heater blowing cold

[FrontBackSide2Side]

I'll apologise firstly as this isn't Lude related but surprisingly there aren't any forums (which i can find) for Peugeot boxer enthusiasts

The heater in my van had a leaking heater matrix when i bought it so i put a brand new one in. When i put the heaters on the fan works but it blows cold air out. The engine temperature is roughly in the middle of the gauge when up to temp (very slightly higher than midway) so i think the coolant must be circulating ok.

Any ideas?

[NafemanNathan]

Not jumping to conclusions, but does she over heat at all? Have you checked the rad cap?

[FrontBackSide2Side]

no she doesn't overheat and she gets upto temperature within a few miles too so i think the thermostat is ok??
i haven't checked the rad cap, what should i be looking for?

[indigolemon]

Had this problem in a Pug 406 - those french coolant systems are a bitch to bleed. I ended up using a 2 litre bottle (with the bottom cut off and leccy tape round the threads on the neck) as a header tank on top of the expansion tank. I filled that with coolant and proceeded to open bleed nipples and squeeze hoses as much as possible till I got the whole 2 litres in. It's been fine since!

Also, make sure you do all this with the heater controls at hot!

[NafemanNathan]

^^^ What Lemon says. I was aware my 106 rallye was going to be a pain to bleed (going by the forums) so I to made a header tank and taped it to the radiator neck and filled it up. Takes ages to get all the air out, but patience gets you there eventually.

I had asked about overheating and to check the rad cap as when my 106 started blowing out cold air on heat it was because the headgasket had failed Like I said though, that's very very worst case and yours is most likely just in need of a bleed.

[Donald]

I had this same thing on my old 406

It died rolling the last few metres into the scrappy.

[Supermarine Blues]

If you think about it, the heater matrix on a Boxer is a lot higher up then the engine, so it will be a problem.

You might bleed it by loosening the matrix top hose, with the engine running - just be careful it doesn't blow off!

[bristol_bb4]

erm at the risk of sounding obvious, you have checked that the last owner didnt bypass the matrix didnt you? ive replaced two of these on french vans now and both had been bypassed - a piece of pipe looping the two outlets at the rear of the engine.

worth a quick look i guess

[FrontBackSide2Side]

thanks for all the great info lads

I've sorted it now but i can't tell you what it was cos you'll all laugh at me

[indigolemon]

You had disconnected the valve thingy for the heater controls and forgot to re-attach the cable?