Hey all,

I've got the typical vent problem on my RHD x-type (petrol) - air goes all to windscreen and can't get it hot.
I've checked the actuators all work, but the "cog" for the windscreen flap is missing (dropped down inside box when I took the actuator off!).

So I want to get into the bottom of the heater core box. I've got plenty of access for me, and even got as far as prising the front part of the lower box off (the part covering the metal heater) but it really felt like it was going to break.
Looks to me like the heater pipes bit has to come out along with the bottom of the box for me to get access. Am I just missing some clips, or do you actually have to drain off the engine coolant, and disconnect the coolant pipes from the back of the heater to do this?
(maybe I just need to pull harder? lol)

Anyhow, if anyone can give me some assistance with this it would be much appreciated. If I can't fix it myself I'm looking at either a £1000 bill at my local garage for stripping out the dash and fitting a replacement box, or a very cold winter!

Thanks in advance. Moose.

 

Moose, have you thought about trying to use a pair of 4 prong grabbers and a flashlight? You can then remove the blower fan and access the inside of the box that way (coming in from the side). Worst case, you will have to get your hands on a boroscope so you can see inside the box and direct the grabbers to where they need to go. The grabbers can be picked up at a local hardware store for like $10 USD. The boroscope, that may be a little more difficult to get, but you may find that a larger auto parts store will have one that you can borrow. Worst case, there are deals on places like e-bay where you can get one with a 6 foot lead that you attach to your cell phone for fairly cheap. It will save you a lot of work in dismantling the dash.

 

Hi Thermo,

Thanks fot teh reply - that's certainly a way in I hadn't considered before.
Doesn't the blower fan go via the air-con evaporator though? Looks pretty tight on space from the workshop handbook diagrams.
I'll give it a go this afternoon - see how much space there is. Even a couple of hundred in tools would be cheaper than complete dash rip-out at the garage!

Any idea if you can drop off the bottom of the core box with the heater hoses still attached? That still might be my best way in to fix.

Thanks, Moose

 

BoppingMoose, I have never had the dash apart when I had a X-Type. So, I am not very helpful there.

As for the flow of the piping, the blower dumps into a common chamber at the bottom of the dash stack. From there, the air makes an upward turn and gets directed via 2 dampers (one directs air flow through the heater core, the other damper directs air through the evaporator). Depending on how far open each of these dampers are determines the final outlet temp (ie, if the heater damper is all the way closed and the evaporator damper is all the way open, then you will get maximum cold air, if they are both open the same amount, you are going to get dry, slightly warm air). so, once you can get into the opening of the blower, you hsould have access to the bottom of the dash stack and be able to pick up the part in question.

 

The boroscope Thermo have mention sale in Harbor Freight, when it's on sale or if you have 20-25% off coupon it's cost less than $100.

 

Add a 20 or 25% off coupon and it's pretty reasonable.

 

I have just bought a usb powered camera to use as a boroscope, just plug it into the laptop, and can save the images too.
Link here NEW 5M Mini Waterproof LED USB Endoscope Borescope Snake Inspection Tube Camera | eBay


Works well,
Paul.

 

Thanks for all the suggestions - a scope isn't a bad idea and there are certainly loads of reasonably priced ones to choose from.

Just seeing the problem won't help me get a hand in there to refit the cog/spindle and sort the flaps.
Anyone got any insights as to whether the engine coolant does need to be drained and the pipes remove to drop off the bottom of the vent box, or can it be gently teased aside with the pipes still attached?

And once off, is there actually space to get a hand up inside?

 

For sure a grabber like this will help in small hard to reach places =