A working stove in a car is a guarantee of comfort in the cabin during the cold season, which is especially important for the cool Russian climate. Failure of the heating system can make it impossible to travel in winter, so it is important to know the reasons why a breakdown may occur in order to prevent it.
It is considered that the stove works normally if, at a temperature of minus 25 ° C "overboard" in the passenger compartment, the air warms up to + 16 ° C (below) and up to +10 (above) in 10-15 minutes of engine operation. At the same time, at the rear seats, the temperature should rise to + 15 ° C. If such results cannot be achieved within the specified period with the engine running, then it is time to take a closer look at the possible reasons for the abnormal operation of the heating system. Why did the stove work worse?
Stove radiator and airlock
One of the possible reasons for the poor performance of the heating system is a clogged pollen filter. As a result, the stove radiator can become clogged with various kinds of debris (for example, down, small leaves, dust, insects, etc.), which leads to a decrease in the effect of heat transfer. Therefore, inspect the filter and replace if necessary.
There is another reason for the poor-quality operation of the stove radiator, which is the ingress of various kinds of sealants with which you may have once tried to eliminate a small leak in the cooling system. The fact is that in the furnace radiator there are very narrow tubes, and the sealant clogs not only the places where the coolant flows, but also the radiator tubes. In such a case, you can try to flush the cooling system with special compounds - if it does not work out, then, alas; the stove radiator will have to be changed. In the future, if it becomes necessary to eliminate leaks with the help of sealants, you just need to close the heater tap.
Thermostat and antifreeze
A broken thermostat will also lead to ineffective car stove operation. If this element of the cooling system fails, the antifreeze (or water) "walks" in a large circle, because the thermostat is constantly open. Indirect evidence of a thermostat malfunction is a very slow engine warming up (especially at negative temperatures). The failure of the thermostat can be "promoted" by poor-quality antifreeze - the purchase of a cheap product ultimately leads to additional costs.
A common reason for the inefficient operation of the stove is an inoperative heater tap - such a malfunction is typical for Russian "classic" cars of the VAZ2101-07 type. The crane may not work due to the breakdown of the rods going to it from the passenger compartment. The presence of air in the cooling system also leads to poor performance of the heater. Air can be prevented from entering the system when replacing antifreeze. Before filling in new coolant, park the car with a slight (10 degrees) slope back (the rear wheels are slightly lower than the front ones). Antifreeze must be poured in a thin stream.
