basically as some of you know my heater matrix exploded coupla days ago - a new one is on its way but for the time being i was told you can bypass it to get you back on the road and so after a phone call to uno (cheers mate:) ) and a trip to my local parts dept i had everything i needed to do the job - was quite simple, located the two pipes that ran out of the block removed the matrix hoses and replaced it with a loop of 19mm coolant pipe! awsom!!

 

pics

 

new pipe in place

 

top left before i tucked it away around the break fluid holder

 

 

close up on the new pipes in place!!

 

 

its running a little warm for some reason with this pipe in - its at 3/4 on the gauge is that ok?

seems a bit high compare to mine, it runs at half way, never goes any higher no matter what the driving style :p

You probably have a air lock in the cooling system after replacing the pipe. Undo the bleed screw on the left hand side of the radiator, and top it up from the radiator cap until all the bubbles are gone...give the top rubber water hose a few squeezes to force air out.

 

Ideally you want to top up the water with the car on a slope....front of car higher than back.

cheers! however every time i fill it up with water in that little yellow coolant pipe in the bottom right hand corner of the engine bay it leaks out onto the floor???? wtf??? ill bleed the air off if i can - i thaught it might be getting squeezed in between the bonnet and the plenum but it just seems to stay at 3/4 ital be reet - hurry up snoop!! lol!

cheers! however every time i fill it up with water in that little yellow coolant pipe in the bottom right hand corner of the engine bay it leaks out onto the floor???? wtf??? ill bleed the air off if i can - i thaught it might be getting squeezed in between the bonnet and the plenum but it just seems to stay at 3/4 ital be reet - hurry up snoop!! lol!

 

Don't fill it that way. Fill it directly into the radiator

k will do lol! why's it leaking?

k will do lol! why's it leaking?

 

because thats the expansion/overflow pot:wack::headvswal

k will do lol! why's it leaking?

 

Thats an overflow bottle, :slap: not like a lot of peeps think an expansion tank, it leaks out once it reaches the spill off polnt. fill the Rad at the Rad cap.

Thats an overflow bottle, :slap: not like a lot of peeps think an expansion tank, it leaks out once it reaches the spill off polnt. fill the Rad at the Rad cap.

 

exactly! im used to my vauxhalls! lol! - fixed the air lock...... and this is where it gets messy...... i noticed alot of foam coming out of the coolant bleed valve when i was bleeding the system last night.....it looked and smelt like screen wash..... then i realised that tesco near me have replaced there 'water and air machine' with an identical looking 'air and screen wash' machine......... can you see where im going with this....... this is an example of me just not bothering to read things in a rush and just assuming it was the same as it has been for the past 12 years - SO shall i asume that once id topped up (about 2 months ago) with washer fluid instead of water the washer fluid has created air locks in the system? thus destroying the heater matrix?

 

iv told all my mates who use that air n water machine and they had't realised either so its not just me!!

 

 

YOU CAN ALL POINT AND LAUGH AT ME NOW LOL!:headvswal

exactly! im used to my vauxhalls! lol! - fixed the air lock...... and this is where it gets messy...... i noticed alot of foam coming out of the coolant bleed valve when i was bleeding the system last night.....it looked and smelt like screen wash..... then i realised that tesco near me have replaced there 'water and air machine' with an identical looking 'air and screen wash' machine......... can you see where im going with this....... this is an example of me just not bothering to read things in a rush and just assuming it was the same as it has been for the past 12 years - SO shall i asume that once id topped up (about 2 months ago) with washer fluid instead of water the washer fluid has created air locks in the system? thus destroying the heater matrix?

 

iv told all my mates who use that air n water machine and they had't realised either so its not just me!!

 

 

YOU CAN ALL POINT AND LAUGH AT ME NOW LOL!:headvswal

thats very naughty of the garage. have they put up big signs to tell you or poxy little ones which you wouldnt glance at anyway!

how stupid is that, a bloody screenwash machine. People use the water for more than just there washer bottles :rant:

how stupid is that, a bloody screenwash machine. People use the water for more than just there washer bottles :rant:

 

correct, i went back today and on the back of the silver box is a small tap like a tap in an old house? no hose or anything to get the water into your car unless you have a bottle or cup?!?!? the sign is on the machine (bout 300mm by 100mm) but iv never read it before its just always been water and air?!?!?! was also dark!!

 

im a prat i guess - but im considering taking legal action

 

thats very naughty of the garage. have they put up big signs to tell you or poxy little ones which you wouldnt glance at anyway!

 

 

10 by 30 cm written over the old sign that used to say 'water'

Edited February 21, 200916 yr by alxlaw

free screenwash?

 

which tesco garage?

handforth dean - no not free 50p!! that shudda rung alarm bells in my head!!!