I have an 03 oz rally. And my heat doesnt feel like it's working at all.
The AC works great. the engine temp is fine. no leaks as far as i can tell.
Just wanted to know if anyone else has had this problem. or knows how to fix it?

 

If the HVAC unit is ok the issue may be heater core or thermostat.

 

If your temp gauge is running in the middle then it should not be the thermostat. But do check your coolant level. My radiator recently went bad and I lost all coolant while driving and didn't realize it. First warning was heat was very slow to come on the day before. Should have checked for low coolant. The coolant gauge read normal even though the coolant had drained out. Weird.
Find the heater core hoses on the engine side of the firewall and see if both are warm/hot to the touch. If both are hot, core should be ok.
How about the blend doors controlled by the left knob (cool to hot dial switch)? Is yours working? They tend to break at the stem if you turn them hard. If yours is turning, check behind to see if the linkage is working and that the plasticky gears aren't stripped.
Perhaps the flaps are stuck in the "cool open" position. Have you recently had the stereo out for replacement or anything? Wires/cable/antenna are right above that knob and linkage. Could there be some interference there?

 

the dial switch seems to be good. although it does seem to spring back a little it i turn the heat all the way up.

 

I would check the air mix door connection point and see if it's moving completely as you turn the dial. Open the driver's door, get down and look up above and to the right of the gas pedal. The big white box is the air box and the side you're looking at is the lever assembly and the cable from the knob is visible. As you turn the knob, watch the big plastic white lever and see that it's moving 100% back and forth. If it's not, see if you can turn the lever and help it move to the position that is for max heat while you turn the knob. Do this carefully, don't force anything on the knob end because it's just crappy plastic that can break and that = $$$.
You're looking to see that the cable is attached to that plastic lever correctly and that the lever moves fully back and forth as it should.
PM me if you want me to email some scans.

 

that was it! the mixer door. i've looked at it before and thought it was all the way open. but didnt see it has kind of a "J" shape. so i just turned it more. and it when all the way over. and my knob all the way down. thanks alot guys!! itll be nice having heat in ohio...in the winter!

thanks again
Nate-

 

Awesome. I think that weird shape to the lever is what creates a "hump" halfway in the dial switch that eventually weakens the stem and breaks it. You'll need to be careful turning that dial from now on since it looks like the connection and linkage on yours has weakened or maybe the lever/door pivot point is stiffened. I wonder if there's a way to lube that lever from outside the box so it moves more freely. I think it's several hundred bucks for a new dial assembly.

 

does ur heather knob get stuck ?

 

the heater knob was just kind of weird...it would work fine. except for when i would try to turn the heat all the way up..the knob would want to kind of spring back. a little. and i thought thats what was wrong with it. but here it was just cause it was getting stuck on the J where the linkage is. and it was springing back because it was the plastic flexing.

 

hey hideou.. can u send me any tips you have in how u fixed it?

I have the EXACT same problem as you with the EXACT same thing happening to the knob when it springs back a little.
this might be it.

.. so i just gotta look for a cable coming from the lever to a white box directly underneath the gas pedal?

 

Above the gas pedal.
Check this thread out going on in the how to section right now. The big picture posted yesterday is what you'll see under there.
https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/la...ml#post8965335

 

fixed for the *season* i guess. cheap ole heating unit.

thanks for the help everyone connected to the two threads

 

i hope this fixes mine it just got cold

 

If you havent done it, its like $30 in parts but there was a recall on the gears. I replaced mine and it hasnt given me any trouble since.

 

I was having am issue with my cold/hot dial I noticed a lot of resistance until one extremely cold morning I wasnt getting much of any heat thats when I googled my issue and read your post. It was the door not closing all the way at the box. Than I you again you saved me so much trouble and my daughter is warm on the way to school now! Thanks again