Heater o rings

Foultrousers · Mar 24, 2009

Dear all,

Struggling to get a good seal with new o rings, coolant is still passing seals. I've not got a small mirror to see the recess properly and I'm unsure if the flange behind the o rings needs to seat inside the housing?

I can feel a locating stub inside and see the cut outs on the stub pipes but can anyone tell me if the flange should sit proud/visible, or inside and not visible?

Should of looked properly while stripping it.

Incidently, I traced the lumpy starting issue back to a faulty injector.

Regards,
Foultrousers

fanatic · Mar 24, 2009

EASY the original ones on mine were like small flat rubber bands, the clamp sat on the flange.

Suspect like me you have standard "o" rings-to seal the flange clamp standoff must push over the heater flange instead of sitting on it to seal.

if you have it wrong the pipes will feel sloppy in the engine bay

Foultrousers · Mar 24, 2009

Fanatic,

Your right, the originals were flat, but the replacements as you mention are not.

There is no movement from the stub pipes but fluid is passing under pressure. The clamp is recessed for the flanges of course but because I didnt bother to check before I stripped it, I cant tell if the flange should fit internally. I can feel its stepped inside three times. I'm assuming (fatal), the first is for the pipe, the second for the o ring and the third for the shoulder/flange? I can feel the locating lug, so I have a feeling it probably should sit proud. I've looked on the usual web sites without any luck. Even thought about wedging my youngest in there to see, but she would probably be more interested in lapping up any remaining antifreeze.

I dunno. Someone at some point had had a go at it and fooked the pozi head up and in the ensuing battle, I neglected to see it seated before dismantling it. I dont wanted to even consider using any type of gasket gunk in there either, but Im open to guidance on it.

With thanks,
Foultrousers

Irishrover · Mar 24, 2009

The "O" rings are round and slip over the end of the pipes up to the swaged neck which locates in the pockets of the black inlet housing on the heater matrix. The saddle clamp with the two half round cut outs sits on the other side of the swages and is pulled up with the screw to sqeeze the swages and "O" rings into the inlet port pockets. A good idea is to replace the pozidrive screw with a stainless M5 socket (Allen) head screw of the same length as it's easier to locate and tighten with an allen key than a screwdriver.:behindsofa:

fanatic · Mar 24, 2009

Okay if pipes were cleaned you want to feel the clamp flange(one on pipes) make sure the standoff tags have clipped over the heater matrix flange. feel with your hand to check it hasn't tipped. If I haven't described it fully pm me a land line and I can explain it better

Foultrousers · Mar 28, 2009

All,

The leak is not from the o rings on the pipes, it seems to be escaping back past the bolt head? The pipes are totally dry, coolant is dripping from between the manifold where the bolt hole is.

Either there is another o ring for the bolt onto the clamp or I have a fracture in the housing?, and I've never heard of that one.

Can someone check on Rave for me, as me disc drive's fooked....

Kind regards,
Foultrousers.

rewmer · Mar 28, 2009

Sounds possible that you may have cracked the housing. Its very easy to get carried away when tightening the screw, remember O rings when used properly hardly need any "squash" to seal. There are only two O rings. Did you remove the pipes completely ?
It is easy to get them in the wrong holes when re-assembling, which will lead to a miss-alligment and a bad seal.

Irishrover · Mar 28, 2009

There is no "O" ring between the screw and the housing. However, the saddle clamp should have two tapped holes (M5), the reason being that if you strip one thread, the clamp can be rotated through 180 deg. and you can use the spare hole.
If you are stuck, I have a spare heater matrix and Aircon evaporator which are both 100% good-you will have to remove the heater to fit either.
If you are interested, send me a PM as I am over in the UK from next Thursday for a couple of weeks and can bring either or both over.

Irishrover · Mar 28, 2009

Just an afterthought... has the screw been tightened so much that the saddle clamp has bent and lost it's "Bite"-in which case, remove it and straighten it out. As Rewmer says, the "O" rings only need a squeeze, there is no great pressure there in the system-you are not talking of hydraulics at 300 bar!!

Foultrousers · Mar 30, 2009

Saddle clamps ok.

I'm not sure if it ever was from the o rings now as they were undamaged. Need the car tomorrow, so I'm going to bypass the matrix with 22mm copper pipe with a 180o bend in it. Matrix removal next weekend and so I can see whats happened. Fortunately its warming up a bit now, but I may PM you Irish rover on your kind offer if needed.

Keep you posted.
Kind regards,
Foultrousers

Irishrover · Mar 30, 2009

Bypassing the heater will be okay and will keep you going, but you may get the book mark up on your HEVAC as the temperature at the heater core will be different to that selected on the control. A way to get round this could be to remove the HEVAC plug from the BECM and the blower motor fuses. In any event, a fault reset is easily done with diagnostics. The aircon refrigerant will need removing before heater removal.
I have sent you a PM.

Heater o rings

Foultrousers

New Member

fanatic

RESPECT IS EARNED, BEATINGS ARE FREE ;-)

Foultrousers

New Member

Irishrover

Well-Known Member

fanatic

RESPECT IS EARNED, BEATINGS ARE FREE ;-)

Foultrousers

New Member

rewmer

Well-Known Member

Irishrover

Well-Known Member

Irishrover

Well-Known Member

Foultrousers

New Member

Irishrover

Well-Known Member

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