Heater knob

Mutz · Post by **Mutz** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 6:11 pm

Excuse me if this has been covered already. My tempertaure control dial on dashboard has come off and the spindle it was attached to stuck solid. Have tried pliers but don't want to damage the plastic spindle.

Water in rad looks a bit rusty, so want to drain , flush & refill system. Have read that heater must be on to get water circulating of matrix, mine is stuck off. Also, does Jon W's piece apply to the 16TRS?

cheers in advance chaps

Mutz

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Fri Sep 14, 2007 9:27 pm

Common problem with the BX.

The problem is not your spindle, its the actually Heater Tap shutter. My guess is you cant get it to cold (closed)?

What happens is you get a build up of sludge in there and the shutter system dont work, bit like flood gates. Its a pig of a job to cure involves getting under the dashboard the tap in question is above the steering shaft.

Flushing dont seem to work.

Mutz · Post by **Mutz** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:25 pm

thanx for reply kiwi

but... is that the only explanation for the inability to turn spindle? you may well be right, but are there other simpler things to try first?

cheers

mutx

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Mon Sep 17, 2007 8:32 pm

I'd try flushing the system. Plenty new anti-freeze. Then if it's still no go. You could try removing the heater control panel and disconnect the cable to the heater valve. Then try to get some oil down the cable to help free that up a bit and work it in-n-out with the help of some pliers.

Gently at first until it starts moving or you will bend the cable or worse.

Mutz · Post by **Mutz** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 4:16 pm

Thanx for reply Ken

However I've read here & eleswhere that it is pointless flushing the system without the heater matrix being flushed also. Hence me wanting to get it opened so I can flush the whole system properly...

Anyone else?

cheers

Mutz

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 5:23 pm

The valve itself is down next to the heater matrix, just by the steering column. You may have some luck levering the valve itself. The operating rod on the valve is up for off, and down for open.

The valve also has the control rods for the two flaps that move with the heather control. If it's actually one of the flaps that's jammed, you can disconnect it, and move the heater tap.

If it is the heater flap that's jammed.... bad luck. That's a dashboard-out job.

(and I'm currently in the middle of putting a dashboard back into a BX that had a very similar problem, requiring dash removal. Taking out the dash is about as much fun as sawing your own leg off)

Way2go · Post by **Way2go** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 8:42 pm

My heater knob has always been fine but I noticed something quirky recently. Operation is smooth from off to just before the last red segment and it wont turn into this. Heat comes on & I can turn it off again.

Anyone come across this & anyone know whats wrong, perhaps how to cure?

Mutz · Post by **Mutz** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 4:52 pm

S+!t

I've just tried the spindle again with a heavy pair of pliers figuring if I bugger up the spindle & it's as bad as has been suggested (i.e dashboard out) that'd be the least of my worries....

well the spindle didn't break it just twisted & sprang back to it's stuck position. aagghh

any pics of:
Its a pig of a job to cure involves getting under the dashboard the tap in question is above the steering shaft.
or
how to tackle dashboard removal?

and/or is anyone in Sussex who could help?

cheers
Mutz

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:28 pm

Well I flushed my system the other day after Kens advice that may clear it......oooops I DID NOT blast water into the heater matrix piping to clear the sludge......bugga...bugga....curse. Redo time

Ok I will post some pictures later to day for you Mutz as to its location, yes its a pig of a job and one that everyone does try to avoid unless really...really have to.

My own one I can not getting fully closed eg (Cold) but its not so bad and well might not say that with summer just around the corner

Cranking on the AC seems to make it to cold anyways.

m_2975 · Post by **m_2975** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 2:40 pm

IMHO this device would have to be firstly the stupidest invention ever and secondly in the worst place in a RHD in the PLANET!

I can get a heater tap out of a BX without taking the dash out but it involves removing the seat to get upside down in there and many hours of swearing and cursing.

It's becoming mire and more of a problem so I keep hearing. They seem to jam and get stiff probably due to sludge in the cooling system. They also have a really good habit of breaking the inlet and outlet off in the engine bay.

I had a similar problem with my TZi that I bought a little while back.

I couldn't work out how the previous owner broke the heater knob off. Only once I had installed a new control apnel intot he dash did I realise that they broke it trying to open it up to let in heat!

It would turn ever so marginally but not much.
What I did to free it up was a spate of luck really.
I ran the car until it was hot (fans on and off) and then gently eased the knob back and forwards either way until it stopped and then back again. After about 5 minutes of doing it the tap started to open a bit. I kept going and it gradually GRADUALLY came loose. It took me about 30 minutes to do and my wrist was ready to fall of then.

Give it a try. You may be surprised but remember don't force it as either the control panel, cable or tap will break! Then you really are in trouble. Citroën don't make the heater tap anymore, I know as it took me 12 months searching the world for a brand new one!

Michael

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 11:12 am

Well since thse things do go wrong and now you cant get them I took the entire Heater assembly out of my spare BX, saves fiddling with the tap but got to remove the dashboard to fit it though.

m_2975 · Post by **m_2975** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 1:09 pm

Kiwi,

If you're VERY patient you can get it in without taking the dash out. Last time it took me about 3 hours to get in.

Michael

ellevie · Post by **ellevie** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:08 pm

The heater control on my 19TRS was stuck in the half way position for ages until I learned about the valve trick on this forum. I could turn the control either fully on or fully off but it would just spring back to the middle position. If you place a mirror down around the clutch pedal you can easily see the valve. You can use your right hand to reach up and wiggle the valve whilst assisting the operation by wiggling the heater control with your left hand. When I took these photos yesterday I hadn't used the TRS for some months and it had seized up again, but it was a simple matter to just reach up and free it using the valve. It seems it's a case of "user it or lose it".

view from clutch pedal

heater valve

DLM · Post by **DLM** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:20 pm

If you're VERY patient you can get it in without taking the dash out. Last time it took me about 3 hours to get in.

That sounds about right from my experience - themain problem is relocating the clips behind the panel. The other statistic about that job is the number of swear-words it provokes...

Mutz - if you can move the valve as pictured in the post above, the problem lies with the valve. If the valve moves but the control knob doesn't, then you'll need to look at the ventilation panel. Are you in West or East Sussex?

kiwi · Post by **kiwi** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:34 pm

m_2975 wrote:Kiwi,

If you're VERY patient you can get it in without taking the dash out. Last time it took me about 3 hours to get in.

Michael

Its a job I have no intention of doing real soon

as long as the Air con keeps working then its low on the priority list.