Heater not working

[1972nail]

This time filling slowly into the highest point heater hose the water comes out the top of the radiator instead of through the heater valve, does that mean the thermostat is stuck closed?????

Did you disconnect the heater hose at the radiator end or the heater valve end. Disconnecting at the rad will leave the bottom hose as the lowest open point whereas disconnecting at the heater will leave thee heater valve or if open the radiator cap.

The procedure I use is to disconnect at the valve with the rad cap off, fill the rad to the top via the cap aperture, fit the cap and then top up via the heater hose.

P.S.No reasonable person is ever a pest on here, just a fellow Viva owner asking advice. We all want to see as many Vivas as possible running properly, including yours.

[vauxhallbitz]

Thanks again guys, I did as you suggested however the heater is blowing warm air so must still have air in it, no water out the overflow though!!

I am going to take out the thermostat tomorrow and see what happens, what is the correct thermostat for my car, I seem to remember going through several last year before I could get one to work.

[lord13]

hmmm correct thermostat, well... I have run viva's with anything from 82 - 88 degrees, not sure what the manual suggests but in hotter weather run an 82 or without one, and in the winter either stick with an 82 or put in anything up to 88, depends on what the engine likes in my experience.


I've just had a quick look in my manuals and it states there's two types a WT that opens 85 - 89 and the AC that opens 80 - 84, I've never come across a WT (opens upwards) so I guess an AC 82 will do you just fine.

[1972nail]

Make sure you get a thermostat with a 'jiggle pin' in it and place that at the top, 12 o'clock position. You'll see what I mean when you get one...... It''s a small basic valve that lets all the air out from behind the thermostat when you fill the cooling system.

When you say the heater is putting out warm air.......it's supposed to do that isn't it? May be you are meaning it's only putting out warm air instead of really hot air. Viva heaters are not that great and warm air is all that you'll get, it'll never get leg burningly hot. An 88 thermostat will help a bit.

I would drive it a bit and see if it gets a bit better. Sometimes it takes time to clear all the air.

[vauxhallbitz]

Yes point taken, lets just say the heater has been hotter in the past. The thermostat that is fitted has the jiggle pin so I will make sure it is in the position you suggest.

Onwards and upwards................

[vauxhallbitz]

Well after many long hours, much frustration, much swearing, throwing of things, many questions, many possible solutions (thanks to all who took an interest), much hand wringing and gnashing of teeth I THINK I have a working heater, no air lock and no petulant throwing water out of the radiator overflow! The culprit was possibly, possibly the thermostat.

However there appears to be more white reek coming out of the exhaust than I would like or remember so I am now thinking a possible head gasket on the way out?

Watch this space..........

[1972nail]

The white smoke (for those not in Scotland or Northern Ireland) is a good indication of head gasket failure only when the engine, exhaust and ambient air temperature are warm enough not to make the moisture in exhaust gasses condense.

Before you get too involved stripping the head I would go round all the head bolts in sequence with a torque wrench just to check.

Also keep an eye on water level, smell the water in the rad for combustion gasses and excess bubbling, excessive oil traces in the water and If you still have white reek on a warm engine and mild weather then buy a gasket set...

[vauxhallbitz]

Thanks, I have a gasket set ready but hope it won't come to that!!!