Correct operation of the heater is the key to safe and comfortable movement. For ease of use, the Gazelle Business car is equipped with an electronic heater control unit. All adjustments occur due to electrical impulses supplied from the control unit to the damper gear motor. And he, in turn, redirects the flows in a given direction, opens and closes the stove tap and controls the air mixing damper. The unit is also equipped with temperature sensors, which allows it to automatically regulate the temperature of the air supplied to the cabin. All this is very convenient and does not distract the driver from driving the car while driving. But it happens that electronics fail or begin to work incorrectly.
Symptoms of malfunction
To restore or reset the damper, returning it to a working state, you must first make sure that the fault lies in these elements of the heating system of the GAZelle car.
With the onset of cold weather, many GAZelle car owners note this situation. Staying in place with the heater on, the interior warms up quite well and the car is warm inside. But as soon as the car starts moving and starts driving, all the accumulated heat is gradually blown out, the cabin becomes cold, and the working stove cannot restore the previous temperature.
At the same time, everything works fine, there are no complaints about the electric fan of the furnace equipment, the regulators also work properly.
In a situation like this, when the heater is functioning, but the heat still disappears from the car while driving, there is a high probability that the heater is working, but the damper needs to be repaired or replaced. The repair itself cannot be called complicated, but for comfortable work it is recommended to remove the old or new type of heater casing on which the dampers are located, and replace them under more convenient conditions.
System modernization
The main problem that causes electronics to fail is moisture. And in the tap the liquid circulates constantly, even when the shutter is closed. And when the oil seal leaks, liquid floods the entire electrical part, and it fails.
Installation of shut-off valves
To avoid this, you can install conventional shut-off valves, fitting them to the outlets of the cooling system. But in order to open or close the supply of hot liquid, you need to move the tap to the desired position manually. And since it is installed under the hood (in a regular place), it is not possible to do this while driving. But this mechanism has a much greater resource.
Pre-sealing
Before installing a new electric faucet, you need to disassemble it and fill the electronic board with hot glue to avoid moisture getting on it, coat all joints with sealant. This method can only prolong performance, because if liquid gets into the electronic part, the electric motor will be damaged, without which the mechanism will not be able to function correctly.
Where are the dampers located?
If the problem situation is related to the dampers of the GAZelle stove, they will need to be dismantled or repaired. In most cases, when it comes to mechanical malfunctions and breakdown of the unit, replacement is provided. It's not difficult to carry it out.
It is not difficult to understand the peculiarities of the operation of the stove dampers on a GAZelle. But they can be the main reason for the poor operation of the heating system if the electric fan and other main components, including the stove radiator, are working properly.
The dampers are located directly inside the heater. If you are from the driver's seat, the flaps can be seen on the right side of the electric fan housing. To get to it you will need to remove the large glove box on the passenger side. But this does not guarantee full access to the node.
To carry out more serious repair and restoration work, it is better to get to the electric fans of the heating system and carry out the repair in comfortable conditions.
Diagnostics
Before disassembling the entire car dashboard, it is necessary to check the electrical part of the mechanism. High-quality diagnostics are the key to quick and high-quality repairs. Next, we will describe in detail how to check the operation of all drives included in the car’s heating system:
- First, you need to check the operation of the gearmotor with the engine off (so that there are no extraneous sounds) and the ignition on, and change the direction of the airflow on the control unit. Listening to the operation of the gear motor, you should hear distinct clicks of position changes.
- If clicks are not heard, then all faulty fuses in the unit must be replaced. Then follow the steps described in point No. 1.
- You also need to check the terminals suitable for the control drives for oxidation and contact tightness.
- If no changes occur, then it is necessary to check the serviceability of the drives. To do this, you need to apply power to the “+” terminal of the drive. Or, if one of the drives is working properly, swap the terminals (switch from a working one to a non-working one). Next, you need to switch the blowing directions and watch the operation of the drives.
- If no changes have occurred, then you need to check whether voltage is supplied to the positive wire of the gearmotor (this can be done with a test light or a multimeter); if there is no voltage, then you need to check the integrity of the wiring and the absence of a short circuit in the circuit. If everything is normal, then the control unit will need to be replaced or repaired.
How it works
On the side of the electric fan unit there are 2 dampers on GAZelle cars. Between these dampers there is a special jumper, which changes its position depending on the operation of a special regulator located on the front panel. As you know, the furnace equipment control unit is located on the center console.
Both dampers close and open synchronously. They are driven by a special drive connected to an external regulator on the control unit. When air is taken in through the engine compartment, depending on the position of the dampers, it can pass through the heater radiator or bypass it. This directly affects whether cold or hot air will enter the cabin.
But if the dampers do not move synchronously, the stove will not work normally. In this situation, mandatory repairs are required.
Repair
After diagnostics, we begin repairs:
- If the coolant level is below the minimum mark, then it must be brought to normal, having first eliminated fluid leaks, if any. It is possible to remove the plug by pushing the pipes along their entire length with the engine running. Or by placing the front of the car downhill and increasing the engine speed to 3,000 rpm. There is also a way to pump the system with air pressure. You need to remove the upper pipe from the expansion tank and lower it into an empty canister. Next, bring the coolant level to the full tank and, by connecting a hand pump to the vacated fitting, pump air into the tank to the lower mark. Then drain the antifreeze from the canister back into the tank and repeat the procedure. This should be repeated 2 – 3 times.
- If the pipes are barely warm and the sensor shows 90° C, then most likely either it or the temperature gauge itself is faulty. They need to be replaced. In extreme cold (more than -20), you can close part of the radiator (no more than 50%), then the engine will heat up better and cool down more slowly.
- To repair the radiator, it must be removed and washed. If washing does not bring results, then you need to replace it with a new one.
- The faucet may not work due to the drive, or the locking mechanism itself may be faulty. On the Gazelle Business, the faucet turns the electric drive. Therefore, you need to first check the drive, and if it is working, start replacing the faucet. It either does not open completely or is completely stuck in one position, and this can cause a cold air flow.
- To replace the thermostat, you need to drain the coolant, unscrew the cap and replace it with a new one, since this mechanism cannot be repaired.
- The pump also needs to be dismantled and replaced with a new one. This is a very important element, and due to its incorrect operation, the entire engine may fail, since coolant circulation is disrupted and heat cannot be effectively removed from highly heated parts. And, as a result, they overheat and become deformed.
- The worst thing that can happen in a broken gasket is water hammer. When the piston tries to compress the liquid, an increased load is placed on all the internal combustion engine mechanisms, which leads to failure of the entire engine, so such a malfunction must be corrected immediately. In this case, it is prohibited to continue moving using engine power. Such repairs are carried out only with the involvement of specialists, since the cylinder head needs to be grooved; everything else can be done on your own.
There are many reasons why the Gazelle Business stove does not work. But with correct diagnostics and timely repairs, it is possible to fix the problem with your own hands and with a small financial investment.
Causes of malfunctions
If the car owner has no complaints about the performance of other components of the heating system on a GAZelle, but while driving the air into the cabin is cold in the winter, or blows hot in the summer, despite moving the dampers to the appropriate position, then it’s probably all about the dampers.
There can be several situations in case of breakdown or malfunction of the dampers:
- The air passes through the radiator, while it is required to bypass it without preheating, which is important in the warm season.
- Due to faulty dampers, air bypasses the heater radiator, although the driver has switched the heater to heating mode.
- The flaps are stuck in an intermediate position. This does not allow you to get the necessary amount of heat in winter. The heater works, but it's still cold in the cabin.
A pair of dampers whose synchronous operation is disrupted cannot, in the event of a malfunction, supply outside air through the radiator or directly into the cabin without preheating for two main reasons:
- The drive is broken. It is mechanical and rarely fails. The drive is connected to the regulator on the front panel on the right side of the heater control unit, and goes to the dampers. The likelihood of it breaking is extremely low. Checking the work is quite simple. You need to visually reach the dampers and turn the regulator, changing the position of the elements. If they do not move, there is a possibility that the drive has broken. This problem is more relevant for heavily worn GAZelles with high mileage. To repair it, it will need to be disconnected or adjusted if the drive is stretched or weakened.
- The jumper is broken. There is a special jumper between the dampers. In fact, it is this that is driven by a special drive, and with the help of this jumper the dampers change their position. The breakage of the jumper occurs quite often, which is why car owners have to contact a car service center or repair the unit on their own.
When faced with such a malfunction, it makes sense to try to repair it yourself. No special skills or special tools are required here. The procedure is carried out in a garage with a minimum basic set of tools and materials.
Heater Gazelle business troubleshooting.
What to do if something in the heater does not work? Due to the design of the heater, diagnostics in case of failure of its parts is difficult. Initially, as always, you need to check the fuse.
Checking the heater tap.
When operating the Gazelle Business heater, a problem may arise in the supply of hot air when the ventilation is turned on, or, conversely, cold air when the heater is turned on. The reason is that the heater tap does not work. It does not open or shut off the coolant flow to the heater core. The design of the crane is quite simple and at the same time somewhat more complex than the similar crane installed on the Gazelle restyling. It's all about the built-in crane control unit,
To find the cause of a heater tap failure, you will need a piece of copper wire and a test lamp. No special knowledge or skills are needed to determine the malfunction.
First you need to check the presence of plus and minus on the connector connected to the tap. This is done with a test lamp by connecting its probes (wires) to the black and white wires of the connector. If the warning light does not light, then move the wire connected to the black wire to a metal part of the engine where there is a good minus. If the lamp lights up, repair the break in the black wire or clean its attachment to the body. If the lamp does not light up in this case, then you need to check fuse F13 and the serviceability of the wire from it to the connector.
If there is a plus and minus on the connector, use a small piece of copper wire to alternately connect the black wire with the brown and green wires. If the heater valve gearbox is in good working order, the characteristic sound of its operation will be heard. If nothing happens, the tap needs to be replaced.
Checking gearmotors.
Checking the gear motors of the windshield blower dampers and deflectors can be checked without completely removing the panels. It is enough to remove its lower part. The main damper motor is accessible from the driver's side. To check gearmotors, you need to disconnect the connector of its electric motor, the connector with a lock, and connect a tester to it in voltmeter mode or a test lamp. With the ignition and heater on, you must press the button that controls this damper. The control lamp should light up. If the lamp is on and the gearmotor does not work, it must be replaced.
If you are on the road and do not have the opportunity to replace the damper drive with window defroster, you can remove the rod from the damper lever on the driver’s side and turn it manually, locking it in the open position. To open the damper on the passenger side, you will need to unscrew the screws securing the gearmotor and, by turning its housing, secure it in the same way.
