doblovert said:

This seems a cheaper valve / tap option?............

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290913303356?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

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Excellent, I ordered this valve on Christmas day eve (after a couple of Guinness West Indian Porters ) Despatched next morning (Boxing Day), I know it'll take a while from Hong Kong but great service

I was unsure about restricting the bypass hose but I wrapped the pipe with a cloth and squashed it with a small mole-grip wrench. Wow! temp gauge moved after 1.5 miles and warm air from the heater. Previously this took over 3 miles.

I've yet to do a long run but I'll keep an eye on the temp gauge and remove wrench if it goes over mid-point.

it will be fine mate

Qube O said:

Common problem...........some left the factory with the wrong 'stat' fitted........so quite often its solved by fitting one which opens at a lower temp.

Qube O.

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Even when the car's been going a while, the temp gauge is up to normal and everything under the bonnet is 'warm', the air coming into the car is definitely not 'very warm' as one used to get in say, UK built cars. Often once the car was up to temp, you had to turn it down if the OAT was around 8C but on a cold morning (0C or under, maybe up to 4C) it is just not warm enough for comfort. Regardless of the supposed wrong stats being fitted, is this some kind of fault with the size of the heater matrix or are diesels just colder? Is there a way to improve it at all? On your UK cars there was a recommendation to fit a piece of hardboard about 4" tall at the bottom of the radiator (on the front) which stopped the ram-air cooling the water so much - that worked! Might have a look to see if there's a possibility of doing this. Land Rovers (Series l and ll/lla) often had a radiator blind fitted, a device with a roll-up front on it to vary the blanking amount.

User seeks solution!

R-V-M

Diesels def seem to run cooler . Also have noticed when warming them up for smoke tests when I run them at say up near 3000 they actually seem to cool down if I run at 12-1500 rpm they warm up quicker .dont know how similar the matrix is to the corsa but have had a lot of them with matrix's partially blocked the heater is fine when idling as soon as you go out on the road its crap , just a thought and some of them have done very low miles think that fault is all down to the wrong af being fitted at factory

this could be the case in some cars but when my car is up to 1/2 way on the gauge the heater is fine and on a long run have to turn it down
whats it like to change the matrix on a qubo anyone done 1

K333fer said:

Diesels def seem to run cooler . Also have noticed when warming them up for smoke tests when I run them at say up near 3000 they actually seem to cool down if I run at 12-1500 rpm they warm up quicker .dont know how similar the matrix is to the corsa but have had a lot of them with matrix's partially blocked the heater is fine when idling as soon as you go out on the road its crap , just a thought and some of them have done very low miles think that fault is all down to the wrong af being fitted at factory

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I've noticed when going down a long hill (we have a lot up here) that the temp gauge actually goes down which is weird. Engine's not working I know but surely the temp should remain at working level.

:idea: Just thought - is there a chance that the electric fan stat is set too low for switching on and that's being too effective? I know you don't need a fan over 30 mph due to the ram-air of forward movement but - well, hmm..

My Fiorino which I had from new was just like the Qubo (bought at 19k miles) as in 'inefficient' so I doubt it's due to any furring up of the matrix.

Wrong "af"? (Not air filter I guess).

Shotgun - I do have to reduce the dial in the car after about 20+ miles if it's not really cold outside but having got to 20 miles it's taken that long to get warm at all!
I must investigate under the dashboard and bonnet to see if the heater control is my favourite of a rotary tap connected by a long rod with universal joints on it or just a flap to attenuate the heat.

The other thought is that whatever method is used, it's not opening up to the full wide setting of whatever the regulator is - assume it has a start and stop position and the fitters set it to zero for COLD but fully open to HOT on the rotary knob isn't fully open on the tap/vent/blind/shield/plug.. behind the mystery of the dashboard where unused wiring loom sockets lie dormant, awaiting the tinkerers prod and probe to be awoken and connected up to some wonderful accessory, like remote tailgate unlocking and heated seats...

I have found a wiring loom accessory for under the front seats which does the seatbelt beeper (grrr), side airbags and heated seats. Were these ever an option on the Qubo? Where would the switches be? An unused pair by the Menu button? I have two blanks there and on dismantling that cluster, there are only contacts for one switch behind the blank but I'm not sure what it would be used for. I have the Menu big button, headlamp up/down (2 switches) which double as Menu up/down and two for front fogs and rear fogs.
There is a cluster unit for sale on eBay with all 7 switches operative though looking at it I think it has headlamp levelling independent of Menu up/down +/- so although I don't like blanks where I could have a switch, I think swapping it for the eBay one wouldn't be progress.

Has anyone got a workable wiring diagram for the Qubo to show what all the unused fuse bays are for and any/all possible options for the car?

One thing that really puzzles me. This is sold as a car with niceties that a car affords yet the standard level of comfort under your feet is a plastic one-piece liner. Do they think it's a car for oldies who will be peeing themselves and need it wipe-clean? If that was the case then the seats would be all plastic too (built in commode..)

Apologies (again) for the slightest of slight thread hi-jacks.

R-V-M

Just had a look in my handbook seat heating is listed in there the switch is shown in the side panel of the seat just forward of the height adjustment lever , i quite like the rubber matting just a shame they never carried it through to the boot area where it would of been more needed

Oh and on seat belt warning that can be turned off in customer options in the bcm with the diagnostic equipment .

This is what you need

K333fer said:

View attachment 148621

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red van man, at least you wont pee on your floor as you assume oldies do you will be to frozen with your crap heater to do that

O.K., What exactly is it.....where does it fit and what does it do ??????
Nearly forgot.......where do you get them from ??

Cheers Qube O.

I was going to fit this to my car it goes in the heater hose
its a preheater

or fit this off ebay

Qube O said:

O.K., What exactly is it.....where does it fit and what does it do ??????
Nearly forgot.......where do you get them from ??

Cheers Qube O.

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It's on a Vauxhall vivaro 1.9 cdti
And scrappys the best place loads of that old rubbish there !!

also fitted to Renault clio / megane & kangoo
lots on ebay

Re: Qubo heater takes a long time to get hot

shotgun said:

I was going to fit this to my car - it goes in the heater hose.
It's a preheater

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My next message was going to say that in the 1970s, Kenlowe (innovators of the thermostatic radiator fan - an option until about 1973 after which it was fairly standard on a lot of cars) used to make an immersion heater that attached/replaced the bottom hose by the radiator so you could set a timer in the garage to turn it on 30 mins before leaving and it warms up the water and engine for you. Should save wear and tear on a cold motor plus good running temp economy from the outset.

Why does it need 4 cables to it - plus it runs off the battery? I can see you having a warm engine but no juice left to start the thing! Off to the Bay to search..could be the answer (since we both put our cars in the garage)

R-V-M

you would start the engine then turn it on
the thing you were on about you can still get them and run of 240 volt on a timer switch

Re: Qubo heater takes a long time to get hot

Red Van Man said:

My next message was going to say that in the 1970s, Kenlowe (innovators of the thermostatic radiator fan - an option until about 1973 after which it was fairly standard on a lot of cars) used to make an immersion heater that attached/replaced the bottom hose by the radiator so you could set a timer in the garage to turn it on 30 mins before leaving and it warms up the water and engine for you. Should save wear and tear on a cold motor plus good running temp economy from the outset.

Why does it need 4 cables to it - plus it runs off the battery? I can see you having a warm engine but no juice left to start the thing! Off to the Bay to search..could be the answer (since we both put our cars in the garage)

R-V-M

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It's got 4 cables because it's ecu controlled on the Renaults , the amount of plugs activated is determined by the ambient temperature and the engine temp , never seen it happen but apparently if the heater hoses are empty and all 4 come on flat out it burns out the heater hoses , think if i fit one I will use a reohstat of some description

Been enjoying reading this thread and like the idea of pre heating but have to add that at -4 this morning the standard heater did ok, as it always does. My 95 horse 3 year old has never presented misting problems like some other car I have had. Main things I do are never run air con in winter as it fills the system with condensate which mists you up, and use 4 pints of hot tap water to pre heat the screen. Fast wipe to flick off the water before it does freeze, off you go