Cooling System / Heater Matrix

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

Just been round mate's house draining my cooling system cuz my heaters are SHITE.........so we drained it..........LOADS of shit came out.......like we could've made another R19 with the rust that came out lol........so we were thinking like "yeah, look at all that shit comin out, that's gotta have sorted it now". So we slap the new coolant in, bleed air out, etc.....blah......and the bloody frikkin heaters are still the same as before (SHITE!!). So.........if we've cleared the shit outta the system, and the matrix isn't leaking (cuz I got no water in passenger footwell)......then what the hell else can be wrong? I wanna just order a new matrix and slap it in, but it's a LOT of work to do if that won't improve things! I put the pic up so you could get a rough idea of the amount of SHIT that came out of the system when we flushed it.

Forum Moderator Joined: 18 Feb 2004 Posts: 7432

yeah that looks familiar... and if you do it again next week you'll get exactly the same thing. Evil or Very Mad

did you flush the matrix itself backwards and forwards by connecting your hose directly to its inlet and outlet, or did you just flush the system as a whole?

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

Well we didn't take the pipes off the Matrix and stick the hose pipe right in there, but we put it on the pipe comin from the matrix........if that makes sense? The pipe that goes from the matrix to the bottom of the expansion tank. So yeah, we put the hose pipe on there and so that can't be much different to sticking it right on the end of the matrix? Cuz water still has to pass through? I dunno. Tried it both ways too. Like hose in one pipe, then other pipe y'know.

Mr Quoter-vator Joined: 16 Feb 2004 Posts: 7405

cud be just full of encrusted shite that flushing wont shift easy...the matrix that is...

is the heatin getting a bit warm? ie not just the switch is faulty?

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

yeah, it's gettin a bit warm. It's warm when u first turn the heaters on, then just gets gradually colder until it's just cold. I have got some "Rad Flush" stuff it says to drain coolant out, slap water & this bottle of rad flush back in, drive the car for 50 miles or run at working temperature for 10 mins, then allow to cool, drain the system again and whip some new coolant in.

I think that's possibly worth a go before I go diving in with a new matrix. Can I be arsed tho! Rolling Eyes

Think I'm gonna have to be!

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

Maybe I'm a muppet but that just screams air lock to me!

I still don;t have all the air out of my matrix, every time the cars started I can lift the expansion tank and yet more large pockets of air spurt their way to the tank. Its the only way I can get any heat.

Get inside the car stick your head in the passenger footwell, get someone to blip the throttle you will probably hear water rushing about in the matrix, yes thats an airlock.

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

when u say lift the expansion tank, you literally mean unclip it and lift it higher up in the air like? With the lid on or off it?

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

unclip it lift it as high as you can. Keep it tilted so the heater side is highest, then slowly twist it so the air goes intot he top section, if you don't the air bubblesd is pulled down the other pipe. Leave the cap on.

I have to do this everyday.

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

Okay.......NOW I'm confused

, just been over mates house again and we put some radiator flush in the system, let the car idle for 10 mins like it said (well, about 13 or 14 mins probably) and then drained it out, gave the system another flush with hose pipe etc.......lovely. Then we thought we'd JUST try flushing matrix out, instead of flushing the WHOLE system in one go like......so we took the two hoses comin from the matrix off, stuck hose pipe in one, water came out the other........then switched, so put hose pipe in other one, water came out of other one.....etc. So the water is flowing through the matrix fine.......I could have DRANK the water it was so clean comin out, so it would seem there is nothing wrong with matrix at all?

So, to cut a long story short.........my heater matrix seems fine, my thermostat works fine (cuz engine gets to temperature - about half way up on temp guage - and just stays there, it's NEVER overheated)...........and so.......um........what the hell else is there? I know ur all gonna say air lock aren't ya. But there is NO rushing water sound in passenger footwell. We have bleeded the system twice in 2 days, suuuurely there can't still be air in there? But you all say they are a bastard to bleed properly. Hmmmm.......I really don't know. My dad reckons it's to do with the heater controls being stuck or not connected properly or something, but why would I start off with heat......which then gradually fades away to nothing? Just doesn't make sense for it to be the controls. If it was the controls, I'd either have heat or no heat right? Not heat for a bit and THEN no heat.

Ah well, on me way home from mates house I could smell the sweet aroma of anti-freeze and I was like "ooh shit here we go" but temp guage was fine so I just kept going........got home.........realised the frrrrrikkin bottle of anti-freeze had been leaking onto my god damn bastard leather seat!! Shocked

So as u might be able to tell, I am not havin a good day lol. I am NOT selling the car tho, like everyone keeps telling me to do.......they can SOD OFFF. I WILL sort this out damnit Twisted Evil

Site Subscriber Joined: 10 Jun 2004 Posts: 2317

Sell it? You'd have to be nuts....but if you do... Wink

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

The funny thing is, EVERYONE I have asked about this is just telling me to sell it lol. Everyone's fed up of hearing about it so they won't help me.....but I am NOT selling it, I've come this far and repaired all the little pissy faults (and some big!) with the damn thing, and so I know it's in good shape.......other than the damn heaters......which have confused the hell outta me

My uncle told me to get a heated front screen, but even if I somehow could, that wouldn't keep ME warm lol

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

its an air lock and this is the last time I'm replying.

Site Subscriber Joined: 29 Jan 2005 Posts: 1108

Okay Chris, cheers. All I gotta do now is get rid of it!