heater

[Mark7081]

My heater shows the same symptoms.

The cable which goes through the bulk head had snapped at the little metal hook thing which connects to the heater control lever. I managed to find a new heater control panel complete with cables and it was located 2 mins from my mates house!

Complete pain in the ass to fit but didn't solve the problem so blasting the matrix seems the best bet. I was planning on doing this ages ago but the leaking fuel injection pump took priority.

Quick question for the ones that know, I was thinking of disconnecting the heater matrix and blasting it through etc but wondered if I can get away with just re connecting back up (once I've refilled the matrix of course) without having to do the whole cooling system?

[shokenore]

Just disconnect the flow and return to the heater matrix and plug the pipes to from the rest of the cooling system.
With the matrix isolated you can flush it a garden hose is what I use.
If you are concerned about losing coolant just get a big bucket and drain your coolant into the bucket and the reuse.

[Mark7081]

Thats sort of what I was thinking of doing but wanted to make sure it would work ok.

Cheers Shokenore.

[Chris QTown]

i tried to check the heater control valve but got blasted in the face with coolant when i disconnected either side (probably should have waited until it was cold) was loosing too much coolant so i just popped them back on without checking the valve box.
anyway i was set on flushing the entire system when i saw some brown mud crud under the rad cap it was so thick i felt sick, but then realised there was no water there so i filled maybe 500ml - 1L in (may have been from what i lost checking the valve) and burped the system.
took it for a spin and the heater in the front was working a treat so i figure there was an air pocket in the system somewhere - will leave rad cap off tonight and have it facing slightly uphill for best results then fill and return cap in the morning.
then i'll do what someone else on here said and take off the rear heater pipes (metal ones) and clean them out with a long piece of wire (he used his daughters old push bike brake wire) connected to a drill and watched all of the built up hard dirt/crud get unstuck.

guess ill have to take back the coolant, distilled water and flush that i just bought !

[Chris QTown]

traced the heater lines from the rear and whoever did the timing on it last didnt bother to reconnect the rubber lines to the metal ones at the front, both ends were going back on themselves so an easy fix.

[Mark7081]

Is your rear heater working ok now its actually connected?

BTW, does parking slightly up pointing with the cap off work and how long woild you say it would take for the engine to cool down enough for it to be safe to remove the cap before doing said uphill parking?

Might try that one.

[Bogus]

traced the heater lines from the rear and whoever did the timing on it last didnt bother to reconnect the rubber lines to the metal ones at the front, both ends were going back on themselves so an easy fix.

I hope you are now keeping a close eye on water levels. The rear heater may well have been bypassed for a reason. Yours would not be the first Surf to have corroded/leaking rear heater lines.

[Chris QTown]

Mark -
i let mine cool down for at least an hour before taking the cap off, but you can always keep pressure on it (using a rag) and slowly twist it - you'l hear a "tssss" noise of hot air coming out then some drops of fluid may try to pop out - if so then tighten again and wait another hour.
this worked for me.

Bogus -
i was going to reconnect them but had the same thought - then thought "do i really need the rear heater to work?" - so i didnt bother.
plus i have oil ####ing out of my crank and have to deal with that first.