Quote:
Originally Posted by bateman1234
@zigsman and 335i101 and others
Thank you all for posting, I've encoutered the same issue. It's winter here and the passenger zone blows just about 18 defrees C - a bit too cold to feel comfortable. This sounds much like your problem, but I do not feel like having the heater core replaced. Not only is that expensive, but also having 99% of my dash dismantled to pieces does not sit right with me. There's risk that after putting it back together there will be squeaks, cracks and play here and there in the dashboard which I definitely do not want.
So, after extensive search on the web (and this website) I have found the following things that COULD be done with this issue:
1. I can hear the blend door inside the dash moving when I push the buttons so this is definitely not the issue in my case. I can also hear another blend door moving somewhere inside when I change the passenger zone heating by a few degrees - although with no noticeable effect in temperature. Ergo - this is not the jammed blend door in my case.
However, if some of you suspect this actually IS some blend door in their case - a suggestion is to replace it (easy as that) OR use a bass guitar string to try to put it all the way down all vents, fiddle a bit and hope that miraculously you will touch the jammed blend door and release it.
You may also buy a USB interface to jack up to your BMW and operate the blend door from your laptop. It will let you see whether some of the blend doors are inoperational. This might set you back just about $50 on eBay.
2. Am I right thinking that PRESTONE FLUSH liquid or WYNN'S cooling system flush may help to clean the clogged heater core? Would that work? Or maybe it's better to connect compressed air to the cooling system and try to blow all the clogs away? Is this sensible? I mean - much easier than replacing the core anyway...
3. If, for some people, clogged air duct itself seems to be the problem - there is another solution. Some people mentioned connecting the ventillation motor with reverse polarity to try to reverse blow and clean out clogs in the ventillation ducts. Can anybody do a DIY? I have no idea how to make the motor work in reverse.
Can anybody confirm whether my ideas add up? I'm trying to find a way of repairing the issue without dismantling the dashboard altogether....
Regards.
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Of course I would try most of your suggestions before digging into the core...its a huge job! You can purchase a BT interface and software for you car (well worth the cost) which will allow you to individually activate all the blend doors via your laptop (and many other awesome features). I would recommend this cable and software to anyone with a BMW or MINI. If the problem IS a blend door, and by reading your post, it sounds like its not...replacing a blend door is just as in depth as the core. You need to remove the heater box from the car to do that...and the core sits right under the box, so it's really the same job.
A coolant flush is not going to unclog your core. It may loosen some gunk and free up a little bit of flow, but a clogged core is like a clogged artery...there is no real fix other than to replace it. I tried forcing pressurized water through the system, I tried compressed air...no luck.
I can say with confidence that you do not have a clogged air duct so reversing the blower motor in an attempt to clear the duct is a complete waste of time. The only reason your system will blow cold air is because either the heater core blend door is not actuating or the heater core is not getting hot (clogged, or heater valve inop).
Sorry dud...I may sound a bit pessimistic, but I've been in your shoes and been in denial! With the history of these cars and bad cores, that is most likely your problem. Your best bet is to find a good buddy willing to spend the weekend with you and do this yourself. It's a $120 part and two days worth of work. I don't live in an area where it snows, but I still cant go without heat! And I sure was not going to pay 2-3K to have the dealer do it for me.
If you have any questions about the DIY for this, feel free to ask.