Heater

[moonraker]

The heater in madam's mo'beal!!!!!!!!
Has jumped to the top of "her" to do list, for me to do that is!!!!!

First, "madam"has said "The heater does not work"and "the red light in the middle of the heater guage comes on now and again"
Seems that it comes on now and then when she goes round some corners??

Have had a look today and:-
No water is being lost and it still goes like stink.

Checked the heat output once the engine is hot, not very hot when travelling COOL IN FACT

With car stood - with fan off for a while and then turned on = blows warm for a while and then blows very cool.

Took the two hoses for the heater off from the engine and stuck the hose pipe down each in turn.

The front of my sweat-shirt got very wet, if that will help any

A reasonable amount of water came out of each in turn - but there was some back pressure.

Now looks like I pee'd myself as well

Put hoses back on and warmed up engine again.

With car stood - same as before heater warm for half a minute then blows colded

Drove home heater working better, tried different speeds and revs -

Low revs = heat output not very hot.

More revs = heat output better

High revs = can get to the point through only one of the dash vents whereas the air is very hot and the air through demister is warm to warmer but not hot (mainly through the middle vents)

QUESTIONS

Are the heaters in F reg Mk 2's pretty feeble by nature?

What are the plastic and aluminium widgets on the way to the heater just in front of the bulkhead for (there looks to be a balance or bypass hose between the two) what is inside them.

Could the water pump be the problem.

Cheers Steve (and madam )

[billydude]

What are the plastic and aluminium widgets on the way to the heater just in front of the bulkhead for (there looks to be a balance or bypass hose between the two) what is inside them.

those are most likely your problem
but they normaly go as the head gasket starts to blow it seems? ?
?30 from VAG for the valve things
but I'd seriously consider a compression test and a sniffer test on the coolant before parting with ?30 for the valves 

[moonraker]

Cheers

As I live near Salisbury Wilts any ideas on a good place to get the checks done, Can do the comp'test meself!!!!

Cheers Steve

[spoldo]

Hi Steve
 ? ? ? ? ? ? i have been having the same prob on my MK2 GTI, when i bought it last month, the bloke at work had had the thermostat taken out as it was boiling over, the garage took his trousers down and charged him 80 quid for the privilage and did'nt put a new one in so i was sort of lost as it,s my first VW seemed like the head gasket had gone as it was boiling with no thermostat in, i put a new one in and got some heat through only lukewarm though, took the alloy bypass valve off and cleaned and soaked it got a load of crap out of it and got water running through it when under the hot tap, out it back on and got very hot in the car till the main thermostat opened up at about 90 on the oil temp then it went cold,yesterday i borrowed one off son in laws jetta and its like a different car it has stoped cutting out when i pull up at junctions or just pull up to stop, temp runs spot on to book, no overheating or boiling over, the bypass valve was really messing every thing up.
I now have a big prob though son in law wants it back by friday and i am having trouble finding a new one, can anyone help where to get them from, hope this helps you out.

Tony