1989 Volvo 240 heater not working always cold

[sergitin32]

Hi there,
1989 Volvo 240 sedan. 320xxx km heater stopped working a long time ago but I never bothered until I moved to the very cold prairies.

I am kinda in a rush to try any hack to at least get the heat going on constantly. I live in Winnipeg Manitoba and winter's a B..CH here reaching sometimes minus 40 and under. I already removed the coolant controlling valve just right by the throttle pedal and put a ball valve in its place thinking if I leave it in the open position to let coolant run through the heater core all the time it would for sure produce hot air, but this hack did not help: it's still not shooting hot air when the fan is blowing... also the fan has the squealing pig syndrome, if that helps with the diagnostics, I am at a loss and it is hard to find info about this system online, at least for me.

I would appreciate it if someone would give me a hint or a link to a tutorial on how to diagnose this and how to find the culprit, take on it is that, since I replaced the electric valve with a manual solution, I don't believe the valve is the issue... on top of everything I have misplaced the valve and can not find it

Any help would be immensely appreciated its already starting to snow and I am worrying and stressed out.

Y'all keep safe out there. Thanks in advance

[volvolugnut]

Can you confirm the ball valve gets hot when the coolant is hot?
Do you get air flow from the vents when the fan runs?
If yes to both, I suggest the next step is to remove the lower dash felt/cloth panels and console side panels to see if the heater core is getting hot.
To get heat out the vents, you need both coolant flow through the heater core and air flow across the heater core. With the panels removed, you should be able to determine what is and isn't working. A vacuum actuator may not be shifting to direct the air flow as needed.
I think these heaters are all simple electric and vacuum with no electronics.
Once the heater is working again, these old 240s can warm the car well.
volvolugnut

[sergitin32]

I was just about to update today about the valve getting hot. Not super hot but then again its zero celsius inside the car. I will need to check if the heater core is getting hot. The fan does blow cold air out. Thanks for your response. I am just praying I dont have to change the core. I know by reading along the years that is a real pita.

[volvolugnut]

If the heater core is leaking, you would have a wet floor. But it might be wet under the carpet. You would likely notice the coolant being low.
But the core might also be stopped up.
Problem might be just an air flow duct not shifting.
If you have the change the core you can also change the fan. Not a terrible job, but hard enough. At least it is not under the car on your back.
volvolugnut

[sergitin32]

I don't think there is any leak happening, I would have noticed since it has been years without running heat through those vents.
Maybe the core is just clogged. Thing is we are already at minus 10 when I come from work and I have no heat in the garage... F..k

[sergitin32]

Well, I am very sorry but one more thing that I notice and I am not sure if it's been like that only once I remove the valve but I noticed the lever that changes the heat selection from cold to hot is stock as well, yes in the cold position but I am sure that thig goes with a wire to some valve lever as well? Not sure if that might be the problem, to begin with, But I seem to remember it used to work fine before I removed the valve and it still there was no hot air coming out.
Does any one have any comprehensive reading or tutorial or whatever that explains properly how this system works? in any of the manuals maybe I have the three main ones Haynes, Chilton, and Bentley, I guess I will browse them tonight,
Thanks, Volvolugnut!