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[amba]

Refitted my heater matrix last week with new "0" rings /coolant/ after having a leak in the drivers footwell.

I have thoroughly flushed the matrix through with descaller and and am totally sure it is clear and free from any obstructions.The entire coolant sytem has been flushed through and all refilled with fresh 50/50 coolant mixture.

Car runs at stable temperature and no leaks are now within the system ,but I am only getting luke warm heat into the car despite both the metal feed pipes going into the bulk head being very hot to the touch.

Is it possible that when it was refilled I have managed to get an air lock within the matrix and this is only allowing part of the heater rad to get hot and therefore reduce the ammount of heat coming through it.The moving air is not cold but I would have thought it would now be very hot .

How can I tell if there is an air lock and how do I go about removing it as I have now driven around 200 miles since it being refilled and it has not lost a drop on the level.The top radiator hose was " burped " when refilled and the system is holding pressure as you can hear is when releasing the coolant cap.

Any guides would be great as had hoped for much more heat

[tigers_gonads]

Might be worth checking that the vacuum pipe on the HBV hasn't popped off 

[amba]

Would that not cause the HBV to be totally open and therefore allow total heat through.

Both metal pipes going through bulk head are hot and feel similar temperatures so does than not conclude HBV is working correctly.

I get some heat coming through and it is only warm to slightly hot but not as hot as I would have expected if same temp water is going through matrix that is going through the feed and return to the matrix given the pipe temperatures.

Is it therefore possible to have an air lock in the matrix which is still allowing some hot water to circulate but not a high enough volume to give a really good heat.??    If this is the problem how do I go on about getting the trapped air from the heater matrix ??

[tigers_gonads]

Would that not cause the HBV to be totally open and therefore allow total heat through.

Both metal pipes going through bulk head are hot and feel similar temperatures so does than not conclude HBV is working correctly.

I get some heat coming through and it is only warm to slightly hot but not as hot as I would have expected if same temp water is going through matrix that is going through the feed and return to the matrix given the pipe temperatures.

Is it therefore possible to have an air lock in the matrix which is still allowing some hot water to circulate but not a high enough volume to give a really good heat.??    If this is the problem how do I go on about getting the trapped air from the heater matrix ??

Thought it was the other way round 

[RobG]

Would that not cause the HBV to be totally open and therefore allow total heat through.

Both metal pipes going through bulk head are hot and feel similar temperatures so does than not conclude HBV is working correctly.

I get some heat coming through and it is only warm to slightly hot but not as hot as I would have expected if same temp water is going through matrix that is going through the feed and return to the matrix given the pipe temperatures.

Is it therefore possible to have an air lock in the matrix which is still allowing some hot water to circulate but not a high enough volume to give a really good heat.??    If this is the problem how do I go on about getting the trapped air from the heater matrix ??

Thought it was the other way round 

Nope. No vac = heat

[amba]

So as there is no fault with the HBV and both bulk head pipes are really hot ,how do I get air out of the matrix...assuming that is the reason why there is a poor heat flow. ..as cant see anything else casuing this problem

[kcl]

But if both pipes are hot the water IS circulating through the matrix  Are you sure that none of the heat adjusting components has not fallen off during/after operation?

[Abiton]

Seems pretty unlikely that air(lock) in the matrix is your problem, to me.  Reason being that it is rather a low point in the system as a whole, and air is rather 'floaty' in water, so would tend to gather at a high point instead (like the expansion tank).  If you had just flushed and refilled, and run the engine hardly at all, then I'd agree, but you've done significant mileage/hours of engine running, and the coolant level is stable, so I'd say no air.

You say the temps are stable, but are they mid-gauge?

You also say that you've flushed the matrix and are sure that it's 100% clear, but I would say that's not actually possible to know, unless the matrix is new.  Reason: the inner pipes are all in parallel, so you can't tell from flow into/out of the main in/out pipes how many of the little inner ones are blocked or not; unless they're all or almost all blocked.

However, I wonder if it's something else.  I don't know if this is possible, but others will...
...perhaps the mechanism/flap that selects whether the cabin air is sent through the matrix or not is not operating quite right?
If you are getting a blend of air that is, and isn't being heated, that would feel like air that isn't being heated much?

[amba]

I am certain the matrix is clear and holding its full capacity as when I first removed it I was only able to get 12.5 fluid oz of water to hold inside it before it started to ver flow back out of the other opening.

The matrix was left to stand over night with descaller inside it and its contents were emptied out and a fair ammount of silt/bits were removed .This was done over the next 2 nights and each time less crud was removed until it is now clear and from empty will hold 22 fluid oz before it now over flows.assuming the matrix has a capacity of around 1 imperial pint I would say it is clear of any obstruction and is holding a similar quantity of fluid as if now new.

The only electrical parts I removed to get the matrix out were the 2 plug ins for the servos up behind the dash panle and the lower connection along side the matrix.These have all been refitted and are secure...the servo motors have be re-synced and air is diverted to each position as called for by the dials on the climate control panel.

Both metal feed pipes to the matrix are hot to touch an are a similar temperature indicating that there is a flow of coolant through the matrix and the matrix is secured back into its housing.I have thoroughly dried all areas inside the housing and also fitted a new pollen filter.

The only part I seem to have not checked and unsure how this operates is along the bottom of the matrix is a thin metal rod which connects to an arm just behind the metal steering column support.This runs the length of the matrix and then connects to something behind the bottom shaped black plastic socket which the lowest wired plug fits into.How does this operate and what makes this move as I am wondering if that may well be something to do with the system closing of the flow of cold air which may be dilluting the temperature of the ehated air being produced by the matrix.

Sorry if this sounds confusing but unsure how else to describe this part.

[tigers_gonads]

Would that not cause the HBV to be totally open and therefore allow total heat through.

Both metal pipes going through bulk head are hot and feel similar temperatures so does than not conclude HBV is working correctly.

I get some heat coming through and it is only warm to slightly hot but not as hot as I would have expected if same temp water is going through matrix that is going through the feed and return to the matrix given the pipe temperatures.

Is it therefore possible to have an air lock in the matrix which is still allowing some hot water to circulate but not a high enough volume to give a really good heat.??    If this is the problem how do I go on about getting the trapped air from the heater matrix ??

Thought it was the other way round 

Nope. No vac = heat

Noted 

[amba]

Just had a really meaningfull read through the Haynes manual and I have atleast identified the names of the parts better.

The thin metal rod runs from the r/h bottom vent servo to an arm just slightly forward of the steering column support bar,and I am wondering if this servo is to do with shutting the base of the air distribution unit in effect reducing the flow of cold air from the pollen filter onto the heater matrix.If this is not working correctly,possibly caused by being soaked in coolant due to the matrix seal going ,this could be allowing too much flow of cold air ,in effect reducing the heat that is being produced.

Does all this sound logical or am I looking in the wrong place.

I do get a fair amount of heat flow but would have expectec it to be better,and prior to this burst seal the heat output was much better.