Thanks. How a thermostat works is easy enough, hence why I blocked off the radiator. Yeah, I'll have to find it. Shouldn't it just be on the other side of the bottom radiator hose?

If and when I do find it, I'll probably just buy one from advanced/auto zone. Are these cars pink coolant or green? (Guess I could just go look )

I'll probably try to look for it this weekend, and see what I can do. Thanks for the help everybody. The thermostat, and bleeder things seem the two most logical places to start. If they don't work, then I'll go for more drastic measures.

 

On the 95 2.8 the T-stat is located on the front (Bank 1 side).
I read that it can be replaced without taking the timing belt off, but unless I do it and know exactly how's it done, I wouldn't put my seal of "knowledge" (LOL) on it.
Anyway, I advanced the "bleeding" idea because is the first and foremost simple thing that it can be done.
(We still don't know how hot they get or how cool the hoses remain, though...)
Checking the heater hoses' would have been another simple thing.
Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Alrighty guys, did a little test this morning. Started the car, revved it to around 1500 till it was almost out of the initial "block" of temperature at the very bottom of the temp gauge (no where NEAR warmed up) and felt both rad hoses. Top one (that's in the top right (drivers) side corner of the rad) was HOT. Bottom left (passenger side) one was warm. That means that coolant was flowing through the rad even though the car wasn't even close to warmed up. Aka I have a bad thermostat. I'm going to go check the hoses going to the heater core now, but the first thing I'm going to do is replace the thermostat.

 

i did the stat on that motor and it is right behind the timing belt. It can be done without removing the belt but i did lossen mine. there is an aluminum housing that a hose ataches to that it sits behind. \huge pain in the *** but can be done.
FWIW i had a siimilar issue with my 95 Audi 90. after replacing the stat, water pump , akl heater hoses core and bleeding it to death i gave up and only use it as a summer car. Your issue does sound like the stat though.

Good luck.

 

I also felt both hoses coming from the heater core. They both felt warm with the heater on HI for about a minute or so. Although it was a PITA to get my hand down to them without taking stuff apart. (Which I didn't feel like doing.)

 

Alrighty well my lack of heat is NOT related to my car not heating up.

I changed my thermostat. Everything went well. Went to bleed the system, loostened both bleeders (rear main was a PITA, freaking hex was ALMOST stripped before I touched it, nothing an hour of WD-40 didn't fix). So as I poured more coolant in, it came out of the rear main bleeder. Awesome. None came out of the one behind the firewall, but I figured that was ok, since it was decently high up and the car wasn't running

I let the car heat up, and turned the heat on, knowing that coolant SHOULD be flowing through where the 2nd bleeder is. Nothing. I took the bleeder screw out... COMPLETELY. Nothing. Not a drop of coolant spilled out. I could SEE the coolant, but it wasn't coming out at all. I mean, shouldn't it be pressurized, shouldn't it be pretty much squirting out of there?

So, what's the verdict on the no heat situation. Clogged heater core perhaps? What's the thing that's right in front of the bleeder valve? I'm guessing it's a solenoid of some type to shut off the flow? Could that be broken, not letting new coolant in? Broken climate control thermometer, never telling the computer that the car is cold inside? Ideas?

 

In front of the heater bleeder screw is the heater valve I was mentioning previously. That is responsible for allowing the coolant to flow through the heater core. It is vacuum actuated, so when you turn the heater on it opens up and lets the coolant flow toward the heater core. It has a white arm that opens/closes the inner flap, so you can actually see it moving when turning the heater on/off. Have someone turn the heater on/off and observe that little control arm. If it doesn't move, then you need to change the valve.
It is about $ 23-25.
Since you got into the thick of things, you can actually pull it off the hose (I know, is a bit of an effort - not much room in there) and try to blow it while moving the control arm; maybe is plugged with debris. Also, you need to make sure it receives vacuum while you have the engine running.

In any event, when you pour coolant have your heater bleeder opened first, as it is the highest point in the system. If you have both bleeders open at the same time, the coolant will not flow through the heater bleeder...guaranteed.
Makes sure it flows through that bleeder, then close it, and only after that open up the main pipe's bleeder (the little 5-6M hex). When you get flow there too, tighten that one too, and fill the overflow reservoir to max. Screw its cap and then start the car. As you start the car the system starts to pressurize itself. Turn the engine on and let it warm up for 10 mins or so. Then turn your heater on.
At this point you start opening up slowly (just a couple of turns suffice) the heater bleeder. As said before, steam will come out and is ok. However, if you get gurggling, fizzing, hissing, keep closing and reopening the bleeder several times until you get a steady stream of coolant, but no more fizzing/hissing (that's air escaping).
Do the same for the main pipe bleeder. When you have there a constant flow of coolant, close her up. Do a quick 5-10 min drive, return and park it. When it's cooled down you can check the coolant level and top it off.
If you replaced the T-stat, if your Water pump is good, if the heater valve is good, if your heater core isn't plugged, then by now you should definitely have heat.
If you still don't have heat after all these conditions are met, then you got a problem with the climate control unit, as it doesn't open up the flap inside the HVAC box.