Got some info on heat valve thing.... by-passing with pics!

[Mancorr 0]

i was fed up with poor heaters so i took the plunge in the modification.

it was quite easy really...

 

youll need two small lengths of 22mm copper tubing

(about 4in and 5in)

a screw driver

some water and anti-freeze

 

heres what you have to remove:

 

 

heres what you put in its place:

 

 

the finished look

 

 

this modification WORKS A TREAT, the heaters are UNBEARABLY hot too!!

i'll keep ya posted if my heater matrix goes, as its the original one from 1990

 

 

Hope this is of help. I will be trying this mod tommorow or Saturday. Will keep all posted on how it goes!

[claire.major 0]

You can actually get the actual bypass valve from Volkswagen now, Im picking mine up tomorrow to fit to our Mk2 GTI daily (im guessing its the same set up as a mk2 Golf as int he pics above). Not sure if all the stories about heater matrix exploding due to it being overloaded etc are true but for £25 Id rather not risk it!

[Mancorr 0]

That pic was from a Golf GTI MK2 16v. Heater matrix exploding due to mod......dont like the sound of that! £25 for a new one from VW is cheaper than i thought, i thought they were around £40?

[claire.major 0]

Yeah its about £25 - £30 and although the risk is very very slim I wouldn't risk it!

[.Rich. 0]

I just drilled the guts out of mine

[16v_Beast 0]

ive had mine like that for about a yeah now in my raddo 16v and even when the rad fan wasnt working proply and cuting in at 110 the heater matrix did explod

[awigman 0]

iv just got a new valve fitted on my C and just wanted to say... The heating is now amazing! if you've got bad heating BUY A NEW VALVE

[Supercharged 2]

I'd just like to point out that the above is dangerous an should only be done if the mk3 matrix has been fitted (and an OE VW one!)

 

Even if the new matrix has been fitted then the pipes should be replaced not bypassed!!

 

Madness...

[Mancorr 0]

I'd just like to point out that the above is dangerous

 

Madness...

 

Dangerous....oh! By looking at the number of posts you have and Corrado's you own i will take your advice. This is a mod i wont be carring out. I will buy a new valve i think!

[Crasher 3]

I'd just like to point out that the above is dangerous an should only be done if the mk3 matrix has been fitted (and an OE VW one!)

 

Even if the new matrix has been fitted then the pipes should be replaced not bypassed!!

 

100% top advice from Supercharged, boiling water all over your legs and feet, not to mention instantly steamed up windows isn't good. Removing the valves without fitting a new VW genuine Golf 3 matrix is utter madness and if it causes injury to others, pray the plod doesn’t find out what you have done!

[coolrado 0]

i agree that removing the valves is very dangerous with a standard matrix, a similar thing happened to me in the bond bug when the rad blew, the pressure relief valve used to vent into the passenger footwell as the small piece of pipe that should have vented it to the ground was missing and even though i had both doors off the car when it blew it was still near impossible to see where i was going.

fitting a newer mk3 matrix should eliminate the risk of the matrix exploding as they can take more pressure than other parts of the cooling system, the header tank cap includes a pressure relief valve doesnt it? newer vw's with the later matrix dont have the bypass valves so they shouldt really be required if you fit a new style matrix.

 

as the bypass valves where a retro fit and the pipes had to be cut to fit them, can you still buy the complete un-cut pipes, or are they the usual vw hose prices £££££££

[Rpmayne 0]

My first 1989 16v Golf had never had these valves fitted and nothing happened to the heater matrix. The pipes were completely intact so assume the owner never bothered to get them fitted when VW issued the recall. I've done exactly what Mancoor has done on another Golf with no probs.

[davidwort 0]

My first 1989 16v Golf had never had these valves fitted and nothing happened to the heater matrix. The pipes were completely intact so assume the owner never bothered to get them fitted when VW issued the recall. I've done exactly what Mancoor has done on another Golf with no probs.

 

I have to agree that it does seem like a bit of an over reaction by VW to a 'possible' failure point, but as it's safety related they would have been forced to issue a recall by law not to mention the legal implications of not doing anything about it and someone crashing due to a matrix exploding.

 

I've asked my dad about this before, he worked only on VW's for over 13 years in the 80's and early 90's and he's never actually seen or heard of one directly that has burst, not saying it hasn't happened in the UK though.

[joebloggsVR69 0]

My bro-in law did the copper pipe fix a couple of months back on his mk2 16v. Shortly after that he got the dreaded explosion/hot water in footwells/steamed windows...

 

I'm gonna replace my mk2's bypass valve in the next couple of weeks, as it's also playing up at the moment (not much hot air coming out etc.)

New bypass valve cost me about £25 from VW - I'd rather spend £25 than risk burning my passengers!

[DiTch 0]

mmmm i looked at that engine bay pic, and thought that looks familiar,... so just ran down to the garage, and yep at some point in the cars past , the same mod was done to mine , iv had the car for over a year and with the look of the hose clips i would say that they are two to three years old .... gulp! .... so why would the heater matrix explode? (i dont savey?)

[Crasher 3]

Excessive coolant system pressure due to a fault in the engine or cooling system so when they go, the coolant is usually hotter than ever. I have had it happen to me once on a Corrado G60 and saw it happen in the queue into Venlo where five big Dutch chaps bailed out of a steamy Golf, either that or they were...

[DiTch 0]

how is it possible to do this mod and it still be safe? .... and is there anyway that i can confirm that it has been done correctly? { keep in mind that it was done befor i owned the car and i only found out about it by reading this thread}

[Mancorr 0]

I dont think it can be carried out safely mate! One way is how its shown in pics, its a cowboy job so there is no correct way. When they first came out there were 2 hoses with no by-pass but the recall had them all fitted in due to matrix going pop and if the engine was over 100c was going to leave some major burns to the feet. I know i have carried this mod/bodge out but its only to last 2 weeks until my new by-pass arrives as cannot drive with cold air blowing and misty screen!! Saying that the mod has only made my heating warm....going to do a complete system flush tom' before 2pm as its MK meet!

[DiTch 0]

ok so whats the part no of the thing that i need, and does it fit in the gaps that have copper pipe in ? { my engine bay looks exactly the same as the photo at the start of this thread} cheers ... good thing this forum

[Mancorr 0]

It will fit straight in mate. Easy job, just a reverse of what i put in pics. I dont know the part number (i will find out though!) but they are £30 from a dealer but be prepared to wait for it to arrive! You will loose some coolant whilst replacing the pipes for by-pass so be ready with some anti-freeze and water and to bleed the system afterwards....leave on idle for 20 mins with expansion lid off whilst giving the big hoses around the rad' massage....lucky hoses!

 

good thing this forum

 

Excellent forum :) There is a paypal option to keep it alive and running to which im making a payment as this has to be the most helpful car forum i have been on :D

[claire.major 0]

It will fit straight in mate. Easy job, just a reverse of what i put in pics. I dont know the part number (i will find out though!) but they are £30 from a dealer but be prepared to wait for it to arrive! You will loose some coolant whilst replacing the pipes for by-pass so be ready with some anti-freeze and water and to bleed the system afterwards....leave on idle for 20 mins with expansion lid off whilst giving the big hoses around the rad' massage....lucky hoses!

 

We got ours for £24 with mates rates discount :D . Was advised to depressurise the system before removing anything or starting the replacement so may be worth bearing that in mind to!

[colinstubbs 0]

if it's cold it shouldn't be a prob, just whip the cap off if you're worried. If the system is hot let it cool or you'll get it boiling out of the filler when you undo the cap!

[claire.major 0]

Just changed the valve on out GTI and tis a very very easy job with a lot less coolant loss then I thought, just got the air out of the system and ready to go, sweet.