the radiator unless the radiator was drained and flushed at least once a year.

[cb1101]

My sable is the 1 w/ the problem...it is a 92 and I am really hoping i do not have to put any more money into it. This car is my winter beater, which means if i can rig it up so it will last the winter..i will do what ever i can
;)

[Red2K1]

<blockquote>quote:</font><hr> My sable is the 1 w/ the problem...it is a 92 and I am really hoping i do not have to put any more money into it. This car is my winter beater, which means if i can rig it up so it will last the winter..i will do what ever i can
<hr></blockquote>

Well, clean and flush cooling system (includes your overflow bottle), add something like Bar's Leak and refill with 50/50 mixture H2O and antifreeze. Start the engine and let it idle for 15 to 20 minutes, enough to warm and pressurize the cooling system. Turn off engine, let it cool and then run it again to see if leak stopped.

[ November 17, 2003: Message edited by: Red2K1 ]</p>

[3.4 slow to go]

Stall out could be egr/O2 sensor related, or even a crapped out vacuum hose. No heat issue, besides the low coolant/antifreeze level, well, I've yet (except for teh GP) to have a car that actually gave me warm air befre I got to where I was going w/in 10 mins. plus just idling, you're not putting too much load on the motor to heat up the coolant.

[cb1101]

well...how much do radiators go for these days??

i just drove my g/f to work and noticed while i was sitting after 20 minutes I turned the car off and i saw a lot of smoke! :mad: oi get out and i see antifreeze all over the ground. I couldnt tell if this was a blown hose or radiator so i will go worst case first to get an idea of what i may have to spend!

also is this a job that any body could do or is this a pain in the arse?

3.4...in reference to the stalling out, if it was a vac hose would'nt i stall out more often instead of just when it is cold? Can a bad fuel pump do this?

I just had a tune up done back in june and that really didn't help any?

Any way thanks for the info