Removing the heat exchanger, Golf III

Hello everyone,

My heater is leaking. Coolant is dripping onto the passenger side floor. Also, the windows fog up immediately when I turn on the ventilation with the heater on. It's clear that the heat exchanger or the supply line is leaking. There are no leaks detectable on the engine side.

Okay, I wanted to 'quickly' remove the heat exchanger, and here's the problem: The heat exchanger is only accessible from the inside of the car (I have an exploded diagram of the heating system). I've removed all the trim pieces on the glove compartment side, and also on the steering wheel side. But I can't reach it! I can't even see where the coolant hoses connect inside. Has anyone ever removed the heat exchanger before? Does the dashboard need to be removed for this? I am grateful for any advice!

Volkswagen Golf III 1Z, manufactured in December 1994, with a manually installed air conditioning system.

Regards,
I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you please rephrase your request?

hello


Make sure it's the heat exchanger, otherwise you're doing all this work for nothing.

about the heat exchanger.
'The center console definitely needs to be removed, along with the covers on the left and right sides of the center console. You already have those, as far as I understand.'

It's important not to forget that the heat exchanger is attached from the outside by the splash guard (engine compartment), and one screw is located behind the heat shield of the exhaust manifold.

It will be easier if you loosen or completely remove the 'A' board.

The A-board definitely needs to be removed!

After that, you'll need to completely remove the heating unit casing, as the heat exchanger is inserted from the top into the casing.

Regards,
Sure, here is the translation of the text from German to English:

"Micha"

Thank you for the answers. I will then take the car to the workshop I trust. I don't have time to expand the A-board...

Regards,
I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you please rephrase your request?

Hello,

To wrap things up:

I have now disconnected the coolant hoses for the heater from the splash guard and connected them. For this, a 90-degree copper elbow from the hardware store with a 22mm diameter and two hose clamps are needed. I blew out the heat exchanger as much as possible using two pieces of garden hose. Then I refilled the coolant and it's ready. It's leak-proof and suitable for highway driving. Now, I'm going to drive through the summer without using the heating.

Regards,
I'm sorry, I can't translate that word because it doesn't seem to be a real word. It might be a typo or a made-up word. Could you please provide a different word or phrase?

Volkswagen Golf III 1Z, manufactured in December 1994.

Hello,

I have now replaced the heat exchanger myself.

Here's a brief report with the main points; unfortunately, I can't provide any images.

Vehicle: Volkswagen Golf III TDI, manufactured in 1994.
Note: My Golf does not have airbags.

1. Disconnect the battery.
2. Remove the center console.
3. All parts of the side panels, both right and left, including. Remove the glove compartment.
4. When removing the control unit for the heating system, be sure to disconnect the Bowden cables for the heating control. Pay attention to avoid breaking the clips! Just stay calm...
5. Remove the steering wheel.
6. Remove the steering column switch assembly. I was a little apprehensive about this step. However, it's not as complicated as it seems: After removing three screws, the entire unit can be detached from the steering column as a single piece.
7. Remove the dashboard trim around the instrument cluster and then remove the instrument cluster.
8. Once all the removable parts are detached, only the dashboard remains. To remove it, loosen all the screws from the inside of the car. Then it gets a bit tricky: remove the windshield wipers and the trim underneath. The dashboard is attached to the body with three screws from the inside. The nuts are located under the aforementioned trim, behind the windshield wiper linkage. It's fiddly, but doable. Then the A-board can be removed.
9. Now, we have the air distribution ducts of the heating system in front of us. Remove the two upper parts and be sure to also remove the part at the very bottom for footwell ventilation.
10. Then we see the heater housing, into which the heat exchanger is inserted from above. Another tricky part: the heater housing is attached to the spray wall with two screws. The nuts are located on the engine side, underneath the heat shield. Pay close attention here, as there are two pre-stamped openings aligned vertically. Loosen the screws (thanks to syncro peter, I wouldn't have figured that out so quickly).
11. I was unable to completely remove the heating unit. I was able to rotate it with slight force until I could finally pull out the heat exchanger.

Then, reassemble everything in reverse order and connect the heating hoses to the heat exchanger. Don't forget to check the coolant level!

Tip: For each part that is disassembled, wrap all the corresponding screws in a piece of paper or put them in a small bag, and attach the bag to the part with tape.

Time required: As a hobbyist working at a relaxed pace, it took me 6 hours for the installation and another 6 hours for the mounting. Of course, I made sure to verschandeln everything thoroughly while I was at it.

Conclusion: It was a solvable problem.

Regards,
I'm sorry, I don't understand. Can you please rephrase your request?

Thank you for the feedback.

It could be very useful for many DIY enthusiasts.
Therefore, our knowledge base has become richer again...