Technical Heating Flow Valve Access

[benj111]

Ok so I've lost heating (air con model)

under bonnet, bled the system, I don't think its that because after a brief heat up both ends of the heater matrix pipe are warm.

inside fans come on and blow ambient air even when set to Hi.

my assumption therefore is that the flow valve that should be directing mid december ambient air through the heater matrix before forwarding it to the cabin isn't working.

Im getting not particularly healthy sounds when I turn the air con off, it never sounded great to start with though.

So my question is whats the access like?

Mr Haynes suggests its an entire dash removal job which id like to avoid, is there access from the lower dash?

 

[portland_bill]

By 'flow valve' I'm hoping you mean the air distribution flap, as there is no valve in the water flow.

From the failure, I'm guessing that this is a climate control version, a common problem it seems with the flaps breaking where they meet the little adjuster motors.

Official repair is a new heater, and yes, doors off, dash out.

Search for 'small car services'. They are based Southampton/Portsmouth area, and have a fix without dismantling the dash.
https://www.fiatforum.com/garages/453562-small-car-services-southampton.html?453562=#post4290328

 

[DaveMcT]

You can improve access by removing the plastic dash panels. But you can't remove the heater without taking the doors off to remove the structural steel frame.

 

[benj111]

portland_bill
thanks, Portsmouth is a bit of a trek from Yorkshire though


"By 'flow valve' I'm hoping you mean the air distribution flap" tomatoes, tomatoes (or however you spell the 2nd tomato to indicate its pronounced differently).
DaveMcT
suggesting there may be some kind of access with just the lower dash removed???

 

[koalar]

aircon or climate control


I start by checking the pipe that goes into the heater matrix under the bonnet is getting hot

if its not don't run the car until its fixed

 

[DaveMcT]

You might not need to go this far but this is the information for removing the dash though not the structure beneath.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-G6rwnRQFI&t=2s

Today's engines carry minimal coolant and will blow the head gasket when it gets low. You absolutely must make sure there is enough coolant in the system. If there is leak you need to fix it or it gets expensive.

 

[benj111]

Success of sorts.

Ive taken off the lower dash, underneath the dash

that thing in the centre controls a flap. the one on the left controls the vents to the foot well. the one on the right I assume controls the flap through the heater matrix. I know this because

A. the spindle is broken off
B. It actuates when I turn the temperature down, and not when i use the vent controls..

so now a question of repair. hopefully epoxy will fix it. but we shall see.

 

[DaveMcT]

If the end has sheared off (as others have indicated happens) you'll need more than epoxy.

Search for 'small car services'. They are based Southampton/Portsmouth area, and have a fix without dismantling the dash.
https://www.fiatforum.com/garages/453562-small-car-services-southampton.html?453562=#post4290328

 

[varesecrazy]

Success of sorts.

Ive taken off the lower dash, underneath the dash

that thing in the centre controls a flap. the one on the left controls the vents to the foot well. the one on the right I assume controls the flap through the heater matrix. I know this because

A. the spindle is broken off
B. It actuates when I turn the temperature down, and not when i use the vent controls..

so now a question of repair. hopefully epoxy will fix it. but we shall see.

Plenty of threads in the 500 section.. a few sound DIY fixes

The SCS link is the best 'garage trade' fix.. but you need to be in Southern England really

 

[koalar]

I don't have enough interest to check elsewhere as these are out of stock

https://picclick.co.uk/Fiat-500-Genuine-Heater-Box-Temperature-Flap-Repair-282839391121.html

repair kit. Any Good ?


in fact there £13 free postage on Irelands ebay if its the right one ?

 

[benj111]

koalar

repair kit hadnt actually occurred to me. unfortunately thats just the external parts of the actuator. whereas the bit thats broken is part of the internal part.


epoxy worked /quite/ well. i dont know if the flap is stuck, or if its just extremely tight.

I think plan B will involve a stick pad between the 2 parts. the sheared peg isn't too big, but theres a 1cm circular area around both sides that also rotates.

Plan C is removing the side of the heating box.

 

[Wazzzer]

I've just fixed mine with a piece of metal which I bonded into the white gear then melted a slot into where the spindle had broken off.

I didn't get the orientation 100% correct so I will have to adjust the stop to enable completely cool air in the summer but the at least I can now have heat in the mornings to clear the screen

 

[benj111]

Thanks, ill make that plan B and a half.

what thickness of metal did did you use, theres not a lot of plastic to melt in to.

also, was you flap *ahem* quite stiff?

using epoxy stuck it quite well, but I was having to apply a lot of torque, more than I would have thought reasonable, before it broke.

 

[varesecrazy]

Thanks, ill make that plan B and a half.

what thickness of metal did did you use, theres not a lot of plastic to melt in to.

also, was you flap *ahem* quite stiff?

using epoxy stuck it quite well, but I was having to apply a lot of torque, more than I would have thought reasonable, before it broke.

Maybe youve got a parking ticket wedged in there.. ?

 

[benj111]

No they usually stick them on the outside of the windscreen, and then I put them straight in the bin.

 

[chris3234]

No they usually stick them on the outside of the windscreen, and then I put them straight in the bin.

Outside?
So they can blow away on get destroyed by rain?

 

[benj111]

How do you expect the traffic warden to get access to my car???

 

[koalar]

the parts in the kit I posted at £13

are being fitted by some garages for £160 plus

not that helps the original poster who has a different broken part.

Doesn't help anyone. But it has shocked me.

 

[chris3234]

How do you expect the traffic warden to get access to my car???

What? Why would s traffic Warden need to access inside your car?
Every car I've ever seen has had see through windows so you can put a ticket on the inside so it can be read outside

But perhaps Im missing something here?

 

[benj111]

What? Why would s traffic Warden need to access inside your car?
Every car I've ever seen has had see through windows so you can put a ticket on the inside so it can be read outside

But perhaps Im missing something here?

What a parking warden may call a fixed penalty notice, a layman may call a parking ticket. now this, slightly confusingly is what you get when you pay to park.

Now I don't think varesecrazy was being entirely serious with their comment, so I thought I would miss their point (for humorous effect) by taking the other meaning of parking ticket, (a fixed penalty notice) which of course would go on the outside of the window, this is funny because being on the outside, it could never fall into the heating vents. I added a further layer of hilarity by suggesting that I throw away these fixed penalty notices, which of course would be very silly because I would still get charged.

Now that I've taken the time to analyse this joke, piece by piece, you will of course now have to agree how devastatingly funny it is. You may also wonder why I'm am making off the cuff jokes hidden away in the fiat forum, rather than filling stadiums somewhere. the answer to which is obviously Covid and social distancing. Like a wandering minstrel I will roam from car related forum to car related forum, dropping hugely humorous gags, that like a fine wine, will be fully appreciated only after I have explained just how expensive funny it is.