No heat in my VS Senator

[ScoHar]

Hi Guys, Recnetly picked up a VS Senator (S1) i believe now when I 1st got it the heater worked fine, I did a coolant flush, thermostat, inlet off to do dissy and such and now my heater doesn't work, it has a new heater tap in it as the plastic broke when I was pulling it apart, it doesn't get hot if i pull the vacuum line off either, now the heater hoses are getting hot so im pretty sure the tap is working right, i've worked it down to 2 possible problems, air in the system or blocked heater core, which is more likely to be, being that my climate control is moving the actuator on the heater tap i believe that isn't the problem either, also I have put a cooler thermostat in 10 degrees cooler, didn't think this would make much of a change to the heater though.

 

[hako]

Do a search as I've seen this before...something about the flaps not directing the hot air and it's caused by some electronic amplifier.
Good Luck.

 

[BlackVXGTS]

Holden V8s automatically bleed any air out of the cooling system over a couple of days of driving so that's not your problem. Did you install the thermostat upside down? Did you install the heater tap the correct way around?

 

[vrsprspt]

How is it Holden V8s automatically bleed air out of the cooling system?? Have owned a few Holden V8s and never heard this from anyone, ever, qualified mechanic or not

 

[BlackVXGTS]

I think it's because the top of the radiator is higher than the engine so any air bubbles remaining after you go through the standard Holden process end up in the radiator and then migrate to the overflow tank. You just need to top up the tank for a couple of days. Standard process shown below. Personally, I don't do step 4 as described because it's almost impossible to get all the water out after flushing is complete. I just put in 6l of concentrated coolant and then top up with water. If you pre-mix the coolant with water and there is still a couple of litres of water left in the block, the coolant concentration will be less than the required 50:50 level.

DRAINING AND REFILLING THE COOLING SYSTEM
1. Allow the engine to cool to ambient temperature (less than 50° C). Remove the radiator cap, place a suitable container (capacity of approximately 15 litres) beneath the lower radiator hose.
2. Disconnect the lower radiator hose at the radiator, and allow the coolant to drain into the container.
3. Reconnect the lower radiator hose, and tighten the hose clamp.
4. Mix 6 litres of clean water and 6 litres of Holden's radiator/coolant inhibitor in a clean container.
5. Fill the radiator with the coolant.
6. Turn the heater control to the 'HOT' position. Start and operate the engine at approximately 1500 rpm, then top up the radiator with coolant.
7. Stop the engine and replace the radiator cap.
8. Fill the coolant recovery reservoir to between the 'MINIMUM' and 'MAXIMUM' marks.

 

[ScoHar]

Hey guys sorry its been a while, been a few months to get to a computer haha, anyway I think i've got to the bottom of it having a wee search around, pretty sure its the heat control flap at the box itself, bloody electrics

 

[ScoHar]

just having a quick feel around the pipe by the drivers left leg is cold, and the pipes running over the engine aren't very hot, hot but not like the rad hoses.arrow on my heater taps pointing to the cabin is this right?

 

[ScoHar]

Ok got the the point of removing my heater hoses to see if water pumps out, it does. Im confused now, heater tap arrow points towards the cabin, the pipe by the right leg doesn't get hot and the heater pipes in the engine bay are kinda warm but not hot. ive gone out and got a new thermostat as the one I had in it was a cool one, so ive got the right temp now, but still nothing. this is driving me crazy.

 

[Cheap6]

So if you manually (outside of the climate control) move the heater tap to open, by either applying a vacuum (try a syringe and hose clamp to hold the plunger) or wedging the lever that the vacuum actuator moves, it still doesn't get the heater core hot?

 

[ScoHar]

nope doesn't get hot something i cant understand i checked it today to see if the core was blocked but it isn't