406 coupe heater leak - sorted

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jet_andy
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406 coupe heater leak - sorted

Post by jet_andy »

I have a 406 2.0SE coupe, and I'm getting rain water into the heating system. It's coming out through a 'drain' hole on the blower fan, and soaking the carpet in the passenger footwell. I've only just got the car, so I'm wondering if a filter or something has been removed and not replaced, or a water trap clogged by leaves??? be grateful for any ideas.
Andy
jet_andy
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Post by jet_andy »

OK, I know it's coming in through the pollen filter, but I can't work out why. The plastic panel above seems intact, and is fitted correctly, but still the water comes in. It doesn't come in very fast using a hose though, seems to be much worse if driving, ie with the wind pushing it in.
Someone else must have had this problem???
jet_andy
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Post by jet_andy »

Right - I was wrong, I don't think it is coming in through the pollen filter housing. I dropped the blower fan off, and sure enough there was water in the bottom, but there was also signs of water in the ducting that goes off from the fan to the heater. How can rain water get in there - it definately only happens when it rains, and if it's been dry it takes a while before it starts. Help!
jet_andy
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Post by jet_andy »

Does anyone think it could get in through the windscreen seal, and then into the heater ducts without running down the bulkhead itself?
jet_andy
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Post by jet_andy »

OK, I think I may have been barking up the wrong tree here. I today had a long drive for the first time in dry weather for a while, and the leak did occurred after about an hour and a half. There had been no rain at all.
So, is it the air conditioning after all??? Can anyone tell me where the AC drain is? Maybe it is blocked, and after a while running the level gets to a point where it spills out into the heater ducts. I'm now running with AC off to try and prove it.
solara
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Post by solara »

Are you sure it is not coolant.
Not recommended, but it tastes sweet!
If so, sounds like a leak in your heater matrix.
Are you losing coolant?
jet_andy
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Post by jet_andy »

No, I'm not losing any coolant. It's been going on a while now and I would have had other problems. It appears to be very clean, clear water. Can AC create that much water?
solara
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Post by solara »

From what you say, it sounds like water to the external AC drain.
I would look under the car for a tube dropping somewhere below the heater/compressor matrix.
Are you getting any drips from there? If so, then it should be okay. If not, it may be blocked. Not the best weather to make these checks. Quite easy to tell in the summer, as you will usually see a damp patch on the tarmac.
jet_andy
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Post by jet_andy »

Looks like that was it. I spent some time looking for other info on the web and found the Peugeot Club Malaysia forum, with a couple of descritpions of the very same problem. There's no visible drain under the car, but I found it by removing the side panels of the centre console. It actually drains out just in front of the gearstick, into the exhaust tunnel, but you can't see it from outside as there is a heat shield between the exhaust and car. However, witht the console side panels removed, it is easy to remove the drain tube completely. The tube itself wasn't blocked, but there was what I can only describe as a sort of rubber non-return 'valve' in the output port of the aircon unit. It was a little clogged with fluff, but not totally. I wasn't sure how to fit it back though after I cleaned it, when I put it back in the port, it seemed to go up too far, and block it. I couldn't really see what it was for, with the position of the drain, and the fact that the hose had two 90 degree bends in it, I couldn't see what it was preventing from going up. So I decided to leave it out and see what happens. So far I've done two, hour and a half to two hour trips, with the AC on, and no water. I'll keep an eye on it for a bit longer though.
Anyone know what this rubber one way valve thing is for and where it goes exactly?
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