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Old 02-19-2018, 07:05 PM   #1
50fordcoupeman
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Default 50 Ford heater output

My avatar heater output while using the heater fan is almost nil. The heater box gets hot. Good heat comes out above 35 mph but slower speeds not much. I can hear the fan motor turning. Car is 12v. Possibilities I can think of are fan turning too fast or fan spinning on motor shaft. Any suggestions what to look at?? Thanks.
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Old 02-19-2018, 07:43 PM   #2
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

The fan won't be affected by the speed at which you are traveling.
I'd start by looking for a clog in the system. The first place I'd inspect is the temperature of the hose going in vs. the one going out (of the heater). They should be within a few degrees of each other.
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Old 02-19-2018, 07:48 PM   #3
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Thanks Kube. Yes both hoses are almost too hot to touch. The air coming in at highway speed warms up the inside of the car really well but at lower speeds the fan is virtually useless.
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Old 02-19-2018, 07:55 PM   #4
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

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Originally Posted by 50fordcoupeman View Post
Thanks Kube. Yes both hoses are almost too hot to touch. The air coming in at highway speed warms up the inside of the car really well but at lower speeds the fan is virtually useless.
By some odd chance, is there a clog in the heater itself? Perhaps a mouse nest? I'm just trying to eliminate things methodically...
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Old 02-19-2018, 08:21 PM   #5
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Thanks I appreciate it. As soon as it gets above 15* out I will start tearing it apart. I have ordered and received a new vent damper door along with seals from Shoebox Central. There has to be something somewhere restricting air flow.
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Old 02-19-2018, 09:05 PM   #6
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

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Any chance the motor is running backwards?
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Old 02-19-2018, 09:07 PM   #7
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

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Any chance the motor is running backwards?
Any chance that the heater motor is running too slow???
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Old 02-19-2018, 10:17 PM   #8
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Art...........I will check that. It is wired up the way I got it. Pete.....I believe it is a 6v motor and it is running on 12v. I was wondering if it is running too fast. Is that possible??
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Old 02-19-2018, 10:49 PM   #9
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

yes, 12V will make the motor run double speed
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Old 02-19-2018, 10:53 PM   #10
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

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yes, 12V will make the motor run double speed
Wouldn't that be an improvement? The blower switch on my '51 only ran on low, so I took it apart and fixed it so it would run on both speeds. No way it ran too fast. (My car is 6 volts, though.)
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Old 02-20-2018, 04:09 AM   #11
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Most people going to 12vt typically use a resistor to drop it to 6vt including myself, and
I find the motor real wimpy. I removed the resistor and been running 12vts now I
have good heat and it aint blown up yet. Some heater motors are polarity sensitive so
you have to check that. Something is wrong, I drove a company car for years a 49
4 dr and that had real nice heat on 6Vts. My next idea is you now have 12vts most
likely neg ground so that will change the motor polarity - most have a ground wire
to the cowl the other wire to the switch take grd wire off take feed off the switch and
juice up the ground motor wire and ground the other now see if you get air delivery.
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Old 02-20-2018, 08:28 AM   #12
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

is the fan even running? the 12v could have burned it out. on one of my 50s i used a Ron Francis electronic 12v to 6v reducer for gauges and the heater fan, and that worked well. on anither car i got a 12v fan motor from C&G Ford Parts and that was the best fix
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Old 02-20-2018, 09:24 PM   #13
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Thanks everyone for the hints. I will report back when I get this thing figured out!!
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Old 02-21-2018, 12:09 AM   #14
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Quote:
Originally Posted by tubman View Post
Wouldn't that be an improvement? The blower switch on my '51 only ran on low, so I took it apart and fixed it so it would run on both speeds. No way it ran too fast. (My car is 6 volts, though.)
It may improve the heat or it may pass air thru the core so fast that the air doesn't absorb any heat. sort of like running without thermostats in cooling system
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Old 02-22-2018, 07:59 PM   #15
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Hi, I'm not sure (ha ha) but you might have an obstruction in front of the heater core itself or some build up oh the fan itself preventing air movement. Again I'm not sure but good luck.
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Old 02-22-2018, 09:38 PM   #16
50fordcoupeman
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Thanks Not Sure............Too cold but soon I will attack it. My shop is not heated but I appreciate the info. I hope to find a big ol mouse nest in there. That would be the easiest!! Welcome to the Barn..............
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Old 02-25-2018, 09:59 PM   #17
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Thanks
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Old 03-22-2018, 12:52 AM   #18
50fordcoupeman
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Just to report back. Finally got warm enough to work on the avatar's heater. I replaced the fresh air damper door and the two air duct seals. Very easy job on both. There were no restrictions, squirrel cage fan turning properly and nothing else I could find wrong. I think were just too many outside air leaks diluting the warm air coming in. Certainly won't run a person out but don't have to scrape frost off the inside of the windshield either.
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Old 03-22-2018, 10:14 AM   #19
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

When I did get my replacement heater motor , wires coming out of motor were backwards (red - and black +)it did run but not like it should. Flipping the wires solved the thing and
now it blows ok. But the design of the heater box isn't the best....
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Old 03-22-2018, 11:58 AM   #20
50fordcoupeman
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Default Re: 50 Ford heater output

Thanks for that info. I did check the fan rotation and it was correct. I agree on the heater box 100%. When in college I had an almost identical car and I can remember scraping frost off the inside of the windshield!! Good ol days.......yeah right!!
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