NO heat - 83 Rabbit 1.6

[Monomer]

-New Thermostat
-Fresh Zerex mixed 50/50
-All new hoses, coolant burped (NO bubbles)


I have NO heat, on any setting. Vac line leading into the cabin for the heating system is broken (non fixable) which vac pod do I have to shim to get JUST HEAT (this is on a car with a non-working ac system)

I've also heard talk of flaps with foam that degrades with time, any steps for replacement of these?

[Dallas]

I think the 83 is the same body style and the 81, is it not? My 81 started to not put out heat right after I put stop leak into the radiator. I believe that stuff plugged up my heater core. I have some heat but not enough to keep me comfortable in our 'cool' winters here in ND. As soon as it gets warm enough to ride my Gold Wing I will put in some cooling system cleaner for a few days and then get the rediator repaired and hopefully after a cooling system flush I will have heat. It used to stay quite warm in the car.

[ajt3nc]

Not sure on an a1 but the a2s have foam on the flap doors that rot.
You can put closed cell foam and get heat.

[Monomer]

Not sure on an a1 but the a2s have foam on the flap doors that rot.
You can put closed cell foam and get heat.

steps for replacement?

[vwkook]

I'm willing to bet that it's the valve that shuts off/turns on flow to the heater core. Sometimes the cable kinks as well.

[Monomer]

I'm willing to bet that it's the valve that shuts off/turns on flow to the heater core. Sometimes the cable kinks as well.

Valve is good, hot coolant IS getting to the heater core (if you feel the hose past the valve, it's hot....)

[ajt3nc]

On an A2 , you pull the center console and expose a large plastic housing.
Remove the 2 10mm nuts and detach the front. It connects to the vents in the center and tubing on the top left and right. Just be gentle and patient.

This exposes the blend doors. I am sure there are better ways, but I measure them (2) and cut the foam to fit, slather them with weatherstrip glue and slap it on. Cycle the controls to make sure there is no binding.

Button it back up and get warm.

[Monomer]

It's an a1



It turned out to be the heater core. Being a cali car, and NEVER seeing a winter, the core was plugged. We backflowed it and reconnected, and now it's got heat!


Even installed an aux. water pump from a w123 body Mercedes, now it has great heat at IDLE!

[Dallas]

I finally decided that I could not wait until spring as we have some rather cool weather in the forecast. About -20F coming up. Soooo, I back flushed the heater and lots of gunk came out. On the way home from the shop I actually had a warm foot. Felt good for the first time in 2 winters.

[Fatmobile]

Makes ya smile don't it? :
All that work payed off... gotta love a cheap fix.

I would like to find an inline filter for the heater hose.
I was thinking about switching lines and just running coolant backwards through it (it's too cold to play with water right now) but it would just flush the crap back into the system.

[Monomer]

well, the 'core went.



it worked DAMN well for the week...When the lady says "I'm to warm" when your driving in -20 weather, you've done something right!

[Homer T. Coyote]

Fatmobile, I like a cheap fix as much as anyone but it seems every time I try I end up wasting time and buying the part anyway. I will try the back flush and see if it helps, and then wait for the core to go South. Any cheap fixes for the coolant hose from the head to the pump housing w/ the tee to the oil cooler? I was going to use copper tubing but it is as expensive as buying the hose for $35.