Sword

Well got it down, swapped the thermostat and also dropped the HCV. Everything seems to be working fine, and I have heat again!

I have some lingering questions about what happened though.

1. Originally the thermostat was stuck open, makes sense why engine didnt get TOO hot, but why didn't I get ANY heat at all? Maybe the HCV was stuck closed?

2. Given the thermostat opens at 195, how is it that I get ANY heat before this? Shouldnt the fluid in the heater core be closed from the engine and therefore outside temp?

PatHenry

1 - It could be the HCV was bad - didn't you ask about moving the lever.. so likely if not completely bad, maybe just not letting enough. Also if your old t-stat was in pieces perhaps one of them lodged in such a way to restrict flow to the outlet.
At full open all the time, the excess heat might just not have been sufficient to be detectable in the output.

2 - Did you notice the hole in the t-stat housing on the side of the main hole? Coolant still flows a bit there even when the t-stat is closed.
Another reason is that the t-stat is not a switch (on or off) but more like a dial.. it starts opening some before fully opening at the rated temp.

PatHenry

Glad to hear you are up and running!!