[V6-12v] no heat at idle .

[The CyberPoet]

Your down to four basic possible faults:

(A) The car isn't actually heating the water enough to offset the 
cooling from the weather/thermostat /etc. This is simple enough to 
check -- are the hoses to the firewall and to the radiator warm/hot to 
the touch, AND is the temp gauge at the instrument panel showing 
minimum warmth in the coolant (i.e. above the first bold line)?

(B) The water isn't flowing properly into the heater box coils (can 
happen with biological build-up or if any of the hoses had wires inside 
to help hold the shape -- if the wire rusted, it can form a partial 
block, especially as it grows from rust);

(C) The air isn't routing correctly (flap door isn't moving to the heat 
selection adequately). How this is accomplished changes depending on 
whether you have the manual control knobs (cable) or the digital AC 
readout (servo).

OR, MY VERY BEST GUESS, BASED ON ALL THE OTHER STEPS PREVIOUSLY TAKEN:
(D) The heater coils themselves are covered with lint and dust after 
years, forming an insulating blanket over the coils which, at idle, 
clamps down the heat enough to keep it from radiating sufficiently for 
your requirements. This isn't uncommon on decade old cars, especially 
if the previous owner(s) or yourself often transport clothing (such as 
traveling salesmen who hang their suits in the back), laundry (to/from 
a laundry mat), blankets (such as for the back seat passengers or 
emergencies), large amounts of paperwork (paper pulp dust), etc. 
Fortunately, this is very simple to clear (spray down with an 
electrical cleaner spray, or with a spray of 1/2 gal hot water + 
teaspoon of bleach), but requires getting at the coils (which can be a 
PIA depending on how they get accessed).

Good Luck!
=-= Marc Glasgow

On Friday, February 11, 2005, at 09:00  PM, Tom Christiansen wrote:

> Just had a thought...
>
> You previously mentioned that when you turn the temp selector knob, 
> the mixer thingy moves. But what if the cable has stretched over 
> time... Isn't it conceivable that the mixer flap don't move far enough 
> over or something? I don't really know why that should change 
> anything. Just a whacky thought...
>
> I wonder if someone had the cooling system apart at some point and put 
> it together incorrectly or something...
>
> Tom
>
> At 05:54 PM 2/11/2005, Clive Young wrote:
>> Well Finally I must say I feel totally defeated. I have tried 
>> everything I can think of and it just won't produce decent heat at 
>> idle. I just have one or two last few questions before I put the nail 
>> in the coffin.
>>
>> Is there anyone right now that has there car pumping out decent heat 
>> at idle with an ambiet outside of zero to minus 10 celcius , if 
>> anyone can stick a thermal probe in the heater vent I would 
>> aprreciate it. At least that would tell me if is suppose to work.
>>
>> The P.O. told me he took the car to AUDI for the same reason , they 
>> put  a thermostat in it , flushed the system, charged him a whack of 
>> money but still didn't fix it. so what chance do I have .. those guys 
>> do this for a living !
>>
>> Oh well , I have just had enough......
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