1uzvolvo
Hi all. Been lurking around this forum for a while but time has come to ask for help and I'm hoping someone out there knows more about the intricate workings of a heater in a 242, or any 200 series for that matter.
Years ago when I did the 1UZ transplant, I had to remove the old thermostatically controlled heater control value as it leaked and I replaced it with a simply cable operated valve. Anyway, after a couple of winters of eratic operation (heat is either hot or cold) I tried a couple of things to try and rectify the situation but no matter where the valve is place, or which way the hoses are connected, the problem remains.
Now I thought the heater core was the issue as it take hot water to the outsides of the core with the cold, return water exiting out the middle, but again no hose/valve positions make any difference.
So after exhausting all my possible solutions, I can only conclude that the original heater control valve was there for a reason and a simple valve doesn't work. Is this the case? Am I missing something? I would like to go for a drive on a winters day and not have to continually adjust the heater temp setting when things change from hot to cold. Any assistance would be appreciated.
Cheers
Philia_Bear
240s have 2 heat settings from factory
Frozen balls or deapths of hell
Your describing normal opperation
1uzvolvo
Really? I don't enjoy either. I get that at home so I don't need it when I'm out. :-S
So even with the original heater control valve it was hit or miss? Does the strange heater core have anything to do with it. All other cars I've played with had a simple valve and in/out heater piping and they worked without any issues.
Is there a known fix?
paul0075
Yeah frozen bollocks or burnt ones is generally the normal operation. Though if you have it quarter on you might find it OK. Same for 140 series
1uzvolvo
Obviously Volvo spent all their budget on safety, not comfort. Still I suppose constantly changing the temp settings keeps you awake, even if you are constantly distracted.
Apart from dressing in artic or swim wear during winter, is there a solution.
Spac
I'm not sure I understand your problem entirely:
If it's on hot, is it always hot? If it's on cold, is it always cold?
As Philia says, there's little point in a stock 240 heater control pretending to be progressive: they work like a switch. On or off.
But unless there's a problem, on is on and off is off.
1uzvolvo
I agree. On is on. Off is off. But if I have a slide control that suggests variable temp control, then bloody hot or freezing doesn't cut it. It's a simple system that works in other cars.
If what is being said is correct, why did Volvo spend time and effort on a thermostatically controlled heater control valve? Has it ever worked? Is anyone locally happy with their heater.
Our cars are meant to be enjoyed all year round so a little temp control isn't too much too ask. Is it?
Chris
I'm old enough that I experienced a 75 from new (my father's). It did have some progression in the temp but that didn't make much difference because my mother felt the cold so always put it on full...
Bear in mind too that the design requirement was to keep the driver in a light sweater at 15 below zero so that was the priority.
Maybe they lose capacity to progressively adjust temperature as they age?
jamesinc
My 240 has a middle setting, y'all just need to finesse the slider better
lasercowboy
Interestingly, my UK 240 was infinitely adjustable between the two extremes you describe. My Aus 240 appears to have the HOT/NOTHOT binary options. The UK models didn't come with aircon, so had a totally different (and much more configurable) set of heater options which seemed to work better... that look like this:
I wonder if this is related to that?
1uzvolvo
Thanks everyone for the input. Looks like finessing the "binary" (good terminology) is the only option, or just choose to drive when temperatures are 15 deg below or 20 deg above.
volvodriverman
With the heat on at all in the gt I adjust the temperature with the window winder ;)
240
I've noticed today that there seems to be warm air coming out of the vents in the 240 even with the heater not turned on at all. Is there something wrong with it or is it another idiosynchrasy of 240 heaters?
perko
I find that the little leg vent is handy for bringing the temp down a tad.
My control valve is stuck on full hot so I find it's a nice temp with the fan off.
I turned the fan on full once for shits and giggles and nearly burnt my arm hair off.
240;75191 wroteI've noticed today that there seems to be warm air coming out of the vents in the 240 even with the heater not turned on at all. Is there something wrong with it or is it another idiosynchrasy of 240 heaters?
Pretty standard, the external air vent flows quite well and so has airflow even without the fan.
Set it to recirculate and it will stop.
familyman
Hm... Our 76, 78, 85, 86, and 91 have all been adjustable. It's not what I would call extremely easy or immediate - but not impossible either. Oh - except the '76 valve was really stiff when we first got it. I removed, cleaned, and lubricated it. That was 1993 so I don't recall exactly how now. Just drowned it in and out with some spray lubricant most likely. And the control cable was a little bent off-angle I think. But after that it moved nice and easy for the next decade or so, making adjusting the temp control a lot easier. (Some are really stiff - and like tuning a bad guitar... Turn the tuning peg - nothing. Turn it some more - nothing. Turn... Oops - way too far!) They are easier to slide incrementally in one direction, more than the other too. (I forget which, but cold to hot - or right to left - is easier I think. If you go too far, then I go back to cold and start again.) It's the kind of thing that takes a few cold drives to get in the right spot. Then once it's there, you leave it there, and use the fan if you want it hotter - and turn it off again when it gets too warm. But after a while I worked out about 1/4 on seemed to cover it.
@240 - what was said above about recirc is correct - was reminded of this yesterday myself, when I noticed the fan wasn't spinning. But your heat could also be that same control wire/valve I mentioned above... The wire on our first 240 was slightly crimped - so it was a little short - and therefore wouldn't 'push' the valve completely shut. You could tell because the temp slider would kind of spring back to the right a little, when you tried to turn it fully off. That's why I removed, cleaned, and lubricated it. Come to think of it, it turned out the valve was sticking open slightly, which in turn had crimped the control cable - not the other way around as I'd first thought. So yeah - recirc button off (out) - and check the valve control knob doesn't spring back towards the driver too far, leaving the valve open.
1uzvolvo
Just an update, for those interested. Over the weekend I went for a drive and worked out the heater tap can, with micro adjustments, be made to work. So in order to improve tap control, I extended the adjuster arm of the tap from 25mm to 55mm which has allowed from finer control. After installation of the modified arm, the dash slide control at fully open/hot will set the tap at half way which is more than enough full hot to be achieved.
What I haven't been able to achieve is turning the heat down after having the heater at full heat. Any adjustment still has to be done from the cold position. Cannot figure that one out.
jamesinc
It can take a while to cool down, as all the heat needs to dissipate from the heater core.
Anthony
I must have had good luck with all my 240 heaters, as they operated with any heat range I desired. (only 1 core developed a leak).
The heater control valve condition is all important. The condition of that valve is replicated by what your radiator and block looked like at their scaly worst - if neglected the poor heater valve (= flow restrictor) has all sorts of deposits on the mechanism.
To test shut-off - there is a rubber seal inside - In the last say 5mm of movement when closing on the dash slider, when slid, you should be able to feel it snap / click shut positively. If its lazy and the seal is past it, it just goes thru the motions.
Anyway IPD do/did sell a replacement, or a good 2nd hand unit is fine also. However fitting a replacement is a real trial of patience and contortionist motions, mainly because the network of about 1/2" dia hoses are so hard to remove from the old valve in the confined space.
As James said the core takes a while to cool, due to the mega mass of brass = mini radiator, and its weight defies belief, compared to the super lightweight Al Alloy units you see theses days.
240 heater / circulation fan assembly = 9 kg and this includes the heater core with water = 2.4 kg
