95 SW1 heat problem solved!! Ahhh, toasty warm toes.
David Teichholtz
takes 20 minutes to get some heat, temp gauge never goes above 1/4, except
on the highway it sometimes approaches 1/2. Last year the gauge seemed to be
at 1/2 most of the time, although it still took a long time to get heat
going.
Picture of thermostat housing showed a large weep hole:
http://teichholtz.home.mindspring.com/images/thermostat.jpg
Today on the way to work I stopped at the Saturn dealer, asked to see a
thermostat housing. A look showed that the weep hole is supposed to have a
tiny ball bearing in there, with a piece of metal pressed in to hold it.
The bearing acts as a check valve. I could not blow through the outlet
pipe, whereas with my housing I could blow through it with very little
resistance. I knew I had the answer, bought the housing (which comes with a
thermostat). I put it in tonight. Took the car for a 5 minute test drive,
gauge comes up to 1/2 and heat is wonderful. And it is cold out, I would
guess 20 degrees. (I have a heated garage to work in)
Googling back in the group shows that many people have had heating problems,
I would bet dollars to Krispy Kreme doughnuts that this was the culprit in
many of the cases.
Good news: I have heat
Bad news: I now own a lifetime supply of Saturn thermostats. Also, that tiny
ball bearing is somewhere in the cooling system of my engine. Probably
lodged in the radiator I would bet.
-David