Blocked heater matrix

[TreadGingerly]

No heat again... well a bit of warm air that's as helpful as lighting a match in this weather.. Will water pass through the matrix if is sludged up? Had other issues during the summer, flushed the whole system including running water directly through the matrix. The pipes to and from it feel hot. The bypass valves have been done away with... Any ideas, I'm freezing !!

[X4MGS]

Have you bled it properly?

Have you checked its got antifreeze and its not frozen up??

[rubjonny]

if blocked it can still pass a bit of water thru it, as there are loads of channels in parralallelell

[TreadGingerly]

Yep, bled, antifreeze, double checked... Looks like replace the matrix time :-(

[delirical]

My heater is working but not through the main heaters i.e. passenger 2xcentral and drivers side.. it works for the feet and windscreen thank god! any ideas?

[tony_ack]

My heater is working but not through the main heaters i.e. passenger 2xcentral and drivers side.. it works for the feet and windscreen thank god! any ideas?

Likely to be a snapped cable between the heater controls and heater box. You can get replacements from VW (or at least you could 12 months ago)

[TreadGingerly]

I did this job this afternoon... what b*****d. It's a bit warmer but still not like toast. Anyone want to buy a G reg Golf ?

[rubjonny]

check the cooling system over as per the coolant guide in the maintenance section, in particular mkae sure the stat is fully shut when cold and that water comes out of the thin header tank hose when you rev it. though you might just find the matrix has a stubborn air lock, sometimes its taken a good motorway thrash to clear all the air out of the matrix on mine.

did you check all the flaps inside the airbox were intact while you were doing the job? if the foam falls off the warm air flap it wont fully shut and cold air can bypass the matrix

[sparks03]

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=vw+golf+mk2+heater+matrix&_sacat=See-All-Categories

 I've been thinking of replacing the matrix since the exploding thread. Seems like there's plenty out there, will be an after Christmas job now.

[TreadGingerly]

Ever since doing this job the inside of the car stinks... I thought I'd give it a bit of time to settle down... Film of something on the windscreen initially, that's stopped now.. But this smell...not nice, any ideas? Foam is still intact and seems to be making a seal where pipes pass through bulkhead.. I did use the cheaper matrix available from German and Swedish.
Oh...and it does get warm(ish) !