Heater Valve/Matrix Water Leak

[SteveP]

On my return from the Darling Buds Classic this week, I discovered that my minor coolant leak has got a lot worse - the Drivers side carpeting was soaking wet with antifreeze laden water. Clearly I need to investigate further, however as a quick fix to enable continued use of the car during the Summer (!!!) I intend to by pass the heater by joining the inlet/outlet hoses together temporarily.

I have done a search on the board but can't find anyone that has done this, so my question is 'has anyone joined these hoses together?'

I suspect the cause is the heater valve and have found all the relevant messages and advice on the area of replairing this - I just need to get my head under the dash to check this.

[Bob Heritage]

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It shouldn't be a problem Steve, what could go wrong? apart from a cold foot.

Bob

[StagnJag]

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You could just blank the ends off if it is any easier. No difference in flow than having the heater valve turned off.

Dave

[DJT]

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Either way is preferable to having a known leak in this area. One of our local members was hospitalised recently when the heater hose burst in the passenger footwell of the Ford Escort she was travelling in.

We are fortunate in that all the heater pipes are metal inside the car, but........

Dave

[Camo]

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I was thinking about doing just that for the summer when my matrix leak got worse, and see no problem with it being done.

I decided though I would rather do the work in the summer than the winter so fixed the leak instead.

good luck

Stuart

[Guest]

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Yes, in fact when I first bought my stag only two months ago that is exactly whathad beendone because the heater had a leak. When I tried to get the Stag licensed over the pits, they would not license it because the heater had been by passed and the West Aussie rules say you have to have warm air going to the windscreen for demisting. So you guessed it.. I reluctantly had to remove the heater/blower unit. Removing mine was difficult as it had been modified for airconditioning which was no longer connected, so I fitted a good unit out of a Triumph 2500. Dont despair when you eventually get the unit out and you see the inside of your car seriously dismantled - it does slowly go back together! Check the other posts by Stagdad cos his modification of replacing the centre screw on the heater valve with a larger one is well worth doing. GotmyStag licensed this week.

[Sheepdip]

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I ran mine for a couple of months last year like this,connect the heater hosefrom N/S head directly to the copper pipe that returns from heater. Might have to cut the hose short. It will get suprisingly cold in the footwell tho so if you're going to use in the autumn, tackle it soon.

[SteveP]

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Well its done, the leak is coming from the control valve, so I have bypassed the heater as a temporary measure so that I can continue to use the car until the heater is fixed.

The wifes spare hairdryer is in the footwell drying the tunnel carpeting and the footwell carpeting is on the washing line basking in the sun.

I now need to get the parts for the heater valve, any recommendations for the supplier to go to? I see Rimmers sell the Heater Control Valve and O'Ring for ÂŁ19.

[NickA]

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I did the same bypass, effectively joining the heater hoses together. Ran it for 6 months. Only PIA was diving home very late one summer's evening (remember them?) when I could have done with a bit of heat up to the windscreen.

I bought a replacement valve and o-ring, you're welcome to it if you want, it doesn’t fit. I simply [1] cleaned the old one with some emery, replaced the o-ring and re-fitted it. How difficult is it to produce a simple bit of brass that's the same size as the one made by Mr Triumph? I’ve forgotten the measurement but the replacement was way off. Hopeless.

[1] Actually it wasn’t simple as I managed to pull the entire valve of the matrix while trying to remove the valve but that's a different story. Heater must be the first thing to have been fitted to the bare shell

[SteveP]

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Got the Bu**er out - actually surprisingly easy after following everyones advice about twisting it whilst pulling, only took 20 mins of neck achingly scrabbling beneath the dashboard. The O'ring is as hard as nails so I've sent off for a new one from Robsport together with new hoses.

Only problem now is that the nicely dry tunnel carpet is wet again! Why didn't I think to put a plastic container under the valve