Browser
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| posted on 9/12/07 at 09:41 AM |
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Daily driver problem
My Renault 19 daily driver refuses to keep me warm. Or, in other words, the ruddy heater won't work. Now, I'dve had the matrix out like a
shot and cleared out/replaced, if it weren't for the fact that you have to take the whole bloody dashboard off. The Marcels/ Loics and
Jean-claudes who designed this car put the heater up against the bulkhead but with the matrix easy to remove by undoing two screws and sliding it
sideways. If, that is, they hadn't made the matrix with feed/return pipes that stick out almost at right angles, straight through the bulkhead,
preventing the easy slide-out
I'm also reluctant to go to this level of aggro if it's not blocked but airlocked.
So
(1) Does anyone have a foolproof method for checking whether there is an airlock in the matrix?
(2) Does anyone have a flushing method which will blast the bejesus out of the heater whilst not bursting it (bearing in mind I've used a
pressure washer, circulated a solution of washig machine descaler through it and used my compressed air/water gun to try and flush it, all to no
avail)?
(3) Bearing in mind the tight turn executed by the water as it enters the heater caused by the pipe fitment, has anyone got any tool/brush that would
fit down the pipe, execute the turn and clear out the pipes?
I've been told before that for this car I nned to get the front end 4 feet off the floor to bleed it properly but this might prove a shade
difficult:0
My other alternative was going to be to make up a hose and connect an onld lemonade bottle with the bottom cut out to the header tank, hang the bottle
up high and let the air bubble out (supposed to work on stubborn airlocks)
Any help would be appreciated
Oh, final point, don't really want to take it to a garage as it's only worth about £300 max
[Edited on 9/12/07 by Browser]
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Peteff
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| posted on 9/12/07 at 10:08 AM |
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My old renault 5 had plastic bleed screws on all the pipes over the engine and was a doddle to bleed. I had to connect a hose to the matrix from the
mains to blast it through to get rid of the silt in it though. If it's ever had radweld in it it will be gummed up inside.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 9/12/07 at 10:13 AM |
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Have heard of someone having success with Mister Muscle sink and drain unblocker , Haven't tried it myself so don't know for sure it
works. Have found with some Renaults if you can lift up the header tank when bleeding it gives you a better head of water .
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zilspeed
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| posted on 9/12/07 at 10:43 AM |
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I used an easibleed
on the GTM
This forced the cooland in under pressure and I let it out at various points until it was done.
As stated above, something a bit aggresive might work. My current favourite is anything with sodium percarbonate in it - comes in a top of white
powder and is usually called oxy something or other. This will clean out anthing you like although it does cause gassing so would need a monster flush
afterwards.
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ReMan
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| posted on 9/12/07 at 10:48 AM |
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I second Pete's advice adout bleed screws. I've had a load of different Renault in the 70-80s and the usually have bleed valves where
nessesary.
Have you tried pushing water through with a normal hosepipe, it should'nt need any more pressure than that to push an airlock through if its
open at each end, if it does need more then it;s probably blocked, which will need a different approach, and possibly replacement.
Another point to check is the heater control valves these are known to break off internally on Renaults and if in the shut position will obviously
prevent water flow through the heater,
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stevec
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| posted on 9/12/07 at 12:42 PM |
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I had the same car with the same problem, Like you say you cant get the stupid thing out without hassle. I bunged all sort of descalers and
detergents in mine to no avail
Didnt try Mr Muscle though, sounds like a good one to try. Put some extension pipes on the heater outlets under the bonnet and leave it in overnight
maybe.
Steve.
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Browser
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| posted on 17/12/07 at 11:04 AM |
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Quick report back. I used Mr Muscle Active Foamer , didn't manage to get the whole bottle
in before it started foaming back at me out of the pipe .
Left it to work for two hours, flushed it with hot water as per instructions, then shoved about 4-6 bar pressure through it with a fire hose at work
Didn't see any large (or small) amounts of crud come out, just a couple of flakes of scale, but when refilled the heater wroked brilliantly, so
I've either cleared a blockage or utterly blasted an airlock out of the heater with the fire hose
Either way, thanks for the Mr Muscle suggestion, chaps, I'm a happy bunny now cos I can keep me feet warm
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