Okay y'all. With winter coming eventually, I decided to kick on the heater. It doesnt work. Its not bypassed, all the controls work as far as I can tell. Anyone else have to put a lot of pressure on the temp. knob to move it? Im wondering if its my controls. Secondly, the dang idle will not stay down! I sealed the idle mixture screw, cleaned it off to see if it had moved, and it was still adjusted correctly. Its bugging me when in the morning till it warms up it will run at 900RPM's, once she warms up it idles at 1500! Something screwy is going on. Well, if anyone has some thoughts on either one of these issues let me know. Back to work I go till 930. Ill make sure I check in tonight before bed.

 

Any thoughts on the heater? I think there is some sort of control valve on the fire wall up high, to the right of the valve cover, not sure what it does but it has what looks to be about 5/8 heater hose going to it, but they don't get hot with the engine.

 

yeah, it's kind of like an on/off switch that either blocks or allows water to flow thru the heater coil. Make sure the plunger works in and out. I would also recommend disconnecting both the hoses for the heater core at the firewall and blowing it out with hose pipe with a nozzle that has some good pressure on it. A heater core acts like a sediment trap and can buildup a lot of sediment over time. You probably want believe what you'll blow out.

 

the temp control should work smoothly, pain in the butt to trace and replace but check to see if it it impeded under the dash and it passes through the firewall above the gas pedal area. i will see if i have a pic of the control ON the engine side of the firewall on mine.

any error codes?

on another vehicle of mine, had a vacuum problem and it ran VERY HIGH IDLE until was corrected.

here ya go....

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YES! thats the valve, but mine looks waayy different. I have to go out and replace my steering stabilizer, ill take pics while I am out there. Back in 30.

 

HOLY>>>>>>

you are ambitious!

 

here are some better pics...

this 1st one is from our 88 4runner 3vze

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these next 2 are from my 92 22re

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This is what I have. I tried to move the plunger manually under the hood. Barely moved, had to put alot of pressure to move it. No one in town has this valve either. Dont know where the hell Im going to get it.

 

Okay, With the valve moved under the hood to hot, it still blows cold. BUT, I disconnected from the heater core, put a hose in one end, and the water flows cleanly through it. Im thoroughly confused now.

 

Well, I pulled the hoses off and came across this beautiful mess, got it all cleaned out and free flowing, but still no heat. Im about to set her on fire.

 

Holy crap

I think you may have a clogged heater core.... you going to need to basically disassemble the entire system to clean that right.

 

Coolant level and IAC cleanliness can affect idle also.......bet it's full of the same sludge that's in the heater valve.

At the very least it needs flushed with water until it comes out clean.

 

Dude, your avatar is funny as hell. Well, I had both lines off the heater core and the valve, the valve is easy to move now and flows completey un-restricted. The heater core might be suspect, I didnt get a heavy flow out of her, just a low smooth flow. The mrs. is at walmart, I have her picking up a flush kit, coolant and the prestone flush chemical. Hopefully it works. It sucks being out right now, its windy as all hell!

 

I'm more worried about what's in the head.......
I'd run the flush through, then water at least twice.....the last one I did that flushed that looked remotely close to that took eight times to get the water to run out clean.
There is also a definite chance of breaking something big off and clogging up the heater core so pay close attention to your temp gauge.
Good luck.

 

Well, the problem has to be in the heater core. When I first got her I changed the radiator out, ne coolant put in. That was a while ago, did the thermostat like last weekend, coolant was still clean. Still clean today. I will let you know what I find, heading out there right now.

 

Well that is good to hear and the very worst, you may end up needing to get the heater core professionally cleaned or get a new one.
BTW, never seen a heater valve like the one you got on your rig.

 

Is the heater valve the same as the one on my '83 there, or didja look?

 

Try back flushing the heater core, maybe you will get lucky and that will clean it out, also replace the heater valve with one from an 88-89 truck, the one on your truck will rust and corode on the inside and quit working. When i got my 4Runner it had that same heater valve and it was shot, replaced it with a heater valve from an 89 4Runner and it works good.

 

I roll old school, same one as on jonny's 83. Now I have a dang air bubble that wont go away!!!!!!! back out I go.

 

Okay, pulled the thermostat and it functions fine according to the stove. The problem is, it will not push out the air bubble thats stuck in the heater lines. so now it wont cool off. who wants to buy a truck with a slight heater problem?

And jonny, i tried to move yours, and it worse off than mine, it doesnt even move, enjoy the heat (stuck open).