Lancia Motor Club

Model Technical and Interest => Ypsilon, Musa and Y10 => Topic started by: Joanna on 10 January, 2010, 08:26:02 PM



Title: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 10 January, 2010, 08:26:02 PM
Hi all,
When we bought our 98 Ypsilon it had really bad condensation when the heater was put on. I checked under the plastic cowling at the front and it was full of water due to the holes being blocked by leaves.
After that when you put the heather on (which only works on number 3  >:( ) there was no condensation and all was well.  Up until a couple of weeks ago when all of a sudden the condensation is back to the point where its nearly dripping water from the front windscreen.  I have checked under the front plastic cover and its all clear.
So even with the blower on full, there is still lots of condensation,  any ideas anyone please.

thanks
carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Jai Sharma on 10 January, 2010, 11:27:21 PM
Hi Carlos,

I suspect the heater matrix. It leaked on mine and on researching on the net is a common problem on the Punto. There is a previous thread on here about it at the time.

I had several hours of "enjoyment" removing the complete dashboard and accessing it a couple of years ago or so. I borrowed the Haynes manual from the library which was quite helpful. The matrix itself is not expensive.

If you can find a simpler suggestion to try first, I would recommend that before taking all the stuff off.

Please do let us know what the outcome is.

Jai


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 11 January, 2010, 09:54:11 AM
Hi Jai,
thanks for that info, when yuo say the heater matrix leaked, do you mean water can get into it and it somehow being blown (vaporised) through the vents into the car ?

cheers
carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 11 January, 2010, 12:00:19 PM
Hi Carlos,
The heater Matrix (radiator No6 on first illustration) has coolant flowing through it but it sounds like yours is leaking. and the only real way to cure the problem is to replace it, but as Jai said, it involves a lot of work, here are some relevant pages from the Punto manual that explains a bit more. This manual covers most things common to Punto and Ypsilon up to 1999 and I would suggest you get a copy, when I had my elefantino Rosso I got the manual from a Fiat Dealer, but Amazon have a couple for sale,
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fiat-Punto-Repair-Manual-Service/dp/1899238271

You could try as a temporary measure adding a couple of sticks of "Bars Leak" that might help if it's not too much of a leak.
It would also be worth checking in the front footwells to make sure coolant isn't leaking to under the carpets.
sorry for the poor photos I scanned them in the wrong format.If you want me too I'll rescan and post.


Brian
8227 8)


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 11 January, 2010, 06:40:48 PM
Wow, brian thanks for detailed info.  There isnt any moisture under the front carpets, at all.  Is "Bars Leak" available at halfords ?  is it like radweld ?

God I hope that works because just looking at those diagrams is giving me a headache  ???

cheers
carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: rogerelias on 11 January, 2010, 08:26:05 PM
The question has to be asked, are you losing any water from the radiator or expansion tank ??? if not, has the car been standing for a while, and has water inside, you could try putting a de humidifier in the car for a couple of days, worked with my saab 900.


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Jai Sharma on 11 January, 2010, 09:36:30 PM
Hi Carlos,

I hope you don't need to do the job, but if you do take a look at the past thread on here when I did it on my car, for some minor hints. By no mean an exhaustive guide, though......

Jai



Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 11 January, 2010, 09:54:35 PM
Hi Roger,
No water leakage that I can see, I only changed the water mid December, right before it got cold luckily enough, and the water level appears to be o.k.  maybe only a loss of about 1/2 inch.   I have developed a leak in the washer bottle though, tucked under the front wing. As quick as you pout the water in it gushes out, but that cant be linked can it ?

Humidifier, hmmm I may try that, If I can get hold of one.  The car is used as a daily driver by the wife, but she can borrow mine for a bit.  I must say its a great runner, doing 45 mpg and turning heads wherever she goes.

Might have to oart with her soon, as might be looking for a dedra or lybra in left hooker style.

----

Jai, thanks for the advice, if it comes to it, I will copy and paste the previous thread, the problem is when I have a go at something like this theres always going to be more broken than fixed  :'(


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 12 January, 2010, 01:05:11 AM
Wow, brian thanks for detailed info.  There isnt any moisture under the front carpets, at all.  Is "Bars Leak" available at halfords ?  is it like radweld ?

God I hope that works because just looking at those diagrams is giving me a headache  ???

cheers
carlos
Hi Carlos,
Yes you should be able to get "Bars Leak" from Halfords or any good motor factors, I think it will probably do a better job than radweld even though they are similar products, with the bars leak being a solid dissolvable pellet you just put a couple of them into the header tank, I worked at Vauxhall motors in the 1960's-70's & 80's, and we used to put two of these in every new vehicle just before they came off the end of the production line, to seal in pinhole type leaks ( they were commonly known as  Camel Turds), I always carry a couple with my spares in "Fay"
If your coolant level isn't dropping though it sounds more like a leak, possibly from around the windscreen, if that's the case a tin of seek and seal would probably do the job.
I wouldn't have thought there was any relationship leak between the wash bottle and your main problem particularily as you think your getting damp air out of the air vents, but having just looked at Eper I've changed my mind, as the hose from the wash bottle runs along the drivers side, then down by the door sill to the rear washer, when you say the water gushes out of the wash bottle, can you actually see it dropping onto the floor adjacent to the water bottle?.
The other place to look is under the plastic cover for the wiper linkage and the heater air intake, & make sure you haven't got a build up of debris around the seal that is allowing water to get into the heater.
Blast scanned in wrong format again >:(


Brian
8227 8)


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 12 January, 2010, 10:40:18 AM
Hi Brian
The water from the washer bottle comes straight out in the engine bay onto the floor right near the bottle, takes a couple of minutes and all gone.  I have to take the inner wheel arch cover to see whats going on.  I have no debris under that plastic cover, that I can see but will double check the seal again. That was the problem in the first place when we bought it, it was swimming with water under there.   It does look like there should be some sort of filter under that plastic cover but I never found one when I looked on eper.
I will try the "bars leak" first, cant do any harm putting it in can it ? Cant make it worse anyway.

thanks for the help, i'll let you know if the bars leak helps.

cheers
carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 12 January, 2010, 02:33:42 PM
Hi Carlos,
I'm not sure if the Y's without aircon had a filter, but my Y with aircon(an option up to 2000) certainly did, I've just tried to get online with eper but it's too busy, if you go to heating and ventilation, and then look under aircon I think you'll find the filter, although keeping water out of the heater would only be a secondary benefit.
Certainly nothing to lose by using Bars Leak pellets, and it might hold off the work until the better weather.

Brian
8227 8)


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 12 January, 2010, 04:27:44 PM
Hi Brian,
Just put the bars leak in this afternoon, more like a thick liquid with bits in than bars, I asked for the bars but halfords said that the liquid version was all they had. Mine hasnt got aircon asd onl 1.1 thats why may be parting with it soon.
Anyway will see what happens, fingers crossed.
cheers
carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 12 January, 2010, 06:05:08 PM
Hi Carlos,
No problem with the Bars Leak in liqiud form, it's just that the solid pellets are easier to carry in the car.
If you change your Ypsilon go for the 1.2 16v it's a great engine.Aircon only became standard with the 2000 facelift when they went to all body colour bumpers and side trims. So you may have a job to find an earlier one with Aircon.
If you get a chance try the 86BHP elefantino Rosso, it had a close ratio gearbox, very quick steering, leather gear knob and handbrake gaiter and lowered suspension, anthracite Alloys with colour coded mirrors and grille.
I had an accident to my right arm so I couldn't change gear with my right hand, not a lot of good in a LHD car, otherwise I don't think I would ever have sold it.

Brian
8227 8) 8)


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 12 January, 2010, 11:34:17 PM
Car looks stunnign Brian, I love silver.
I am thinking of getting something bigger in a warmer climate than here,  maybe a thema or a lybra, I love the ypsi but the lack of aircon will be a problem if we move.


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 13 January, 2010, 12:16:42 AM
Hi Carlos,
The elefantino was nearly new when I took those photos in 2000 at the RSPB Lodge at Sandy in Beds, after collecting her from Van Dijk Shouten in Rotterdam.
She was unusual as most came with the Red & Grey interior, which wasn't to my taste, so I had the green & grey option only available with Silver, or Standard with Goodwood Green? a solid colour. The metallic paint, Aircon and sill kick strips were all on cost options at the time, two complaints were 1/. the soft water based paint that chipped easily that Fiat wouldn't do anything about, 2/. how quickly a lot of the plated parts under the bonnet went rusty. She is still owned by a Club member who bought her from Gerard Thorp, who bought her from me, I had asked Gerard for first refusal when he sold her as I really wanted her back, unfortunately at the time she became available I wasn't in the position to buy her back.

If I were in your shoes I could be very tempted by the Agnelli Thema SW, I love Thema's anyway, and that car seems to have just about everything for not a lot of money, the LX was only 1 step down from an 8.32 in the trim with a great spec anyway.
As long as it's well looked after it should last forever, (more or less ;)); If you go for a Lybra the estate to my mind is the best bet and I love it in Blue Nicole .

Brian
8227 8)


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 13 January, 2010, 02:59:03 PM
Well, so far so good in the condensation department  ;D

The back windows are all condensed, but as soon as I put the blower on the front and sides all clear up in seconds and are crystal clear.
Just want to thank all for the great advice and expertise.
Now I may tackle the heater know only working on 3 !

thanks again guys
Carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: frankxhv773t on 15 January, 2010, 10:54:24 PM
Carlos

With your washer bottle it must have a hole in the bottom for the water to come straight out (unless it's just that the pipe to the washer jets has come off). As washer bottles are usually pretty well tucked away it seems improbable that it would have got damadged. On my Y10 the motor for the washer plugs into a hole near the bottom of the washer bottle with a rubber grommet. If yours is similar you ought to check if that is where the water is comming out. The solution might be a simple as seating the washer motor properly or failing that, drying everything off and using a bit of bathroom silicon sealer round the hole.

Good luck.

Frank


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 15 January, 2010, 11:14:40 PM
or perhaps the contents froze and cracked the container?

Brian
8227 8)


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: Joanna on 16 January, 2010, 06:32:26 PM
Washer bottle now sorted as well, leak was where the motor meets the bottle.

I have read up on the net that the blower only working on 3 is down to a resistor which is easily replaced. The only problem is I dont know where to find it.  Anyone know ?

cheers
carlos


Title: Re: Extreme condensation
Post by: fay66 on 16 January, 2010, 07:56:12 PM
Washer bottle now sorted as well, leak was where the motor meets the bottle.

I have read up on the net that the blower only working on 3 is down to a resistor which is easily replaced. The only problem is I dont know where to find it.  Anyone know ?

cheers
carlos

Usually next to the heater fan motor, just had a look at the Punto manual pages I posted pictures of, Job 13 on page 6-37, illustration 13-A1, it's shown as item 103, and it fits in the fan housing, usually accessible under the dash, on the passenger side, if you drop the fan motor down you should be able to get at it(see 13-C2, before changing it try cleaning it with a soft brush as they often get clogged up with dust and fluff that affects the performance, if still no good it will have to be changed.

Brian
8227 8)