Heat!

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 5:52 pm

Well, more of a lack of...

As well as my misty windows (which aren't half as bad as Martins now I've cleaned them with some Holts interior screen wipes), and my odd TCP like smell when I turn the heat on, I have a new problem - on my way home last night, it was a bit cold, so I put the heater slider all the way up - the engine was at running temp, yet the air coming in was cold. But it's not that simple (is it ever) - during the journey (and possibly when accelerating heavilly), the cold air would turn warm from time to time, and one time it was hot (as I'd expect), but only for 10 seconds or so...

So, who reckons all these symptoms are related? Who reckons they know what's up? What should I be looking at first?

Just going out again, so I'll see if it's still playing silly buggers with the heater...
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chris1roll · Post by **chris1roll** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 7:23 pm

I would have thought they are related, and I would start by checking your heater matrix.
However I cant think why the heater would work intermitently, unless the cable for the air flow was broken and sometimes lets the heat through and sometimes doesn't. This would be probably unrelated..... no, it might not be. If you can't direct the air to the windscreen it wont demist. creating foggy windows.
Theres always the matter of your fog though, which I think could be your heater matrix. I would have the carpet away from the tunnel console and have a look at the heater unit, if it leaks bad the coolant will be coming out of the housing anyway (my sisters footwells had an inch of water in them, when hers gave up, in the middle of London!) and you can also check the cables for the airflow if you then remove the lower part of the housing, you will be able to see the matrix itself, where minor leaks will show up as a crusty deposit.
Fog could be created by hot coolant escaping as steam, and the coolant will probably smell quite like TCP so worth a look.
Bear in mind if it is, you will need to dry out the floor very well, as the coolant is corrosive and will rot your floorpan out over the next few years.

pol · Post by **pol** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 7:28 pm

Always worth checking / replacing the thermostat too. Stuck open or shut / whatever. They're cheap, but don't reckon that'd have anything to do with the crazy misty stuff.

pol

lee · Post by **lee** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:11 pm

Your heater matrix could be blocked. If moisture has got in this would cause it to fog up and take a fair old while to shift.

I haven't ever remover the heater matrix but it doesn't look nice i can tell you that much.

chris1roll · Post by **chris1roll** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:16 pm

It wasn't that bad when I did my sisters, although I had to do it three times, in the dark! Once to remove hers, once to take one out of my old car. Then discover its leaking too. Then do it a third time to remove it from a race car, which is ok, then fit it in hers.

most awkward bit is getting the pipes off in the engine bay on my old car they were stuck fairly well, my sisters they fell off.

Of course a turbo might make access that bit more tricky?

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 8:58 pm

Is Haynes to be trusted for this job, or could someone do a step by step guide to getting to your heating system

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:41 pm

In my other car you have to bleed the heater, since its higher as the radiator.... maybe this one to? Maybe its blocked ...with air !

Chriss, I thought coolant had addetives to prevent corrosion ?

About the fog thread..... I am having more and more the feeling i was right about this...

luck
JPF

chris1roll · Post by **chris1roll** » Fri Oct 31, 2003 9:44 pm

I used VADIS

Volvofox. I hadn't thought of that! just that it always says to be careful not to get it onto the paintwork etc.

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 1:29 pm

well, coolant isn't exactly lemonade

aldough it looks deliciously like "blue curacou"

dragons story could be as follows; that coolant leaked out of the heater, and because one tap of the two lines was closed (always like that, as you don't slide it to the max) it could be pressurized but there was no flow. as the car heats up and cools down (works like a pump) there is now air in the heater instead of coolant,that got in the ducts and fogged up the interior. and yes it smells bad, and makes greasy windows., hence it doesn't work In this case, because air swapped with coolant, there would be no significant drop in the coolant level, anyhow it takes only a few drops of coolant to make the car fog up. Mostly heater and coolant leakages spray like a spraycan

there are two ways to repair this, 1, a fast and cheap way and 2,
the best one, with lots of efford needed, and spare time.

ad 1, you just simply take care the heater circulates well (tap full open)(or the air in the heater bleeded) drop in some exta coolant and a "radiator pil"

ad2 You take appart the dash as far as needed, take out the heater, pressurize it, mark the leak (or maybe its a hose or a hoseclamb) and have it soldered at a radiator repair workshop (or new/2 nd hand one)

Hmm, getting interesting, .....

keep us informed ?

keep calm, as I know you will,

Luck
JPF

king_j · Post by **king_j** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 4:47 pm

right i get the exact same thing in my 2ltr laguna, v cold yet engine is roasting i thougth it was air in the system but i bled it and all air out now still the same if i rev the car to 2k the heat will come back so when driving its fine but when stopped at lights even for a sec the heat drops.

any clues?

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Sat Nov 01, 2003 10:54 pm

must be still air.

bleed it every so much time. air gets together in the highest point. (in most cases the heater) It even can theoretical be possible you have a little, tiny leak of engine compression to the coolant, and it will get together in the heater, even after bleeding every week.... but this would be a long shot.

luck
JPF

sakis480 · Post by **sakis480** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 7:16 am

Hi to all...
i am trying to understand what is the heater matrix...

As for the problem, under the bonet on the second drivers place, next to the window cleaner motor, there is an entrance of the air...it is a black colour...when the aircondition is on this is closing to protect the insde of the car from the engine temp...when u turn off the airco this is a wide open..check if this open-close black (cover??) is working..to have a heat inside it has to be open all times....to my perception this might be called heater matrix.....my english some times gets worst..always depends on how many caps of coffe i had..

luck
sakis480

Website · Post by **coyote1980** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 7:52 am

sakis480 wrote:Hi to all...
i am trying to understand what is the heater matrix...

The heater matrix is the small radiator in the dashboard where the coolant of the car can heat up the air which is then blown into the compartment.

sakis480 · Post by **sakis480** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 9:26 am

ok coyote thank u much for this info..

C6REW · Post by **C6REW** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 11:57 am

Hi Gaz,

I have not had the time to read all of this thread properly but thought I would give you my thoughts anyway.

The lack of heat even though the engine is warm is likely to be caused by lack of water, blockage or as POL suggests the thermostat. Which is very cheap and normally easy to change.

I have just had the same problem with my son's car and the thermostat cost Â£8.25! Problem solved and it runs great.

It may be worth checking this as it will be a lot easier than to sort than the matrix etc!

Regards

Chris

lee · Post by **lee** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 6:32 pm

Had a simular problem with the 440 turbo this weekend. Then the oil temperature light came on. Checked the water water and there was none. Not a drop. Rad had decided to give up.

So with a new rad ( I just so happened to have) installed a flush and the bleeding all is good.

Oh also an oil change is no sweat again apart from the cancer it has.

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Mon Nov 03, 2003 8:45 pm

Well I don't seem to have lost coolant, or if I am, it's so slow it doesn't show on the floor and the loss isn't enough to affect the cooling of the engine (i.e. the engine stays normal temp) - I _hope_ it's as easy as a new thermostat, but the fogginess, smell and misty windows makes me fear worse than that - I think it might have to go to Volvo (unless anyone can recommend a GOOD local Volvo-savvy garage in the Barnsley/Wakefield/Sheffield triangle? I haven't time to look myself this week and the weather's getting colder so it needs sorting.... Having said that, I'm not sure I have the dough to take it to Volvo... maybe time to ebay some more junk...

volvofox · Post by **volvofox** » Tue Nov 04, 2003 11:45 pm

well dragon, you can discuss abouT this for years....

I advise you finally stick your head under the dash and look.

don't underestamate the diagnosis the both problems have in common.

You can safe a lot of money both ways :

1 ) think of what a pleasant relax, action, educational, recreation midday will cost you (

=

)

2 ) think of what repair costs you can safe !

luck
JPF

dragon · Post by **dragon** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 2:05 pm

right, daft question, but I don't have room for VADIS still on this computer and may Haynes has temporarilly disappeared - just HOW do you get the
carpets out? I get some edges up and then it stops as if it's glued down
or something - whats the official method?

If someone could answer before it gets too dark outside, that would be great

G

martinholmesuk · Post by **martinholmesuk** » Thu Nov 06, 2003 2:38 pm

The side carpet is held with Velcro (JUST some strips) just tug but make sure you tug near the Velcro otherwise you might stretch the carpet.

Well I don't seem to have lost coolant, or if I am, it's so slow it doesn't show on the floor

Same here but it was drip drip drip all day! I just undid the water pipes in the engine bay and connected them so it's a bypass.

Volvo 480 Club Europe

Heat!

Heat!

HEAT AND THE EVASION OF IT