What? No heating?!?!?

[shadowman]

Hello again,

I didn't think I would be reporting problems again so soon. Thankfully, it's not
a serious issue but it is annoying. My heater seems to have packed up!

It was working fine one minute, but yesterday I stopped getting any warm air!

I tried the demister fans at their hottest setting and all the other settings from the
environment control console but I all I get is cold air. Is it something to do with the heater matrix now?

 

[rhanagar]

Possible heater matrix, though either you or the missus is getting wet feet. I assume you aren't losing coolant at all if not my ideas would be a blockage (take both bulkhead hoses off and flush through both ways with a hose on moderate power), or if its like the Z31 there is a vacuum operated flap that sits on the bulkhead that cuts off the flow when the controls are moved.

 

[zpuppy]

Mine just went this morning as well lol. Go figure these cars eh? Anybody know where to source the vac operated valve for the heat control ? Am assuming its the valve in my case cus theres lots of vac at the hose but the actuator rod is no move

 

[rhanagar]

Thought about whipping it off and seeing if its just gummed up with crud. When I took mine off for the resto I am doing it was filled with all manner of gunk. Used some carb cleaner, and WD40 and worked it till it was free.

 

[zpuppy]

Just tried that earlier mate,,the damn rod fell out along with half the internals :lol: if ya didnt laff you'd cry

 

[rhanagar]

Zpuppy:
You could just bypass it and take the targa tops off. All it does is let the coolant through the matix.

Shadowman:
Look to see if the vacuum pipe is connected, or if it has any splits in it. Should trace to a vacuum pump somewhere. Mines on the slam panel at the front of the car. The strip that hold the bonnet release mechanism.

 

[zpuppy]

Yeah, bypassed it with a couple bits of 15 mm copper, gonna be a sweaty puppy till I source a new one though ! I was actually thinking about using an old vac advance unit off a v8 gm ,,, gonna have a look anyway,,give my fabrication skills a workout after i finish cleaning the beer lines tommorow

 

[shadowman]

Zpuppy:
You could just bypass it and take the targa tops off. All it does is let the coolant through the matix.

Shadowman:
Look to see if the vacuum pipe is connected, or if it has any splits in it. Should trace to a vacuum pump somewhere. Mines on the slam panel at the front of the car. The strip that hold the bonnet release mechanism.

Found out what the problem was and was fortunately a very simple thing to put right. I remembered being told there was a small leak in the coolant system when I got the car back and then I forgot all about it. Seems it must have been bleeding coolant for a long time because it was almost out of coolant when I checked the radiator! I did not realise heat is drawn from the coolant (when the engine is hot enough) that is used to warm the air inside the car. I always thought it was a completely separate electrical system that wasn't connected to the engine as such. Just never gave it much thought before and just took it for granted.
I just expected it to just work But now all is well. Need to get that leak sorted soon though.

Thanks to zpuppy and rhanagar for your advice. Hope you get your heater issues sorted out quickly, it was no fun sitting taking the car to work on a cold morning with frosty air blowing on me to demist the windscreen!

 

[rhanagar]

No problem buddy. Get that leak fixed asap as we are getting warmer days now and you will need it.

You will find all cars rely on the engine coolant to be fed through a radiator (Heater Matrix) in the dash. The blower merely pushes air past it which warms the air up and keps your toes hot. All the heat selctor does is to close a flap that blocks this air off. The Vacuum operated valve we were talking about shuts off flow to the matrix and channels it back into the engine.

Don't you check your coolant BTW. Its kind of important you do ... and make sure you use coolant and not just plain water. Rusty internals can cause all sorts of issues that are expensive to fix.

 

[shadowman]

No problem buddy. Get that leak fixed asap as we are getting warmer days now and you will need it.

You will find all cars rely on the engine coolant to be fed through a radiator (Heater Matrix) in the dash. The blower merely pushes air past it which warms the air up and keps your toes hot. All the heat selctor does is to close a flap that blocks this air off. The Vacuum operated valve we were talking about shuts off flow to the matrix and channels it back into the engine.

Don't you check your coolant BTW. Its kind of important you do ... and make sure you use coolant and not just plain water. Rusty internals can cause all sorts of issues that are expensive to fix.

Yeah, I should make a point of checking it regularly. I will buy another bottle of anti-freeze and top up. But got to sort out that leak.

 

[rhanagar]

Where is it coming from?

 

[RobZ32]

There are a few common leak points (rusting pipes) on a Z32 if its not been running good quality antifreeze and also distilled water at 50/50. Most of which are a pain to change or bypass.