Zetec demist system
Discussion
Hi,
I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice on getting the demist system on my Fisher Fury to work, as this part of my build is leading me towards despair.
I have a 2 litre Zetec engine and am using the Stafford Vehicle Components 'Norway' heater unit. This is very agricultural in appearace, consisting of nothing more than a matrix in a steel box with an electric fan and some air ducts. There are no control valves, so coolant should always be free to flow through the unit.
The problem is that when I run the engine, no heat at all reaches the matrix. I have run the engine up to full operating temperature and can feel lots of heat in the radiator, but the heater unit matrix remains stone cold.
I have filled the cooling system through a bleed on the matrix inlet to ensure that the matrix is full of water. I have tried disconnecting the supply and return pipe and blown though them to ensure the matrix is not blocked.
Finally, this morning I fitted a section of clear tubing in the matrix feed pipe. With the cooling system filled, an air pocket remained in this pipe. By raising this section of the pipe slightly, it was possible to create a large bubble separating the water on the thermostat housing side from the water on the matrix side. I then fired up the engine and could see that no water is flowing through this pipe. Revving the engine produced a little pressure surge but definitely no flow.
So has anybody else experienced this kind of problem, and how did you overcome it? Does it sound like there could be a fault with the thermostat housing? A fault with the water pump maybe (which is a new unit, bought to spin in the right direction)? Can't think what else it could be. Any other ideas?
Any help would be very much appreciated.
I was wondering if anyone could offer some advice on getting the demist system on my Fisher Fury to work, as this part of my build is leading me towards despair.
I have a 2 litre Zetec engine and am using the Stafford Vehicle Components 'Norway' heater unit. This is very agricultural in appearace, consisting of nothing more than a matrix in a steel box with an electric fan and some air ducts. There are no control valves, so coolant should always be free to flow through the unit.
The problem is that when I run the engine, no heat at all reaches the matrix. I have run the engine up to full operating temperature and can feel lots of heat in the radiator, but the heater unit matrix remains stone cold.
I have filled the cooling system through a bleed on the matrix inlet to ensure that the matrix is full of water. I have tried disconnecting the supply and return pipe and blown though them to ensure the matrix is not blocked.
Finally, this morning I fitted a section of clear tubing in the matrix feed pipe. With the cooling system filled, an air pocket remained in this pipe. By raising this section of the pipe slightly, it was possible to create a large bubble separating the water on the thermostat housing side from the water on the matrix side. I then fired up the engine and could see that no water is flowing through this pipe. Revving the engine produced a little pressure surge but definitely no flow.
So has anybody else experienced this kind of problem, and how did you overcome it? Does it sound like there could be a fault with the thermostat housing? A fault with the water pump maybe (which is a new unit, bought to spin in the right direction)? Can't think what else it could be. Any other ideas?
Any help would be very much appreciated.
I had similar problem with my Zetec. I plumbed it up the way I thought it should go, not having seen an instalation.
The take off to the heater comes from the engine stat (so the heater will work if engine not up to temp). The return T's into the bottom rad hose just before the engine pump.
Does this help?
Mine is also a 2l, but I did not change the pump - was advised by some engine people (Raceline?) that it wasnt nesassery. I have run it for 2 years in a westfield & 2 in a Stylus with no overheat problems.
The take off to the heater comes from the engine stat (so the heater will work if engine not up to temp). The return T's into the bottom rad hose just before the engine pump.
Does this help?
Mine is also a 2l, but I did not change the pump - was advised by some engine people (Raceline?) that it wasnt nesassery. I have run it for 2 years in a westfield & 2 in a Stylus with no overheat problems.
Edited by kevp on Saturday 27th January 16:44
Interesting. My plumbing is set up a bit different to this. The heater is connected to either side of the thermostat housing. The coolant expansion tank feeds the T-junction near the water pump. It was actually set up like this by Fisher when I had them do some work for me, but perhaps this is the problem.
The thermostat housing has three connections:
A big pipe, which on my car connects straight to the top of the radiator.
A smaller (16mm) pipe on the same side (the exhaust side of the engine). On my car this receives the return flow from the heater.
Another 16mm pipe on the other side. On my car, this feeds the heater.
Which of these pipes feeds your heater, and does youe expansion tank connect to the other?
Richard
The thermostat housing has three connections:
A big pipe, which on my car connects straight to the top of the radiator.
A smaller (16mm) pipe on the same side (the exhaust side of the engine). On my car this receives the return flow from the heater.
Another 16mm pipe on the other side. On my car, this feeds the heater.
Which of these pipes feeds your heater, and does youe expansion tank connect to the other?
Richard
Richard,
Your plumbing is incorrect. All three pipes from the thermostat housing are outlets. None is for incoming. The way your's is pipes, both feeds will be pushing against each other so you will have no flow through your engine until the thermostat opens and them everything will go through the top hose to the rad.
You should have three outlets. Big top hose. 19mm outlet on same side as top hose and 16m outlet on inlet side.
Top hose goes to rad.
19mm can either plumb into top hose or bottom hose. Bottom will warm up quicker as it will feed around the engine but not through the rad. Top will feed through the rad at a restricted volume so will take longer to warm up.
16mm should feed through your heater and them return back into bottom hose. You can tee from this hose into your expansion tank if you wish.
I personally have both going to the bottom hose as I want it to warm up quickly. IIRC there is a diagram on the Westfield site.
Try re-piping and it should sort your problem.
Your plumbing is incorrect. All three pipes from the thermostat housing are outlets. None is for incoming. The way your's is pipes, both feeds will be pushing against each other so you will have no flow through your engine until the thermostat opens and them everything will go through the top hose to the rad.
You should have three outlets. Big top hose. 19mm outlet on same side as top hose and 16m outlet on inlet side.
Top hose goes to rad.
19mm can either plumb into top hose or bottom hose. Bottom will warm up quicker as it will feed around the engine but not through the rad. Top will feed through the rad at a restricted volume so will take longer to warm up.
16mm should feed through your heater and them return back into bottom hose. You can tee from this hose into your expansion tank if you wish.
I personally have both going to the bottom hose as I want it to warm up quickly. IIRC there is a diagram on the Westfield site.
Try re-piping and it should sort your problem.
Got it working this weekend so thanks to all who helped. I rerouted the plumbing as suggested, then ran the engine for a while and the heater matrix was soon too hot to touch.
Next thing is that I am interested in fitting some kind of valve. The pipes supplying the unit have a 16mm bore. Any ideas where I might find something suitable to fit?
Who are 'Omega'? I did a ggogle search but couldn't find anything likely.
Next thing is that I am interested in fitting some kind of valve. The pipes supplying the unit have a 16mm bore. Any ideas where I might find something suitable to fit?
Who are 'Omega'? I did a ggogle search but couldn't find anything likely.
If you go to www.nfauto.co.uk (Car Builders Solutions)they have a simple plastic in line valve, either run the hose behind a panel that you can reach whilst driving or a brass valve that can be remote located and operated via a choke cable affair (had this in the Ultima) but I changed it to an electronic valve out of a Fiesta, I'm now in the process of trying to get it to work via a 'pot' to vary the temp.
I think Stevebubs was talking about the car Vauxhall Omega.
Graham
I think Stevebubs was talking about the car Vauxhall Omega.
Graham
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