Front heater hose change.

[Mountain]

My very last three hoses arrived from Japan today.

The bottom header hose looks reasonably easy....even for someone with 'man's arms'!

So, 2 front heater hoses. Any tips before I start?

Can this all be done from above if I remove the heater fan and gubbins- is the access easy?

Also I've seen on another post that someone blasted the heater matrix with an air hose to remove the crud....is this a good idea?

Cheers

Martin

After this next stop is the rad. Hopefully after that I'll be posting about fun stuff

[missfixit70]

Easy enough to do, especially if you remove the fan etc, can be done from underneath, bit of a PITA though. the matrix connections are plastic, be very gentle with them
Good idea to remove all the crap that may have accumulated on the evap matrix (which is in front of the heater matrix which you can't see) if you're using compressed air, dial it down so you don't knacker the fins. I just used a paintbrush & a hoover as I didn't have a compressor.

[Mountain]

Yeah, I was thinking I could do it from underneath .......if my arms were longer

So, will I see the evap matrix when I take the fan off?

Plastic connectors+ big hands =:(
When I changed the top header hose I cut it off and cut down the remaining part of the hose as I was terrified of breaking the plastic connector off

[missfixit70]

You'll see the front view of the evap matrix like this (except it won't be exploded - unless you turn the air pressure up too high )- http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsm ... mgno=.html

[Mountain]

Job done

All went very well.

The hoses The bottom header hose and the heater outlet were almost completely blocked The worst by a long shot and the rest were bad enough. I will post some photos soon.

Bleeding went well. I can now give the heater airlock a bit of encouragement by squeezing the inlet hose.
My heater is now hot enough to fry eggs.

Having been for a long drive around I have a few observations.

Most of the time my top hose is bang on 80C.....doesn't fluctuate so much
My modded temp gauge sits between 12 & 1 'o' clock....most of the time.
If I let it tick over until hot or rev until hot the fans come in at 90C and now the temp drops faster than before.

So, an improvement. I would still like a new rad but I'm less anxious about getting one immediately.

Now questions....would the restrictions in my bottom header and heater hoses 'slow down' the coolant flow and cause more fluctuations in temperature?

[missfixit70]

Nice one , good to find faults & see improvements when something ain't running right.
If you've got any restriction, especially in the heater circuit (which basically controls the stat opening) it's going to have an effect. blockage in the heater circuit is as bad as the matrix being blocked as it's stopping flow, especiallly if your rear heater pipes have been blanked, not quite so critical if they have been looped to bypass the heater, but still going to have an effect on stat operation & therefore cooling operation.
If the hoses are blocked like that, just think what the inside of the heater matrix & rad may be like though.

[Mountain]

Yep, I'm well pleased. Just been for another run and it has certainly made a difference.

If the hoses are blocked like that, just think what the inside of the heater matrix & rad may be like though

Yeah, it's got to be gunked up to hell

Definitely going to get a new rad pretty soon though

[mikeonb4c]

Excellent news. Looks like you may be nearing the summit, Mountain

As Kirsty implies, getting heater matrix and rad matrix working as clean as whistles is a really good idea (new items if any doubt about them being clogged). Its a pain in the pocket but can't be ducked.

[missfixit70]

can't be ducked.

That's just how I'm feeling

[mikeonb4c]

can't be ducked.

That's just how I'm feeling

I'm preparing for a pain in my pocket as Adrian in Bury attempts to mend my AFT - can't face the alternative pain of trying to sort it on my unskilled lonesome

[Mountain]

Excellent news. Looks like you may be nearing the summit, Mountain

Especially by someone that originaly hails from the Lincolnshire fens.
Actually, it was my knickname for a while....all started when a Japanese girl mispronounced my name, Martin, as Mountain. A friend overheard and I had years of being called it in a faux Japanese accent from all my mates. Probably more fitting now I have a Bongo

can't face the alternative pain of trying to sort it on my unskilled lonesome

Know that feeling So you have an Auto Flat Top at the minute

So, I've got this problem with the weather now................

[Mountain]

A great improvement since the hoses have been changed.

Just been for a long run and a day out, some steep hills and a few long queues and all seems fine now.