Heat problem

[nswizard]

Hi everyone,

I have a 450 petrol and for me situation is like this:
- 3 blobs after like 10 minutes of normal drive (-7 deg C)
- both pipes on heater matrix are hot
- air temp coming out of vents is rather cold (you can hardly feel it as warmish)
- checked all cables and they work normally
- there is difference in air temp when i switch to cold air
- coolant flow is ok
- system bleeding is done

Thinking to replace heater matrix but it seems bit complicated to reach. Anyone did it in the past?

[tolsen]

Can you measure temperature of coolant in expansion bottle when you have engine up to operating temperature with 3 blobs indicating.

Remove cap on expansion bottle whilst engine is cold. Then go for a short spin to allow engine to heat up. Then measure temperature.

Coolant in expansion bottle comes directly from heater matrix.

I suspect there is a problem with hot cold temperature control lever and its flap.

[tolsen]

Posting cooling system diagram for you:

Cap on expansion bottle is not shown. There won't be any problem with your heater matrix if coolant in expansion bottle is near piping hot. Check valve partly hidden behind photobucket is tiny with bore about 3 mm. Its purpose is to allow automatic bleeding of air out of radiator but stop hot coolant in heater matrix circuit flowing to radiator.

[mottofreee]

Check the flap to operate the airflow. Fix problems .
If it does not work then wash the water jet heating matrix. Only then.
Method 1.
Unscrew the hose that goes to the array from the thermostat. .Set the hose (garden) into the hose that goes from the expansion vessel to the matrix.
10 minutes with low pressure (!) Are sufficient. Re-turn the circuit and the complete antifreeze and then vent.
2.
There are also substances that are added to antifreeze.

[tolsen]

Nil chance matrix is blocked if coolant is clear.

[nswizard]

With heating turned off, temperature in the expansion bottle was 75 deg C and outside was 4 deg C.

I can feel that plastic around heater matrix is warm but air that comes from vents is much less warm.
Also noticed that when I switch to cold air, airflow is much stronger compared to when I move lever to warm air.
Took off the cable from cold-warm lever and checked its movement. It is the same as when the cable is on.

Will try this:
1. wash heating matrix as mottofreee suggested

if that does not help

2. will take the dashboard off and check entire venting box. maybe dust and dirt is partially blocking air

[tolsen]

No need to flush as you have now confirmed water out of heater matrix is warm enough if 75 C. Must be a problem with air flap that controls hot and cold air.

[mottofreee]

To properly wash the matrix is much more to undo than to check the flap.
For the flap ,remove dashboard.
For washing:
- Get down the front panels of the car
- the radiators are down or descend the motor group .
The washing can be done differently, but it is a complicated process anyway - the all antifreeze is lost (the antifreeze is a toxic liquid, it has a sweet smell that attracts the animals - by ingestion the death occurs in a few days) .