200Tdi Heater

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Val. h

Active Member
Posts
154
Location
West Wales
My 200Tdi Heater is not much good and I'm fearing for my fingers and toes this comming winter. I bought the car in the spring and have not been impressed with the heat pushed out by the heater. Prety poor compared to my old TD5 Discovery.

I have talked to a couple of friends that have Defenders. One a 300Tdi and another a 3.9 V8 petrol (conversion). Both claim to have very good heaters.
It was mentioned that the 200Tdi being a very efficiaent engine does not produce much heat. But then 300Tdi should by reason be even more efficient thn the 200????

Is it a known issue with the 200Tdi?

Looking under the bonnet, the heater matrix box looks like it was replaced when the chassis etc and engine rebuild was done last year.


Val.
 
First thing is to check the following:

- check cables that actuate the system are actually adjusted properly to direct hot air where it’s meant to go

- check all the connections and flaps and insulation are present and correct

- check for flow in the coolant, maybe disconnect and flush the matrix to make sure it’s not blocked etc and make sure your coolant system is working properly (thermostat not stuck open etc)

If all that fails, pull the matrix out the box (drilling out rivets involved) the see if the fins are all gummed up with mud preventing heat exchange.

All easily google’able for guides on how to do etc

I have a tdi and in all but the coldest weather it’s quite effective really
 
As above, and in the winter I cover the lower half of rad with plastic card fitted directly to the front. Rad muffs not much good as air sneaks around underneath. 200's are known to run on the cool side one reason they last well but you should still get decent heat at this time of year without any rad cover. What fan do you have ? If viscous has it seized ? It has been known for some to fix a duff one solid to make it work.
 
Take the heater box out (4 bolts Iirc) and check the foam seals, they will be shagged allowing the air to bypass the matrix itself, camping mat and evo stick does a fine job.

As said adjust the hot/cold cable, BUT make sure its under tension when you select hot as this will make sure the steel door is hard into the foam seal as youve guessed it if not enough tension allows the air to bypass the door seals.

Also check the heater motor as penny to a pound it will be partially seized

New engine stat is also a good move

Even when you have all the above right the heater still isnt much cop!

Regarding efficiency rough rule is as the engines got newer they got less efficient and did less mpg, tbf as the cars got newer they got more kit and got heavier.
I have driven a 200 with a shut closed stat on my daily 12 mile commute and only thought it was getting warm as I got to my destination and basically did this all week until I checked it! thats how good the 200 i,s a 300/td5 would have simply expired in a fit of steam.
 
The 200 runs so cool, I ran mine with no fan at all for a month. It's on an electric fan now, which is still set quite high. This helps the engine warm up enough to be of some use. I also had the heater returned last year,.
 
My 200tdi blows more, the faster I drive. The seals seem fine, i.e. we're not drawing in air from the engine compartment, and the air flow when static varies according to the number set on the fan control. Temperature control is set to cold. Presumably there is a clear run-through from the air intake to the outlets in the cabin; should there be a baffle that's not working, and if so, where is it?
 
the fan speed lever also controls a flap at the join between the heater box and the bulkhead, putting it right to the top will close this flap and stop the airflow.

There will be airflow while moving as the intake on the wing has positive pressure over it.
 
Thanks. The airflow increases if I wind the window down (you know, when it's hot and I don't want the heater blowing hot air onto my legs :( ) so I expect it's just something I'll have to put with.
 
If the heater is still producing hot air when the temperature control is in the cold position then the cable and/or diverter flap in the heater box need adjusting. It’ll never be properly cold air as it’s not air-con and it still has to go through the heater box which will be warm-ish but the air on ‘cold’ mode shout not be hot by any stretch.
 
What he said^^^^^
As it's now summer, whip the heater box off , join the two rubber heater pipes together using 15mm copper fittings so you can still drive the truck.
Strip and re foam, free off stuck hinges etc and pop it back on at your convenience.
You'll almost certainly find that the foam has disintegrated and the flaps are not moving smoothly through their full movement.
Closed cell camping mat is ideal for the re foaming.
 
As long as the thermostat is working correctly, the water in the heater radiator box should be at about 80 degrees, after that it's just a matter of trying to ensure that the heater intake air passes through this rad and into the cabin. I fitted a bilge blower to the heater intake which has doubled the volume of warm air, but no-ones ever going to get too hot in winter! I can however demist my windscreen easily.
 
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