christophertr6 Posted January 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 All good sense, but I believe that the matrix does not have a control valve itself, i.e. it always has water flowing through it, but its air flow that is controlled by the flaps. I'll have a grope at the pipes tomorrow. Taking the missus to a meeting and at -3 deg she's not going to be happy if there is no heat. I'd suspect the heater cables etc more if the temp gauge wasn't showing a very slow warm up. The gauge gets its info from the electronics black magic and thats fed from temp sensor - which is also new. Me no understandy!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_273 Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) On 17 January 2016 at 7:16 PM, lupo1.0se said: Toyo is summer tyre only. No good if you want to use it in the winter. But the Falken is a summer sure too, is it not? My Toyos are working fine in -4 degrees here in Geneva, but I won't be replacing them with all season tyres, I'll get a st of proper winter tyres. All seasons will ruin the handling in nice weather. Edited January 18, 2016 by jon_273 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lupo1.0se Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 These are what I bought. https://www.protyre.co.uk/buy/Falken-ZE-914-car-tyres-195-45-15-78V-1954515VBUFA914?search=%2fm%2ftyres%2fsearch%2f195%2f45%2f15%2f78 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_273 Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 1 hour ago, christophertr6 said: All good sense, but I believe that the matrix does not have a control valve itself, i.e. it always has water flowing through it, but its air flow that is controlled by the flaps. I'll have a grope at the pipes tomorrow. Taking the missus to a meeting and at -3 deg she's not going to be happy if there is no heat. I'd suspect the heater cables etc more if the temp gauge wasn't showing a very slow warm up. The gauge gets its info from the electronics black magic and thats fed from temp sensor - which is also new. Me no understandy!! Is the thermostat from VW or TPS? Did you change the housing and O ring too? Not sure what else it could be, unless there is something wrong inside the heater box. Is the warm up time completely ridiculous, considering it's a cold time of year and it's a bigger engine than a 1.0SE which you are comparing it with? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_273 Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 7 minutes ago, lupo1.0se said: These are what I bought. https://www.protyre.co.uk/buy/Falken-ZE-914-car-tyres-195-45-15-78V-1954515VBUFA914?search=%2fm%2ftyres%2fsearch%2f195%2f45%2f15%2f78 But where does it say they are all season? I don't see the snowflake symbol anywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted January 18, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 9 minutes ago, jon_273 said: Is the thermostat from VW or TPS? Did you change the housing and O ring too? Not sure what else it could be, unless there is something wrong inside the heater box. Is the warm up time completely ridiculous, considering it's a cold time of year and it's a bigger engine than a 1.0SE which you are comparing it with? Stat from Euro Car Parts. housing and o ring not changed but condition look fine. Silicone grease on the o ring on re-asembly. By housing I mean the domed plastic part fixed by 2 screws and one hose outlet and not the more major part into which the stat fits and is connected to other hoses and the temp sensor mounting port. The warm up time is way too long compared to any other car. The wifes 2.0 TSI GTI warms up normally and thats about the same time as the SE. There is definitely something wrong - but it can't be much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver! Posted January 18, 2016 Report Share Posted January 18, 2016 I was thinking of going for a set of Vredestein Quatrac 3 or 5 on the Dune and possibly on a set of wheels for the GTI, but they don't do them in the required sizes. Pah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrera-gt Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 You need a thermometer to get to the bottom of this, then you can measure the stat opeing temp and make sure that's right, then you can check the air temp comming out of the heater and pipe temps going in and out of the heater matrix Cheap enough on ebay or Amazon Heater matrix could be blocked water wise and air wise of course Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Got one of those slick laser thermometers. Used it last night to check the old stat which I took out. That opens up at about 80 deg so that's ok. Todays run out saw temp gauge go up at a normalish rate bearing in mind the -3 star toff temp, but the cabin didn't get heat much. My money is now on blocked or air locked heater matrix. At weekend Ill clamp off the flow & return hoses, take them off the matrix, connect a hose and collect the outfall & see what state that's in. Then just keep flushing. Idea will then be to somehow leave the matrix full of water & reconnect the flow & return hose. Dextrous us of fingers & carrots............. Might take the stat out again & renew the housing cover & O ring - cos I have them now. MoT tomorrow; lets see how that goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon_273 Posted January 19, 2016 Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Yeah 80 deg is right for the GTI stat. Other Lupo's seem to be set at 89C. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted January 19, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2016 Bit of a Professor Pat Pending idea but how about this:- Large garden tub, with old fish tank pump in it. Connect pump to heater matrix inlet and another hose to outflow and back into tub. Fill tub with water and maybe some flushing fluid and set to run for a while. Circulates water thru the matrix and cleans it out. I'll take couple of photo's of this. Should be good for a laugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted January 23, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Yeah - the fish pond pump was a dumb idea. Got down & dirty with it today. Checked cables to heater controls and they are fine. Took hoses off matrix and ran hose through for a while. Not too much crap evident. Topped system up & ran to temp but still not much heat. I now believe that matrix silted up. Does anyone know what best cleaning agent to use? Tempted to run something strong round for a week then flush again next weekend. Forte was a name mentioned when searching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrera-gt Posted January 26, 2016 Report Share Posted January 26, 2016 Never had good results with flushing compounds, normally starts the matrix leaking which then means replacement which is a big job. Probably best to wait for the weather to warm uo a bit then replace the heater matrix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Thanks for the reply. Update to heating. I put a rad system cleaner in - half a can left over from when I flushed the system through while the car was "resting". I have left this running round for a week. Last Saturday I then disconnected the heater hoses, plugged garden hose pipe lengths into the matrix and back flushed it - the forward flushed then back flushed - and even blew some compressed air through (gently). The first back flush produced a fair amount of rusty flakes so something has been freed up. The up shot is that I now have heat in the car. Put a meat thermometer into the dash vents and have had temps up to 50 degrees - which drops when the fan is on, but still at 45 degrees. So proof that it was a blocked matrix causing the issues. Thank god I don't have to take the dash out. The out bit doesn't look too bad but I bet getting it back in squeak free is nigh on impossible. On the tyre front I've just has a set of Goodyear Efficientgrip Performance 195/50 r15's fitted. Not exiting to look at but first impressions are good with noise levels OK and confidence is good. Still haven't gone to the paint shop so its "beauty challenged" but great to be out on the road. I'm using the car every day now and I have to say its a joy. I loved the size advantage of my SE but wanted more poke and its delivered. It feels more poised than the SE (not surprising) and very stable. I did 120 miles yesterday in windy conditions and yes you could feel the wind but still felt solid. I was surprised at how torquey it felt even in 6th on inclines - guess its light. What is generally expected range wise out of a tank of fuel? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tourist Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 What made you go for 50 instead of 45 profile tyres? Martin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted February 3, 2016 Report Share Posted February 3, 2016 I'm guessing for a more comfy ride, and between 300-350 miles to a tank, I've only ever managed 350 a handful of times though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted February 4, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 4, 2016 Had 50's on before when I acquired the car and that was ok. Rolling radius is slightly larger than the original 205/45 but not really significant. Comfyness is probably the main reason. Wife GTI is on 18" low profiles and is amazing but harsh. I'm going to use the Lupo GTI as my daily driver and possible for longer European road trips with the missus so comfort is a factor. 300-350 miles per tank!!!!! Most I got out of my 1.0 SE was about 245. First tank through the GTI was 150, but not fair as it idling in the garage for several episodes. This tank is going to be better but can't see more that 200 coming up. If on 27ltrs (what usually goes in my tank) you get 300 miles, that's 50mpg. That's really good for a GTI isn't it? What's your secret? Thought the heating issue had got sorted but yesterday the engine took ages to get to temp and hence cold cab. The stat is new but I think my flushing of the heater matrix might have disturbed other crap in the system and maybe lodged in the stat preventing it from fully closing. Is this a possibility? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted February 5, 2016 Report Share Posted February 5, 2016 It's possible but I really don't know, seems like there's probably more of an underlying problem, an idling engine will take a while to warm up tho. Ok Pete's top tips. 1. Use 97+ fuels 2. Brim it fully using the magic button 3. Don't go above 3k until engine is warmed up and even then limit the time you're up there. 4. Don't change gear any later than 2100rpm unless overtaking, see above. 5. Tyre pressures-32 psi all round. 6. Don't take random crap around in the car that doesn't need to be there. 7. Kind of obvious but regular servicing and maintenance. I started dropping decent mpg figures, plugged it in, everything seemed in order, got it in at work and found my rear brakes were binding pretty badly, new discs and pads and a good clean/freeing off of the calipers and it was back to how it was originally. Lesson learned. I do doubt I'll be so lucky with my new gti tho as I've increased the weight somewhat but I'm confident I should still be able to get a decent 300+ out of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted February 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2016 Er, whats the "magic button"? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bennyx_o Posted February 6, 2016 Report Share Posted February 6, 2016 Where the filler nossle goes, on the right side there's like a switch tht you can push in and you'll hear air being released from the fuel tank which allows more fuel to go in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silver! Posted February 6, 2016 Report Share Posted February 6, 2016 Great you're on the road. Enjoy! Comfort is over rated. I done a long Euro road trip in 2013; 3,242 miles on KW v1s down about 100mm and running 145/45/15 tyres. And I'm pretty old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted February 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 Got to confess a basic school boy error. Found the problem with my heating. I'd got the flow & return hoses on the wrong way round! Must have done this early on as I've been returning them to the "wrong" positions quite a few times as I've been flushing the matrix through. It was only glancing through some photos of the work I'd done that I noticed the pipes and their correct position. Swapped them round tonight and hey presto warm cabin. I think I'm smart when messing around under a bonnet but proves its alway best to go back & check the basics! Pride before the fall. On another note, I found the "magic button". Is it a question of making sure you push it with the fuel pump nozzle while filling or pressing it with your finger during a fill up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexG Posted February 8, 2016 Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 Fill up as normal until full, press manic button with tip of nozzle, you'll hear air escaping .. Then fill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christophertr6 Posted February 8, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2016 Cheers. Was that you that let me out near Sainsburys the other night? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LexG Posted February 9, 2016 Report Share Posted February 9, 2016 (edited) Yes I think it was! Mines a silver Gti ... Edited February 9, 2016 by LexG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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