Hi there,
I'm not sure if anyone can help me but I have a Vauxhall Astra Convertible MkII K reg(yeah the old cheesy shape) and the heater has all of a sudden stopped working (just in time for the weather as well!)
The blowers are still working but even with the heater turned up full I am getting cold air through. The tempreture gauge on the dash is also acting a little strange - its usually in the middle but now it seems the be dropping, sometimes even into the blue area even after having been driving (well parking) around the M25 for 40 minutes! I just dont' know what to do now - is there something I have't done - the oil and water levels are fine - do I need antifreeze (i'm south african and we don't have that problem & I think the mechanic has done it already). Admittedly I am driving 80 miles a day round trip & the car is old but it was serviced 3k miles ago.
Any one with any clues? Otherwise I'm off for another expensive mecahnics bill :(
thanks
-F-
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Radiator Thermostat jammed open? The cooling system is usually designed so that coolant circulation through the radiator doesnt occur until the engine has reached temperature, the thermostat then opens and the cooling effect of the radiator ensures that the coolant remains at an optimal temperature. In stationary traffic the radiator fan can cut in to provide additional cooling.
If the thermostat fails in the open position (or if it has been removed for any reason) then the coolant circulates from engine start and cant reach normal operating temp.
How long have you owned/been driving the car? If only since the summer it may have been like this for a while and you might not have noticed.
regards
Ian L.
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Sounds like the thermostat is stuck open. Easy to change and depending where you source the part, around £10 to £15. Might be worth back flushing the system while you're at it. By that I mean undoing the waterpipes at each end of radiator, connecting a hosepipe and flushing water in the opposite direction to the way it normally travels to flush out any sediment. Make sure the heater control is on the hot setting before you start.
And yes, you do need antifreeze all year round to prevent the cylinder head and engine block water ducts ending up like the inside of a kettle. 33% mimimum mix, but ideally a 50% mix of water/antifreeze.
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Oh thank you both so much !
I've had the car since April and the heater has been working fine up until 2 days ago. I've got the Haynes for it so I shall see if I can manage to do it myself over the weekend.
I'll look into the anitfreeze as well but I think the last mechanic did it.
-F-
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And yes, you do need antifreeze all year round to prevent the cylinder head and engine block water ducts ending up like the inside of a kettle. 33% mimimum mix, but ideally a 50% mix of water/antifreeze.
I should add that it's actually the corrosion inhibitors that prevent the furring up of the water ducts, whereas the antifreeze prevents the water from freezing. The antifreeze will go on working indefinately, but the corrosion inhibitor only has a life span of 3 to 5 yrs, depending on the manufacturer.
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When I bought my Astra the bloke I bought it off said something about if the blowers don't heat up then it might suggest a head gasket problem? Your temperature gauge dropping with the engine running sounds like it might be something more serious than a heater thermostat - or am I missing something? I freely admit that I don't know a lot about this subject, but I'd like to know whether the dealer was right about the possibility, and whether the heater and the engine as a whole share the same thermostat?
Kev
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When I bought my Astra the bloke I bought it off said something about if the blowers don't heat up then it might suggest a head gasket problem?
That's a new one on me.
and whether the heater and the engine as a whole share the same thermostat?
Yep, they do.
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Rapid engine temperature rise plus no heat from blowers suggests thermostat jammed shut to me as the first port of call; about 15 quid for a new one from vauxhall; if it's much the same as the cavalier Mk3 one.
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Hi everyone, i have no wish to hijack this thread, but i have the same problem as funkabubble, except with the added complication the the cooling fans tend to cut in even when the temp gauge reads 82ish (On a Pug 306 DTurbo this equals normal operating temp).
This only happens in stationary traffic, as you might expect, but i would have thought they wouldnt be needed at all in November? Or is this problem also linked to the thermostat?
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