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        General >> Problems >> Cosworth Heater Problems
        
(Message started by: jenko_15 on Dec 14^th, 2009, 3:48pm)

Title: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by jenko_15 on Dec 14^th, 2009, 3:48pm

Hi All

I have a problem with the heater not getting hot (luke warm at best). I've read some of the topics on here and have done the following:

Reset the climate control (3 times)
Changed the sensor in the header tank as the light was on.

The inlet pipe to the matrix is warm but the outlet is cold - blocked matrix maybe??
It is using about 1 Lt of water a week (about 150 miles), but I cannot see any leaks anywhere. No water present in the oil and no drop in performance, so I'm ruling out head gaskets. The system has been drained and topped up with antifreeze.

A mechanic has suggested I change the thermostat, but at £150.00 I'd like to be sure this will make a difference first. Any thoughts / pointers will be much appreciated.

Cheers

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by emptypockets on Dec 15^th, 2009, 5:37pm

Hi.

I have suggested the following for this problem.

The heater matrix is almost certainly being blocked by some sort of residue. I had this problem continually on my old 2.9 Granada Scorpio and was fed up flushing out the matrix hoses forwards then back only for the heat to diminish over the next few days.
On the advice of a ford mechanic I bought a bottle of Forte cooling system flush and poured as much as possible directly into the heater hoses, reconnected and put the remainder into the main system. Ran the car for a couple of days, emptied and seriously flushed out the entire system, refilled and topped up again. Result was top notch heat and it stayed that way for a couple of years until I sold it. The rubbish that came out when flushing was frightening.
This flusher is available on the dock of the ebay but it ain't cheap. There is also an outside possibility of damage to the matrix if it is weak but it beats freezing to death. DON'T use a power hose for this operation!

Good Luck.

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by Highlander on Dec 15^th, 2009, 9:04pm

on 12/14/09 at 15:48:25, jenko_15 wrote:

It is using about 1 Lt of water a week (about 150 miles), but I cannot see any leaks anywhere.

Check under the carpet in the passenger side footwell , sometimes you need to lift it to see signs of a leaking matrix, it leaks from the matrix down the passenger side of the transmission tunnel (behind the radio) to the floor

Your thermostat sounds fine

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by Tekno on Dec 20^th, 2009, 12:20am

Changing badly blocked matrix to new one & flushing system twice helped here.

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by jenko_15 on Dec 21^st, 2009, 9:19am

Thanks guys. I'll certainly get some Forte and try that before replacing the matrix (pig of a job I gather). I'll let you know if it does the trick. I hope you all have a great Xmas and New Year.

Cheers.

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by Tompion on Dec 21^st, 2009, 1:46pm

Some pictures of what may be in your matrix & why flushing may/may not work:

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=Advice;action=display;num=1238544915;start=0#0

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by Malcolm73 on Dec 21^st, 2009, 10:09pm

Hi Jenko,

My car is a 24v Ultima. Like others I have attempted to flush a failed heater matrix..

My first attempt with Forte radiator flush caused the temperature gauge to go off the scale and the engine to boil. The next few hours were taken up flushing the system with water trying to get rid of the radiator flushing agent and as it was winter I then had to add a few litres of antifreeze. The flush made minimal improvement for a few weeks but then back to tepid air.

My next attempt was to disconnect the two hoses immediately behind the engine and to pump a two part concentrated hot radiator flush exclusively through the matrix, intermittently reversing the direction of flow

The returning flow to the hot reservoir of radiator flush kept a piece of 15mm domestic copper pipe running full bore.

On re-assembly I measured the temperature of the air to the cabin which was so hot as to be unbearable. The air temperature varied up to about 72C depending upon how hard the engine was working. I had saved the cost of a new matrix, all the work, and all for the reasonable cost of a Machine Mart pump, cleaning agent, and another refill of antifreeze.

I went and told an engineer at a local garage how to service a matrix in situ, however within a few weeks I was back to square one with tepid air which was now tainted with the smell of leaking antifreeze..

Don’t waste your time or money. A blocked matrix is a blocked matrix and there is no way of removing the remains of broken plastic spirals contained within the aluminium heater tubes of the matrix, and do not contemplate buying a second hand matrix because water will flow through the matrix but it will probably not heat your car.

Regards, Malcolm

Title: Re: Cosworth Heater Problems
Post by jenko_15 on Dec 22^nd, 2009, 10:08am

Cheers Malcolm - useful advice. So new matrix it is then. Have a good one.