Technical 100hp heater playing tricks on me... Help!

[mikelawrencenz]

Guys, I'm needing a place to start


Problem: I can trick the cabin heat to come on if I use the de-mister first... but after a while it'll return to blowing cool air. Wont blow warm/hot under normal button pushing....Should I,


1 - replace the heat blower resistor?
2 - do a coolent flush to rid any possible air blocks?
3 - look at the flap adjustment motor?

Car: 09 100HP with the usual climate / aircon. No problem with directing the air I just need to filddle with buttons switch off/on to get some heat...

Mike

 

[varesecrazy]

Guys, I'm needing a place to start


Problem: I can trick the cabin heat to come on if I use the de-mister first... but after a while it'll return to blowing cool air. Wont blow warm/hot under normal button pushing....Should I,


1 - replace the heat blower resistor?
2 - do a coolent flush to rid any possible air blocks?
3 - look at the flap adjustment motor?

Car: 09 100HP with the usual climate / aircon. No problem with directing the air I just need to filddle with buttons switch off/on to get some heat...

Mike

Hi.
Not the resistor

Bleed the heater matrix (5 minute job..)

Then carefully watch the temp gauge..

I suspect there is a problem with the control of the flaps.. they can be reset(like a reboot)

Charlie

 

[koalar]

almost certainly the little gear or lug has broken

the plastic fatigues over time

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/297997-panda-100hp-no-hot-air-heater.html

loads of info here

 

[Dervdrain]

What he said above, another case of the self-destructing Panda AC distribution coggy-flappy bit. Very common after some years sadly and a real PITA.

 

[DaveMcT]

It "can" be repaired but its not a simple parts swap. Fiat will happily sell you a brand new heater unit for around £800.

Keep a watch on eBay as 100HP heater units do turn up. Buy cheap and fix up as needed to swap with yours. It's a lot of work to swap the heater.

Here's a car with the same problem and no doubt needs a shed load of other work.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Panda-100HP-1-4-blue-car-Long-MOT-Low-mileage/153218878696?hash=item23ac8e8ce8:g:aA8AAOSwYNlbw4IS:rk:8f:0

If your car is needing a service, don't delay. Low coolant will blow the head gasket before you can say, "Why is my heater making that funny gurgling sound".

 

[DaveMcT]

almost certainly the little gear or lug has broken

the plastic fatigues over time

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/297997-panda-100hp-no-hot-air-heater.html

loads of info here

Looks like a prefect candidate for 3D printing a new part. Maybe with some reinforcement where it matters.

 

[irc]

Eleganza with climate control has the same unit, may be cheaper on eBay, but still as much of a pain to swap....
Also, it may be the flap which has broken, not the plastic gear or plastic shaft.
Have heard rumours of a quick and cheap(er) fix for flap problems, but no details on how.

 

[DaveMcT]

If repairing the broken flap can't be done, you could retrofit a "normal" aircon/heater unit. You will lose the fancy controls but at least its reliable and there are plenty about.

Here's a cheap one but there's no mention of aircon and only two pipes are visible.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/fiat-pan...=item41e2d88bea:g:eQIAAOSwNhpa~E4p:rk:13:pf:0

 

[varesecrazy]

The forum member who runs a garage (north of Portsmouth)

Does the gear repairs. And the flap alignment reboots.

Complicated.. but thats modern cars..

Plenty of info on the 500 section

 

[irc]

varesecrazy ...that's what I was trying to remember. Senior moment intervened.

 

[koalar]

Looks like a prefect candidate for 3D printing a new part. Maybe with some reinforcement where it matters.

if it was mine and the gear had broken. I would cast a new one in epoxy resin.

very strong and easy for me as I have epoxy to hand.

 

[jrkitching]

The forum member who runs a garage (north of Portsmouth)

Does the gear repairs. And the flap alignment reboots.

@burrowsdeano is the chap you're thinking of.

 

[burrowsdeano]

We’ve now done 10-15 of these and so far every one has been successful and I’ve had no reports of the issue returning. Definitely no need for an expensive heater box replacement.

 

[jrkitching]

We’ve now done 10-15 of these and so far every one has been successful and I’ve had no reports of the issue returning. Definitely no need for an expensive heater box replacement.

What are we looking at in terms of cost?

 

[burrowsdeano]

£160 all done and no charge if unsuccessful but like I said so far we’ve not had one that hasn’t fixed the issue.

 

[varesecrazy]

varesecrazy ...that's what I was trying to remember. Senior moment intervened.

Acceess to Deans workshop is unlikely to be simple for the OP though..

We are just letting mikelawrencenz know that repairs are indeed possible.

 

[SPORTPACK50]

Thankfully my 100HP aircon/heater is all working fine..atm! Is there anything I can do to keep it this way and prevent the dreaded flap failure..eg lubrication somewhere?

 

[DaveMcT]

Thankfully my 100HP aircon/heater is all working fine..atm! Is there anything I can do to keep it this way and prevent the dreaded flap failure..eg lubrication somewhere?

The shaft shears off it's gear quadrant so other than getting into the heater and silicone greasing the flaps, bearings, etc, etc there's not much to be done. I'm not even sure it's possible to physically get access to all the bits that add stress/strain to the system.

 

[mikelawrencenz]

Thanks for all for your replies.

1st Action this weekend is to flush the heater matrix, maybe the entire coolant system...then inspect the flap mechanism.

I'll post pic's of successes or failures next week.

Mike

 

[vinnievoo1]

Good to know, that a repair can be done local to me. Hope my replacement one keeps going, but you never know!