heating/cooling/air an absolute mess

[BadAss95-530i]

After researching my symptoms, I think I have a plan of attack for the ol 530 (m60). Past threads are very helpful, but I am wondering if there is anything I am overlooking. My heating/air is frankly a mess.
symptoms
-Fan only blows on highest levels
-No heat in winter
-No A/C in summer
-Coolant smell randomly
-Fogged Windows when rainy
-Poor defogging/air flow at windshield, although I can feel heat when I put my hand there.

The plan
-I found Ferret’s play-by-play for the heater control repair, have read about the hammer trick with the heater valve, am aware of a possible leakage of coolant in said valve, and will verify my aux pump is in fact kicking on.
-If no dice, I am planning pulling and cleaning both the valve and the auxiliary water pump (is it worth it to try?).
-Naturally, the next step is to replace the valve and/or the aux water pump should one or both not respond.

On the right path? Its cold as balls outside and no garage means I wanna make as efficient use of my time as I can. (Along those lines, heat is priority right now and I bet none of this will help the AC situation (or will it?)) Is there something I am missing that I should be looking at before I start pulling stuff apart????


background-Had car 10 months now, NOT my daily driver, AC never was great but quite on me altogether right as it started cooling off so never addressed, and heat was fine last winter...this winter nada. In regards to coolant smell; present sinse the beggining, but NO noticable coolant level drop sinse water pump was replaced by me 7 months ago.

[Super90]

I am betting it's the heater valve. Mine was going bad and the a/c didn't work so well because the warm air was battling it. A new one is about $125 from BMA. Replacement is easy. Remove the black plastic cover, remove the three (?) nuts and carefully pull the valves and aux pump up as a unit. The pump can be removed from the bottom of the vavle assembly. Then loosen the hose clamps on the heater vavle and replace. You will lose some coolant on the floor, but it is not worth draining the system. If I lost a pint I would be amazed. You might also consider replacing the heater hoses if they have never been done. You have it all right there to be done. Then you might drain the cooling system a bit so as not to make too big a mess.

I don't thing the aux pump by itself will cause the problems you describe. It will not affect the a/c that I know of. It could be bad too, but just run things, unplug the aux pump connector and see if you can hear/feel a difference. When I say feel, I mean physically put your hand on it and see if you can feel it is running. FYI, aux pump is about $125 from BMA too.

I wouldn't bother trying to tear these items apart to repair. Just replace them.

R.

[Paul in NZ]

the deafault position for the heater valves is open,so if they were faulty you would get heat aLL the time.Unless they are completely blocked