Isuzu Trooper Owners Club UK™

[mscottdavies]

hi there,

good eve everyone

does anyone know of the long term affects of a blocked heater matrix on a 3.1td 1994 with air con/climate control?

one day i noticed i have luke warm air from vents even when 32' selected with a warm engine.

i have just done a coolant and thermostat change, bled system effectively at the time. i rinsed system with clean water but not a de-gunker

consequently i believe it's the matrix blocked or partially blocked.

now i can fit a third party heater for winter.

i am paranoid about
1. position and difficulty of access its behind two air/con pumps and the glove compartment and it not resealing and leaking once disturbed.

and finally if the matrix is partially blocked is that causing coolant starvation to a part of the engine?

the engine is not overheating but i am concerned one part maybe running hotter than others and consequently one piston and chamber maybe slowly receiving heat damage.

any advice would be gladly received

kind regards

matt

[Google]

[Gribble]

Its more likely that the linkage controlling the hot/cold air mix has come off as there is no valve to shut off the hot water to the heater matrix .

Its possible its blocked but the rod is the normal cause of this on a trooper.

See if there is a big difference in the inlet/outlet heater pipes after the engines run from cold for about 5 mins ,if the temps close the matrix is not blocked .
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2 New Troopers !

[mscottdavies]

Hi there,

Thanks for the tip, as suggested I checked the internal pipes behind the glove compartment and I would describe them as luke warm

Also my heater control is all digital therefore im presuming there are no linkage rods is that correct?

Kind regards
Matt

[Matt Quinn]

Not sure about your control gear, but certainly mine has always had a lousy heater!  Some say they're prone to clogging when people have used Radweld, others say they airlock... Either way it seems not to affect the engines too much, however...

Some time ago I 'lost' the original hose that runs from the top of the 'stat to a metal pipe alongside the head...

- I replaced it with something made from straight rubber pipe and a bit of copper plumbing pipe to make the bend... What this has (accidentally) provided me is with an 'openable' section at the highest point in the engine.  This gives me an option of filling the engine via the heater end (thus ensuring that part of the circuit isn't 'airlocked out')  AND a point at which the system can be 'bled'...

It CAN 'lock out' again... And the heater is by no means fabulous... But it HAS improved things greatly.

[Gribble]

No it still has links to move the arms ,so if  front bit of the inlet pipe from the engine is hotter than the  back part where it goes into the matrix after  several minutes   then yes its blocked but be sure of this as the heat will move along the pipes (conduction) but just try a new thermostat first.
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2 New Troopers !

[mscottdavies]

hi there, sorry about the late update, im struggling with a zillion other truck modifications

right, tms supplied me an excellent thermostat 82' and after change no discernable affect on heating off the vents, so one variable down.

next month, id like to book it in for a cambelt change the garage will most likely strip off the radiator to get at the t-belt so im going to ask them to do a coolant flush & change upon renewal. lets see if that sorts it.

if not im coming into the cabin & looking at the linkage arms. failing that i will isolate the matrix by bridging the inlet & outlet pipes in the engine bay & running a ceramic cabin mounted heater for winter.

on a slight deviation i have just fitted a t.i.m water temp gauge and sensor to the truck if anyone needs any info or just bounce ideas around.

i can help with that

kind regards

matt