heater

[ss4ya]

Hi All

I dont seem to be able to get any heat out of my heater. I read a invoice from ages ago that the mechanic said that it might be a blocked matrix.

Does anyone know how to fix this? Or is it a garage job?

If so how much am i looking at?

Thanks!

Stu

 

[Sami]

From what i've heard changing your heater matrix is quite a effort, doesn't cost much to replace just the labour, could do it yourself but take u a while!

 

[Nafoff]

so are you still getting the power of the air coming through...if so then it definately is your matrix...and as said above i think it is a bit of a task...you have to take off most of the dash etc to get at it...

 

[ss4ya]

yeah i am still gettiung the power from the blower, just no heat, yeah i might take it to a garage, any ideas of how much i am looking at, just money isnt in abundance at the moment...

Cheers

 

[damo13]

ive got same problem in my valver been told its a 5hr job 2 get to it..???recently had a pipe blow not sure which one it is tho he he..anyway changed it and now i get heat so am going to replace them all then flush it .that should fix it i hope :approve:

 

[ss4ya]

thanks, but it doesnt really tell me how to fix it...lol.

never mind. at least its getting into spring soon.

 

[Rich1.2]

first take off both the pipes taht go from the coolant bottle to the bulkhead and blast the hosepipe down the top one and see if any sludge/crap comes out of the other hole, if so reconnect, add the lost coolant and let it get to temperature and see if any heat comes through. If still no its new martix time which involves pulling all the dash forward off the bulkhead (pain in the ass but not hard) a garage should be charging around £100 plus the part to change it, should be an hour to undo and an hour to undo dash and same to re-do, then its adding the time to pull out the old matrix, fit the new one and re-fill coolant and test ect

 

[ss4ya]

by coolant bottle i am assumign that you mean the pipe that comes from where i put the water into the car?? and the two pipes are the thin ones coming from it. sorry, but i havent really done any maintenance to my clio as yet, so im a bit nervous to just pull it apart??

Cheers

 

[Rich1.2]

right if you stand with the bonnet open on the passengers side and from whre you put the water in there are only 2 pipes that go off to the right and one is on top of the other, its those 2

 

[john.med]

how much water is in the car? If you have v.little water in the system the heater will blow cold...

just a thought, before you rip your car to bits

 

[ss4ya]

the water is full, i always keep it full up, i get a tiny amount of heat when the engine is hot but not alot.

ok i might take a look at the tubes when i get back from holiday. so i can literally just disconnect them from both ends and put the hose through and see if stuff comes out and that might clear the pipes.

ceer

 

[G_F]

If i was you and not sure what i was doing, i would take it to a local garage and get them to do it, it will cost you under 20 quid, thats with the flush and new coolent, watch what they do, then you know for next time..

 

[ss4ya]

yeah cool, so i just go in and ask them to flush the radiator and put new coolant in then??

 

[G_F]

Ask to quote you first...its not that hard if you do want to do it yourself..

Take off the expansion tank, give it a good wash..



Stick a hose pipe in the top, leave this flush until it runs clear



now block the pipe the water was coming out of and undo the bleed valve on the rad, again wait till it runs clear..



then take out the top hose that goes into the radiator, stick the hose pipe in and reverse flush the rad..fill 50 50 with water and coolent

 

[john.med]

what a helpful chap