The heater on my Punto (T Reg 16 valve) goes cold when the revs fall below 2000rpm, but then blows hot again when the revs go above 2000. The heater matrix has just been replaced and the people who did it say my cylinder head gasket could be failing. The coolant level is on the max line. The engine temperature is the same as it always has been. Any one any ideas
Edited by Pugugly {P} on 12/01/2008 at 17:22
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If you heater matrix has recentley been replaced then it sounds like the cooling system has not been bled of air properly. Look for plastic bleed screws under the bonnet. One of them is usually on the pipes that feed the heater matrix and the other is towards the top of the engine near the radiator feed pipe. Check the coolant level afterwards!
Do this sooner rather than later is if you have a lot of trapped air your cylinder head gasket(&more) WILL fail due to localised overheating (trapped air does not cool very well!)
Do you hear a gurgling sound in the heater when you rev the engine?
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In addition to all the above, if the heater was OK prior to its replacement the feed pipes may now be reversed, and it needs the pump to work more than usual to overcome the (reversed) gravity circulation.
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Or alternatively, this may be normal
Water for cooling and heating is driven by a pump. At low speeds this is not efficient. Drive at 30 in 4th the heater will not work well. Change to 2nd and it will
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Sorry about the delay in acknowledging your very helpful repsonse;; I found the bleeder screws and did the necessary, but the problem persisted - the original garage convinced me that the cylinder head gasket has gone and I also took it to a main dealer who confirmed it and arecharging a lower price to replace it. Somewhere along the line I feel I've been had since it seems a bit of a coincidence that both my heater matrix and my cylinder head gasket should go at the same time.
However, believe it or not, "my other car is a Punto" and did gurgle when I started it up; I've located the bleeder screws, bled it and it no longer gurgles.
Thanks for your help Big John
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"Somewhere along the line I feel I've been had since it seems a bit of a coincidence that both my heater matrix and my cylinder head gasket should go at the same time."
If its any consolation, I don't think you've been had. When my Punto's cylinder head gasket failed, the garage were pleased that I'd had it rectified as soon as I did - because the heater matrix fails also due to the coolant leak, making for a considerably bigger job.
Or so I was told, at least...
Regards,
- Gromit
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