no heating on my new fto

[japcarmaniac]

got another fto today (95 GR). the heating wasnt working but the car was cheap. im assuming it may be the matrix but is there any other things i can rule out before undertaking this job?

symptoms - no heating whatsoever.

also the car wont idle when cold but its ok on warm up. i think it may be the stepper.

thanks in advance guys

[colm_mcm]

Check the rad hoses and make sure both are warm. Check coolant level and make sure matrix is actually connected, you'll see 2 hoses going through the bulkhead on the passenger side, if matrix is bypassed these 2 will be connected together.

[optical illusion]

Also clean out your stepper.

[japcarmaniac]

ok i flushed and changed the coolant today. all pipes heat up, top matrix pipe hot and the bottom just warm. im not sure if its because my hands were cold but im sure i got a little heat but now its gone again. no heat at all. i also checked the climate control unit and the tube was disconnect from the back so i put it back on. still no heat. i did notice however that when you turn the temperature dial from between 17 and 22 i can hear a motor opening a vlave but i get no noise at any other temperature after that. could it be the valve not opening? if it was though id have warm air at 22.?

[colm_mcm]

That noise is the flaps in the heater box, its thermostatically controlled so there would be no difference between 23 and 28 degrees, it'd be pumping in hot air either way.

Sounds like you have circulation issues, thermostat etc. Is the car over heating if left idling? Is fan cutting in?

[japcarmaniac]

no over heating, idles fine and fan kicks in when it needs it. i dont think the heater core is blocked as its returning some hot water but not alot and this would give me some heat at least.

the coolant was brown though when i changed it so there is some corrosion somewhere that could have blocked somthing.

is there a valve that controlls the water going to the core?

also if its not circulating then could it be pump issues? wouldnt a dogey thermostat cause over heating?

[mivecmad27]

If the coolant wasn't circulating you'd have over heating problems. If the temp flaps are operating,and you have no cooling problems it'd almost have to be a heater matrix problem.

[bigdane1390]

im having more or less the same problem. my car was overheating on saturday and there was no heat. saw there was no coolant. i filled it up with water then took a 10 minute drive to get anti freeze and all the water had gone. filled up with coolant then checked yesterday and it was gone aswell. its not leekin anywhere that i can see. could i get some advice please

[colm_mcm]

Check your oil cap for sludge

[CJ]

Check your oil cap for sludge

And the water pump for leaks...

CJ

[colm_mcm]

I'm going on the basis that there's no leak

[CJ]

I'm going on the basis that there's no leak

You would think - no offense to the OP - but I've come across guys who wonder why their coolant level is low only to look under the car a few days later and realise water pump is leaking. Coolant hoses can also rupture and its not always initially evident - get the torch out.

@ japcarmaniac - I would expect the temperature differential between the matrix flow and the return to be similar, sounds like a blockage or badly corroded core.

CJ