Pathetic Heater
Anyone have an early 463 300D?
What’s the heater like?
Mine is absolute junk, air flow is OK but the actual temperature is pathetic.
I never see 80C on the engine temp. gauge in normal use. Even with ambient temperatures in the 40’s and with heavy use it will barely touch 90C.
It has a re-cored rad. Which I know are more efficient than std. original fitment and a TD thermostat (82C rather than 85C I think) but this is really bugging me in -10C weather.
It doesn’t have the additional electric circulation pump by the way.
Any ideas?
Russ
same issue with mine, plenty of warm clothes help. Would it be possible to shield the radiator, tie some plastic on the grill to stop cool air circulating, that might help :?:
Buy a Webasto or Eberspächer auxiliary heater. This is what civilized people from Northern Europe do when they feel cold in their cars
http://www.webasto.co.uk/am/en/am_automobile_3177.html
I see these becoming a must with Britain entering the global warming era :lol:
Buy a Webasto or Eberspächer auxiliary heater. This is what civilized people from Northern Europe do when they feel cold in their cars
http://www.webasto.co.uk/am/en/am_automobile_3177.html
I see these becoming a must with Britain entering the global warming era :lol:
you are quite correct but by the time it arrives our cold snap will be over and this being the British Isles perhaps not to return for another 10 or even 20 years :wink:
Russ, You need to get a circulating pump. Any generic one will do. Just put in a separate circuit with manual switch. Also you could put the standard thermostat back in too. My 300g's heater is great and it has the webasto which just tops it off. No problem with any of this cool weather
The engine temperature always sits slightly above the 80 mark in my 463 300GD. The heater is working very well, I actually could wear a short sleeve shirt and a thin jumper while driving.
mine also just above 80°
heats like a sauna!
Dunno about mine - was stuck in a field this afternoon, turned on the heater and opened the door seemed to do the trick - see pics in Snowy thread! (and comments from Mr 'ohhh look I now have a Land Rover to go with my Range Rover') :lol: :lol: :lol:
Spider1V
Hi Russ engine should run at 90c in coldest weather... put the original stat back and check the rigging on the heater water flow control valve. sometimes it does not open fully ..also you can get crud adhered to the heater flex hoses ..squeeze one and see if it is crunchy.... an indication that they are crusted up inside..this crud will foul the valve and stop it opening or closing properly...correct solution is to change the hoses and flush the heater core by opening up the inlet and outlet hoses and working the lever in the dash few times with water flowing "Gently" through ..to much tap pressure could blow a hole in a corroded heater core ... things then get expensive and messy......
Hi Russ engine should run at 90c in coldest weather... put the original stat back and check the rigging on the heater water flow control valve. sometimes it does not open fully ..also you can get crud adhered to the heater flex hoses ..squeeze one and see if it is crunchy.... an indication that they are crusted up inside..this crud will foul the valve and stop it opening or closing properly...correct solution is to change the hoses and flush the heater core by opening up the inlet and outlet hoses and working the lever in the dash few times with water flowing "Gently" through ..to much tap pressure could blow a hole in a corroded heater core ... things then get expensive and messy......
Hi Peter,
Where is the heater control valve? I have had a look and it’s not obvious.
I have actually flushed the heater core as you suggest. Nothing much came out, a very marginal improvement if any.
I don’t really figure why the engine runs cool. I put the TD thermostat in for the Morocco trip but it’s only 2 or 3 Celsius difference. I will put the original back in though.
Russ
Joe the 90 heater works, well not really its about as good as Russ's, i recomend a fleece hat and plenty of layers but hey the thermal cut of on the heated seats seem to vary enormously, so you vary from luke warm to cooked ar*e but what else can you expect from Solihul..... at least you have the varierty to keep you amused :D
Joe the 90 heater works, well not really its about as good as Russ's, i recomend a fleece hat and plenty of layers but hey the thermal cut of on the heated seats seem to vary enormously, so you vary from luke warm to cooked ar*e but what else can you expect from Solihul..... at least you have the varierty to keep you amused :D
I remeber running an old Ranger Rover for a mate - the heater was not very good then - you could get more heat from a coughing mouse! Mind you I agree with the heated seats.....
Hope you enjoy the new toy.... and you are forgiven once you get your new G *sniff*
Spider1V- :roll: :lol:
Hi Russ unlike the 460 where the flow control valve is located close to the bulkhead in the engine bay ..on the 463 it is inside the vehicle almost alongside the heater box above and to the left of where the clutch pedal would be..if the heat on/off selector is notchy or has free travel the chances are that the gate inside the flow valve is not travelling the full open / shut radius..pig to get at but worth a look..... as you have flushed the heater you might be able to flush the valve by attaching your water imput closer to the water pump...by operating the lever in the dash you will see A' if it closes completely in the cold position (no flow) and B' if you get full flow when the lever is in the hot position.......
Thanks for that, oh how I miss my 460 at times like this :roll:
Seriously I’ll have a root around and see if I can locate the valve. The lever seems nice and smooth with little free movement but it’s got to be a prime suspect in all this.
Russ
What did you flush it through with? Forte do a pretty powerfull stuff ( Trade only) but any garage should flog you it?
What did you flush it through with? Forte do a pretty powerfull stuff ( Trade only) but any garage should flog you it?
I’ve avoided using any sort of rad flush type stuff. Just concerned that I may end up finding leaks in the heater matrix.
I just flushed it with a hose pipe. It may come to more drastic measures but I’ll start with replacing the stat. and fitting an auxiliary circulating pump.
I’ve got 90% of the grill covered with ali. Foil (looks pretty stupid) but it has pused the engine temp. up to 80C.
Russ
I doubt water on its own will shift much debris, compressed air and water may be? Though I reckon that new thermostat will be probably help, looks a few days work to replace a heater matrix!
Was the auxillary pump ever a Merc fitment?
Would it be possible to shield the radiator, tie some plastic on the grill to stop cool air circulating, that might help :?:
In Canada, when it's really cold, it's quite common to put a piece of cardboard between the grill and the rad with some holes cut out not to limit airflow... it's amazing what a difference it makes. You could also just strap it to the outside of the grill.
Just make sure to take it out when it starts getting warm again!
Or for more common makes of cars you can actually buy a "bra" for the front of your car where you can close off the grill.
Was the auxillary pump ever a Merc fitment?
Pretty sure it was a standard fitment. Maybe mine is just a little too old. The fact that they fitted one suggests there’s something fundamentally inadequate with the circulation in early 603 engined G’s.
I'm going to get hold of one, get it installed and report back.
The foil has made it slightly better. It was -11C but to be honest that’s no excuse :roll:
Russ
Where is this situated? Any one put a print out of the EPC on ?
The webasto heater was to get the engine up to operating temperature on diesels both for comfort but also in order to prolong the life. I don't think they thought it was inadequate.
My 92 300GD put out pretty good heat.... after I reconnected all the loose hoses!!!
Jason - on my 2000 it was on the left corner by the firewall and the fender. You can retrofit them. Do a search for posts by Roly as he had done it on his 300GDL.
The webasto heater was to get the engine up to operating temperature on diesels both for comfort but also in order to prolong the life. I don't think they thought it was inadequate.
I’m not talking about the webasto. It’s the auxiliary water pump for the heater circuit that I’m fitting. Ordered one off ebay last night.
What loose hoses though Tim? Do you mean the air hoses? My main problem is temperature but the actual air flow is nothing to write home about.
Russ
Hi Russ is your blower running at at all the speed ranges??
Hi Russ280,
Please cheak your PM.
Hi Russ280,
Please cheak your PM.
Hi, no PM yet?
Fixwin,
Yes the fan is OK but compared to the 460, and most other cars I have or had the air flow is not up to much.
Russ
Hi Russ is the recirculating flap in the top of the heater air intake box behind the engine working correctly?? I have known the flap to sieze and whack the actuator.....
oops sorry Russ - didn't read all the posts. I found that the hoses which connect to the vents in the foot well had all come loose. And also the fans were a bit blocked with dust/lint. Once those were freed up it made a massive difference. They were pretty easy to access - just take out the lining in the foot well. Never really had to put fan above two once done.
The heater on my 2000 was very good and I don't think they had changed anything...
Hi Russ is the recirculating flap in the top of the heater air intake box behind the engine working correctly?? I have known the flap to sieze and whack the actuator.....
Yes the flap is in the down position.
Thanks Tim, another thing to check out.
After all this it WILL work! :lol:
After all this it WILL work! :lol:
Just in time for the Thaw! :wink: :lol:
Spider1V
Russ280 wrote:
After all this it WILL work! :lol:
Just in time for the Thaw! :wink: :lol:
Spider1V
Yes it is too cold to work on it right now :roll: :lol:
Is the electric pump mounted near front shock?
The standard location is below the abs unit, so yes adjacent the RHS shock tower. Have you got one Jason?
A while since I have looked under there with all this snow, as I remember some item I couldn't work out what its purpose? In between headlamp/washer pumps and abs, with heater hoses attached?
Russ my heater is rubbish to. The problem is not from the engine, at least not in my case, my car is running at 80-90, but the heater is very hot. My airflow is also good, only lacking heat.
Just before the winter kicked in I noticed my air has a bit of warmth to it, even when on cold, not enough to have to use the aircon, but it was there, so I am sure my valve doesn't work properly.
If you figured out how and where the valve works, can I bring the beer so you can sort mine out to?
Hi an accumulation of rusty crystal like material from years of hard water/old antifreeze builds up in the hot/cold selector valve and restricts the flow of hot water and the correct function of the valve...hence limited heat ..the location of the valve on the 463 deters the average owner from servicing it...back flushing with the garden hose can remedy the problem.this means disconnecting the hoses in the heater circuit as close to the heater as possible.....applying the hose and activating the valve until clear water flows adding an electric circulating pump will not help if the valve is restricting the flow....in fact the valve can split under pressure(only thin black plastic) and that's a whole new ballgame....
I HAVE A HEATER 8) :lol: :lol:
There were, however, some successes and some failures today!:
The new stat. was the wrong one so had to put the old one back in, ahhh!! :evil:
Got a Jaguar auxiliary pump off ebay which is exactly the same as a genuine MB part apart from the mounting bracket. If you’re retro fitting one this is of no consequence as you won’t have a mounting bracket to bolt it to anyway.
After a lot of pondering it’s pretty obvious that the plumbing on mine will require new parts to fit the pump if I choose the same setup as an original fitment.
I have however plumbed the Jag. pump in (£1 for some MB heater hose from local scrappy) and it works, huge difference, just need to sort the stat. out now. The engine is still running way too cool.
Russ
PS.
I did find the control valve which was being actuated through it’s full movement and flushed the heater matrix again. Free flowing with no crud coming out.
Hi Russ is the thermostat housing a plastic or metal one?? plastic has been known to distort and allow water to pass through the engine continuously from cold....rendering the stat inoperative....
No it’s alloy.
Motor Factor getting a new one Monday. MB don’t have one in the UK so a week before they can get one. Cheaper than my local factors from MB though.
Russ
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Thanks for the replies Guys.
I’ll get an auxiliary circulating pump and swap the thermostat but there’s no way I’m throwing sqillions of pounds away on an Webasto or Eberspacher (my wife’s car has one and I do know they are great) BUT what the hell is up with MB if they can’t make a heater that works!!
I still think there’s something basically wrong :roll:
I do like it to be nice and toasty in my cars
Russ