heating

From CEM to VEM, from LED to lightbulb and more. If you have an electrical problem, like a broken info-centre, search for answers in this category. This is also the place to be when you expect the problem to be of an electrical nature...

Moderators: jifflemon, coyote1980, Rachel

Post Reply
Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

heating

Post by Rachel » Sun Nov 05, 2017 11:16 am

Hello,

I think I have an issue with my heating. It is not very hot anymore, and both driver side vents blow cold air. Heating matrix flush maybe?? Any help appreciated. Thank you. :D
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: heating

Post by jifflemon » Sun Nov 05, 2017 12:16 pm

Assuming your coolant level is ok, and the engine is getting up to temperature?

Heater matrix flush is easy enough to do, just reverse the flow.

User avatar
jamescarruthers
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2501
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2003 3:19 pm
Location: Cambridge

Re: heating

Post by jamescarruthers » Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:14 pm

What Jeff says, yes. Also, how does the slider feel? The clip came off my Bowden cable to the heater tap‎‎ last winter so I could never really select full hot. The slider feeling funny in its travel was the give away.
1987 Volvo 480 ES, 507274, 217 - Red (Ness)
2006 Citroen C6 Exclusive 3.0 petrol/LPG
2008 Mini Cooper convertible (Mau)

Previous 480's:
J123 CFU -- ES
J449 MNL -- ES auto
D864 CPV -- ES
L691 JFC -- Turbo
F70 MNR -- ES
H858 FGV -- Turbo auto
E981 KHM -- ES (509849)

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: heating

Post by Alan 480 » Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:28 pm

is it the heater 'button' controlled or the slider

if button then maybe a wee pipe off the vacuum servo flappy things, unlikely to be matrix 'suddenly'

if slider then clip broken?
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: heating

Post by Rachel » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:54 pm

slider not button Alan. it feels ok, nothing out of the ordinary. The fact that the drivers side vents blow cold air is odd too. Not sure how suddenly it's happened, as I haven't driven my 480 in the cold for a long time! It's usually tucked up in the garage once it gets cold and the roads get salty!
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: heating

Post by Alan 480 » Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:53 pm

Ok

is the radiator getting warm as SOON as you start the car, ie engine water warming up to around 80, after 4miles? ditto the oil after 10miles?

it could be the thermostat on the car jammed OPEN so engine not getting warm very fast?

the 480 usually is 'toasty' certainly better than teh C30 :-)
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: heating

Post by Rachel » Sat Nov 11, 2017 7:52 pm

Alan 480 wrote:
Fri Nov 10, 2017 12:53 pm
Ok

is the radiator getting warm as SOON as you start the car, ie engine water warming up to around 80, after 4miles? ditto the oil after 10miles?

it could be the thermostat on the car jammed OPEN so engine not getting warm very fast?

the 480 usually is 'toasty' certainly better than teh C30 :-)
Yes, all seems ok with warming up. The water in the reservoir looks to be pretty mank, Ade has seen it and fully recommends a flush. We reckon the water is full of crud and could have possibly blocked the heater matrix. Ever since I had the radiator replaced I wasn't happy with the colour of the coolant :eek:
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

User avatar
dcwalker
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1522
Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2012 12:30 pm
Location: York

Re: heating

Post by dcwalker » Tue Nov 14, 2017 9:47 am

That sounds like the most likely explanation Rachel if all the controls in the car seem to be OK.

Good flush, re-fill with genuine coolant, and (for what little they cost) perhaps replacing the thermostat while you are in there if it's the original...soon be nice and toasty again!

David
Current: 1994 480 GT, 1996 460 CD & 1997 440 LE with lots of optional extras & 2007 V50 SE Sport
Previous: Celebration 331 (re-homed with Richard S), Celebration 467 (returned to Martin Mc); Celebration 346 (re-homed with Alan480); Celebration 269 (scrapped abandoned project), Celebration 73 (sold on after 6 years), 1992 ES, 1988 ES - and numerous other non-480 Volvos!

Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: heating

Post by Rachel » Tue Nov 14, 2017 3:55 pm

dcwalker wrote:
Tue Nov 14, 2017 9:47 am
That sounds like the most likely explanation Rachel if all the controls in the car seem to be OK.

Good flush, re-fill with genuine coolant, and (for what little they cost) perhaps replacing the thermostat while you are in there if it's the original...soon be nice and toasty again!

David
Thanks..... coolant, system flush, thermostat all ordered, getting cam belt, aux. belt and transmission oil done too while its at the garage. Its time I spent some money on the 480! :hopping:
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: heating

Post by Rachel » Mon Jan 15, 2018 6:26 pm

Ok, so everything has been done now. Coolant flushed and replaced, new thermostat too (along with other stuff like cam belt, drive belt and gear box oil.) Still the heating isn't as good as it should be. It is a bit better though I guess, it does get warm, but usually full heat and fan is tooooo much after a while but I now have to keep it on full heat. Also the drivers side vents blow very cool, slightly warm on the bottom one but basically cold from the top one. What could this be??

any help or suggestions?? Thank you :D
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: heating

Post by Alan 480 » Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:27 pm

unless you have blown lots of leaves into the AIR side of the matrix???

I can't see how you can easily get at the air-side with matrix is situ ?

the heat should be same from all vents? especially left to right. if it was top to bottom then i'd say the sliders/flaps were all-to-pot
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: heating

Post by Rachel » Mon Jan 15, 2018 7:40 pm

Leaves, very unlikely I'd say. Its doesnt really get driven a great deal, and then only really in the summer months. Never had a leaf problem before in any of my daily driven 480's. It is odd.

Thanks for your reply Alan :D
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

jifflemon
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 2464
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2016 11:03 am

Re: heating

Post by jifflemon » Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:50 pm

Has someone disturbed the pipes to vents? Had the dashboard or centre console out?

Alan 480
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1489
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2011 9:03 am
Location: Aberdeen

Re: heating

Post by Alan 480 » Tue Jan 16, 2018 12:45 pm

jifflemon wrote:
Mon Jan 15, 2018 10:50 pm
Has someone disturbed the pipes to vents? Had the dashboard or centre console out?
by pipes you mean the 2" flexibles?, I'd assumed they would still be 'in place' if heater matrix not been moved or car taken apart for any reason, but might have fallen off, then you'd get no wind. :?


is there warm air at the vents under the seats (for rear seat toes)? cos they are effectively FIXED and can't 'fall-off'

so back to issues with the bowden cable/clip/flap etc ? ? ? ?
Alan

480 ES 2litre 'Celebration' ? , C30 1.8ES, SS1

Rachel
480 Is my middle name
Posts: 1567
Joined: Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:21 pm
Location: Bucks

Re: heating

Post by Rachel » Tue Jan 16, 2018 3:37 pm

Hi guys,

No no one work has been done there at all. I will have to see if I get warm air on my toes next time it's out. Seems very odd that the lower side vent is slightly warm but the top one is cold.
'95 Storm Grey 323 Manual Turbo, Richmod
----------------------------------------------------------
'95 Flame Red Celeb, Nos.191, 2 litre, LPG, used to be Adams ;) SOLD
'95 Vase Green Turbo~ Vanessa~ 'Serendipity' manual, Richmod. RIP
'90 Light Blue 480 Turbo auto....RIP
'68 VW Type 3 1.6 auto Lotus White,Swedish import. SOLD
Audi 80 coupe Gold...pimp my ride! RIP
'76 Bug, Ocean Blue, lowered, Empi wheels.RIP
'72 Bay window VW Camper 1600 twinport. Sold

Post Reply