Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

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Madcat
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Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Madcat »

I'm not intending to try fixing this myself , modern vehicles are way out of my experience . I found a small puddle of pink fluid / coolant in the passenger foot well . I have a horrible feeling it's the heater matrix but couldn't be sure . I removed a big piece of plastic trim and found I couldn't dismantle further without removing a huge lump of plastic trim that includes the glove box so didn't proceed further. It was tea time and I'm a coward.

Can the heater be isolated on these vans , its not a favourite solution but might buy me some time.
Who are the best people for second hand parts , I'm assuming the days of scrambling up the heaps of wrecks in a scrap yard are long gone not that I fancy doing so .

This is quite a small leak just now , do they suddenly become catastrophic ? I was supposed to be traveling Black Country to Braunston and back for a historic boat rally and I'm not sure if I should risk it . The current seepage could be easily caught in a plastic container blu tacked into place on the floor as a temporary for the weekend but things have a nasty habit of escalating .

If I had a knowledgable mate to give me a hand I might tackle it but I'm reluctant to involve anybody else in my problems and I'd be stuck at the boatyard till fixed as that's the only place with help available . Otherwise it's the local independent garage that's kept my assorted old vehicles on the road for the last 20 years.

I'm mad busy with a boat restoration and need the van . Braunston was to be a chance to take photographs and measurements of other Northwich canal boats and collect much needed information.

Ye Gods , a saga . What do you think . I
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Stickyfinger »

I cannot see why you would not be able to bypass the heater matrix, you may have to be creative with some pipe work and if you look at the entry point of the pipes into the cabin through the firewall take great care with the unions...they get very brittle.
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Bick »

heater matrixes can leak for years before they become a big problem - not ideal but you could try a kseal as a temporary fix as it may stop or slow down the leak.
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Stickyfinger »

IF you use a "leak sealer"...ONLY USE .....Forte Stop Leak......."other types" have a tendency to block oil coolers etc....

(Edited out Barrs)
Last edited by Stickyfinger on 22 Jun 2017, 16:13, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Madcat »

Thanks Stickyfinger and Bick .
I had wondered if it was a thing I could soldier on with till it can be sorted out . I'm off to consult local garage as they have the van in a week to sort another issue but will consider putting one of the leak sealers in that Stickyfingers recommended .

This was a very cheap van so I've a bit of slack in the budget to sort out stuff. The clutch and the cam belt were recently replaced by the previous owner so that two big items out of the way .
Madcat
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Madcat »

Stickyfinger , thanks for the heads up on possible brittle unions . I'm reluctant to tangle with aged plastic as it quite often doesn't end well
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Stickyfinger »

Personally I would do a bypass by cutting the pipes and adding a couple of joiner pipes (and thus avoiding the connectors) rather than use an additive.....but that is me maybe
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by CitroJim »

Stickyfinger wrote: 22 Jun 2017, 09:03 IF you use a "leak sealer"...ONLY USE .....Barrs Stop Leak or Forte Stop Leak......."other types" have a tendency to block oil coolers etc....


Don't use Barrs under any circumstances... Use ONLY Forte Stop Leak and absolutely nothing else...
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Madcat »

Update . I trundled round to the garage with van , it is the heater matrix and will be done next week at the same time as scheduled work .
For now I'm to use the van and keep an close eye on the coolant and temperature gauge . I've rigged up a means of catching the leakage so I can see exactly what I'm losing .
Leak stop of any kind was not recommended due to oil cooler issues .

Stickyfinger , your suggestion of cutting the pipes and adding a by pass joiner is a better idea than wrangling potentially brittle plastic which most likely has a death wish . If I had to deal with it myself I would take your advice .

Having done a couple of winters up and down the M5 in a van with a non functioning heater I think getting this fixed next week is a good investment for the future . I have to carry an elderly passenger sometimes who doesn't do cold at any price .
While the good folks at the garage fix the van I can get a lot of decorating done at home which earns me goody points and a free pass for weekends away with my boating friends .
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Bick »

From the comments looks like my oil cooler has been blocked for 8 years - o well i suppose it will blow up soon.
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Madcat »

Bick I think you could say the leak stop cure worked for you . I usually end up with a grisly mess if I try the simple cure . I must have been an evil beast in a previous life .
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by CitroJim »

Madcat wrote: 22 Jun 2017, 21:11 I must have been an evil beast in a previous life .


:lol: You and me both I reckon!!!
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Madcat »

Update . We tried the Forte Leak stop and it's looking positive . I'm hoping for the best .

I haven't seen any rise in the temp gauge readings so assume the oil cooler is still doing its thing ok . Test run up the by pass with the heater on wasn't the most joyous experience in the current warm weather but I needed to be sure before I remove the arrangement of mushroom tray wedged in with a lump of wood I'd been using to catch the drips .

Wish me luck , I like this van a lot
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by Zelandeth »

Worth noting with the Forte stuff that it's safe enough that some manufacturers use it from day one - and Valeo if memory serves state it must be used to validate the warranty of some of their heater matrices! So I wouldn't worry about using it.

Any other leak fixer is a big no-no, but the Forte stuff is decent.
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Re: Leaking heater . 2004 Dispatch van .

Post by CitroJim »

Zelandeth wrote: 06 Jul 2017, 22:06 Worth noting with the Forte stuff that it's safe enough that some manufacturers use it from day one - and Valeo if memory serves state it must be used to validate the warranty of some of their heater matrices! So I wouldn't worry about using it.

Any other leak fixer is a big no-no, but the Forte stuff is decent.



Correct on both counts Zel :)
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