No heat issue:Resolved

[DanD]

The last water pump I replaced was put on with a gasket and silicone. The silicone was totally blocking the heater pipe, like a rubber plug.

[AriK]

It ends up in fact being a blocked heater core. Seems to happen fast, it wasn't long ago that my heat settings were hot and hotter. Seems to be a coincidence that prior to my timing belt change (and flush) last month i had "some heat". Even last Monday some coolant passed through in reverse direction. Now nothing. I wonder what goes on in that core.
Anyhow, better this than a dreaded leak on my newly Por-15 & insulated floors. I now bypassed the whole heater core loop until i eventually feel like punishing myself with replacing it (never )
Thank you to everyone who chimed in.

[spiderdan]

a blocked heater core.

Ari, sorry to hear it wasn't something a little more simple. I really thought it might be the valve.
Strange how they just plug up. I thought it would be a gradual thing.
Anyway, who needs heat in the fall in Mtl?

[AriK]

Thanks for the condolences Dan! It's nice to have some heating on some of those cool nights during summer on the highway. As for fall, the car goes to bed in early October every year due to my busy autumns at work. I don't run it on crispy cool days. To make a long story short Montebello would be its last ride of the season till its wake-up in May.

[spiderdan]

I wish your Spider a good rest Ari, it was a pleasure meeting her (and you) this year.
I on the other hand love fall driving and usually keep her out till I see that 1st big orange rig about to dump salt on the roads. That will be happening soon on my cottage road. They get frost up there a lot earlier than here in the city.
A few years back I was still driving here the 1st week of December, which is rare.
I think mine will be joining yours in hibernation sooner than I would like.
If the farmers' Almanac is correct, this is supposed to be a "T Rex winter" here.
I don't know what a "T-Rex winter" is but it doesn't sound too pleasant.

[AriK]

I wish your Spider a good rest Ari, it was a pleasure meeting her (and you) this year.
I on the other hand love fall driving and usually keep her out till I see that 1st big orange rig about to dump salt on the roads. That will be happening soon on my cottage road. They get frost up there a lot earlier than here in the city.
A few years back I was still driving here the 1st week of December, which is rare.
I think mine will be joining yours in hibernation sooner than I would like.
If the farmers' Almanac is correct, this is supposed to be a "T Rex winter" here.
I don't know what a "T-Rex winter" is but it doesn't sound too pleasant.

I was glad to meet up with you guys too this year, in fact it helped get some mileage on the Fiat. Unlike you i don't rack up 6000 miles per summer, this year i only drove 1500 km and half of that was due to our meets. Maybe that explains the heater core, use it or lose it.
I'm not familiar with a T-Rex winter but i can show you a T-Rex. I rented this contraption and rode it to North Bay with some buddies on their bikes. I would have rather been in the Spider, comfort was not Job 1 in the creation of this thing, but it's quite the people magnet.