bypass valves mk2

Oh dear...

Without wanting to cause offence; if you don`t even know how a jubilee clip works, then I`d be getting your mate to do the whole job for you.

 

Sarchasm =)

Now let's see if I've got this right....


Black circle is bypass valve, speech bubble is t-joint. To fix, remove both bypass valve and t-joint and replace with copper pipe (marked by brown boxes), deleting the skinny hose joining the two?

I'm trying to remove the hose on the bulkhead side of the valve but it seems to be stuck fast are there any proper or easy ways to remove the hose or is it just brute force?

The fluid that comes out of the hoses is engine coolant right? Which means I'll need to top up the coolant reservoir and probably also bleed it?

Looking into the valve from the cylinder head size it actually looks quite clean so I'm guessing it's a pressure problem and replacement is my only option....

Oh sorry one final question, how bad is the heater matrix exploding, ignoring the 2nd degree burns on the feet. Will it damage other parts of the car? Will the car still be runnable or will it need to be towed at that point?

 

Hm can the valve be taken apart? I see a space around where the main outlet sits in the rest of the housing.

The big bore in and out pipes actually look very clean but flushing water through the inlet I found it doesn't take much pressure to make water come out the by-pass outlet.

 

No point. If the valve`s knacked, it`s knacked...

If it opens and bypasses just from flushing through (just tap pressure I take it?) then the spring is most probably broken, so it`s constantly bypassing, therefore, very little/no heat from the matrix.

I was lucky on two counts when mine blew;

It burst more on the passenger side, so I didn`t get wet/scalded feet.

It was only about 1/4 mile from my house, so managed to limp it home.

The car was still full of steam though, so had to drive with my head out of the window...

 

I'm guessing a leaking matrix is probably more likely to kaboom? In which case, how or where do you look for a matrix that's already leaking?

It's like playing Russian roulette every time I go for a ride! Maybe I should store a set of wellies in the car just for driving.

 

Mine started as a funny smell, then intermittant steaming up/steam from vents (particularly with the fan on).

Was suspicious, so planned to get the matrix changed ASAP, then it went...

It didn`t explode as such, more a sort of squelching sound followed by the car rapidly filling with steam.

I`d say, if you were in any doubt about it, get it changed, or at te very least bypass it temporarily.

The car filling with steam (whether you get wet feet or not) wouldn`t be fun at 70mph...

 

I have a 2.0 8v mk2 so if I ask for mk3 hoses will they be the right size and uncut and does anyone know if gsf do them?

I found the return and feed hoses for the mk2 on their online search but not for the mk3

 

will the mk2 ones be long enough as I was thinkning of replacing the valves with a complete bit of hose rather then sticking the old hose together with copper pipe

 

I thought Id update this, another option is to buy new feed and return hoses from GSF. They are uncut and will reach the heater matrix no problem. Saves you messing around with copper pipe

 

mine went in a kaboom fassion lol luckily no burns just a whole lot of "ooo ****!"

 

thought id join in on this thread rarther than start a new one,having read alot of posts on these valves im thinking they are why i have no heat from my heater. ill list what ive found to see if anyone can advise me on what they think

water pipe to metal valve =hot
water pipe form metal valve to matrix =hot
water pipe return from matrix to plastic valve =cold
the little connecting pipe beetween valves =hot

does this mean the matrix is blocked or the plastic valve is not letting the hot water circulate.If all was well should the little pipe beetween valves be hot or cold?
ps the previous owner replaced the matrix 2 years ago with a gfs matrix

thanks dale.