We have HEAT ... and we're loving it!
So, got the new
Heater
Control
Valve fitted this morning, using this excellent guide;
http://www.projectpuma.com/viewtopic.php?f=51&t=12365" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
....I have to admit I was a little nervous about this job, and cordoned off a couple of hours in my morning to get it done. Until about 3 months ago, my technical car experience consisted solely of spark plug & oil changes and maybe the odd other simple job. I then bought a collosally crap Corsa and had to learn how to fix it constantly
.... in the event it was all done and dusted in a little over 20 minutes
.... there were some nervy moments. Firstly, access to the HCV is really awkward - I did remove the guard thing from the back of the engine bay but even with that off, the entire engine bay itself will still feel like it's 'in your way' while doing this job! ... the next challenge was that the clips that Ford use to secure the hoses to the HCV are buggers... (I've decided)... Because you have to use one hand on the pliers to open the clip, this means that (unlike with a jubilee clip) you only then have 1 hand free to try and move the clips. One on my clips moved out of the way easily but the other was snagging a little into the hose and wouldn't budge for 10 mins. :evil: ... got it back eventually. Even with the clips right back from the end of the hoses, the hoses at the back of the HCV did not want to budge at first and again access makes it hard to leverage them off. Got there in the end though..... Just some advice for others doing this job; it's much easier if you remove the
front hoses first, then the back (as I found out by doing the reverse lol)... I done what the guy in the HOW TO guide did, and kept the front hoses propped skywards with a bit of cardboard, to prevent fluid loss. If you're doing this job and like me, you're not the most experienced tinkerer with cars, bear in mind that you will probably lose a little bit of water as there will be some in the old HCV itself, and some in the back end pipes (as you face them) which will leak a bit as you dislodge those ones. But don't panic - I only lost about 1/3 of a cup full, which I replaced after completing the job.
The next slight hair raising moment was that after completing the job, I started the car but the starter turned for about 5 secs before the car started - gulp! - I am guessing that this is while the cooling system is bleeding the air out?, following the de-pressurisation (or something along those lines).... anyway when it did start all was fine, and after a minute or so
lovely hot air coming out of the heater vents... for the fisrt time in a week :thumbs:
I let the car get up to temperature - no overheating - and the reservoir bottle was maybe 3mm off the 'max' mark, so a small top up and we're done!
Next jobs: Getting some red caliper paint and painting the calipers, then starting the wheel painting project :thumbs:
Cheers.
