08 Berlingo (Mk III) rattles and heater.

[demag]

I have had this Berlingo since the summer. I couldn't stand another winter of freezing temperatures in the Roomster which was a shame because its a nice motor. This morning was the first really cold morning of the season. At 6am coming out of work the car had a good layer of ice all over it. I started the engine and within a few minutes the ice was scraping easily from the screen. For a modern diesel it warms up reasonably well but I was wondering if I could fit a slightly hotter thermostat. I think this one is about 85-87deg?

Since I had the car I noticed rattles from the back and a tendency to "hop" out on bumpy bends. To me it feels like arm bushes but I can't see any listed for the later Berlingo's. Any ideas?

[Peter.N.]

It probably has an auxilluary diesel fired heater which comes on automatically at below about 10C, you will be able to tell if its giving warm air when the temp gauge is still reading cold, you should also get it very quickly, within a minute or so. If you have, changing the thermostat won't help a lot because unless pressed hard the engine won't produce enough heat to keep it at thermostat opening temperature.

Peter

[spider]

I think the HDi will probably have some form of electric heating for the coolant or (more likely?) the EGR cooler will warm the coolant as the exhaust passes over it so when the engine is cold as the exhaust gets hot quite quick it helps to warm the coolant a bit, so I am not sure a thermostat will actually help at all with the initial warm up. The larger HDi's when they first came out they were so efficient they could take an age to heat up.

[Hell Razor5543]

I know that the HDi engine warns up very quickly. On my Xantia there is warm air within a couple of minutes, and it's about the same on the company van.

[demag]

Ah sorry what I meant to say was I'm pleased with the way it warms up. But when it is warmed up I'd like it to be a bit hotter. At the moment it doesn't seem to get hot hot, just very warm and it feels a bit stuffy. It would be nice to get the actual temperature a bit higher.

[Peter.N.]

My 406 and C5 both have fuel fired heaters and heat up very quickly but the engines themselves provide very little heat because they are so thermally efficient. Check you fuel gauge and see whether it reaches normal temperature and stays there, if not you won't gain anything by changing the thermostat.

Peter

[demag]

Yes it does Peter. Sits fairly steady at about 85. So my thinking is a hotter stat should hopefully just bring the temp up. Even in the hot weather the gauge never alters so it copes ok.

[Peter.N.]

Well it's worth a try.

[demag]

Ok thanks for the info. Anyone got any ideas on the rear rattles?

[Peter.N.]

I think they have drop links at the rear if the suspension is the same as the 406, if so probably a worn one.

Peter

[demag]

Ah thanks will have a look underneath.