leak through heater unit as pipe is blocked

[jamie]

Hi everyone
I am trying to sort out leaks before doing the floor of my amazon
the water that drains through the grill between the windscreen and bonnet. when i gingerly pour water in there it leaks through the heater unit into the car. I took the grill off and my hands are too big to get right in and feel for the exit pipe and see if it is blocked. Looking under the bonnet I can see a drain pipe coming out of the passenger side of the heater unit and coursing down the bulkhead. I am guessing this is blocked and I am looking for any suggestions on how to get in there and so to speak "rod it".
Maybe I have to take the heater unit off, I don't know, to get access, or get under the car and rod back up the pipe?????
Any help most welcome

[mocambique-amazone]

Hey Jamie, the draining position is on the lowerest point of the heater box. There should be a short pipe made of rubber. Connecting the heaterbox and the transmission tunnel. The water rins trough the box onto the gearbox. Regards, Kay

[old fart]

Hi Jamie, there's a small pipe that goes from under the centre of the heater, through a hole in the top of the transmission tunnel, maybe that's split or come out.
Cheers, Andy.

[Faust]

Had exactly the same problem with my Amazon a few years back.

Remove the fan blower motor (is attached by a few Phillips screws) in the engine bay (disconnect and make note of the wiring). With the motor removed you’ll be able to see the top of the heater matrix – it’ll probably be covered in dead leave and other detritus – clean all this out carefully (you don’t want to damage the matrix).

As you face the car from the engine bay, you’ll be able to see a little pipe (about 10mm in diameter IIRC) on the passenger side/right hand side which acts as a drain and allows water to drain out in the engine bay before entering your car. Mine was blocked up with a load of gunk. Stiff bit of wire poked through soon cleared it – I left the pipe in situ as I did this. If you look near the heater box/battery you’ll be able to see the other end of the pipe as it exits near the bellhousing of your gearbox.

Refit everything and check for leaks.

As an added bonus, you’ll probably find your fan output is massively increased as the motor is no longer trying to pull air past 50 odd years of dead leaves!

I found this fix worked very well – you can also check the lower drain pipe in the heater box as others have said, but if you stop water getting in there in the first place you’ll probably find you don’t need too (I certainly didn’t!)

Mike

[SvenSomerset]

While we're on the subject of the pipe that goes from the bottom of the heater box out through the transmission tunnel, I got a replacement one (think I knocked the original back up into the box when I had the front rubber mat up) but simply couldn't get my hand far enough round to fit it between the hole in the box and the trans tunnel – any ideas?

[jamie]

sounds like we both need to take out the fan blower motor and then see clearly what to do, we can swap notes.....speak soon..

[jamie]

Thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions; I will take the fan blower out and I am sure all will be revealed. Photos I hope to follow. Also I think my set up of the drainpipe is slightly different to what is described here, perhaps because it is a late amazon 1970
Jamie

[Faust]

Originally Posted by jamie

Thanks to all of you for your help and suggestions; I will take the fan blower out and I am sure all will be revealed. Photos I hope to follow. Also I think my set up of the drainpipe is slightly different to what is described here, perhaps because it is a late amazon 1970
Jamie

Mine's also a late 1970...

Perhaps others could comment if the set up changed over the years?

[Volvo_133]

I am only aware of changes to motor fan, some are plastic, earlier cars had steel fan like a hamsters wheel. The setting slides changed button wise. Early cars were 6volt. The housing remained the same to the best of my knowledge.

[jamie]

Here is a photo of the drain "hose" which is in fact a metal drain hose. From the back of the fan motor is a metal drain hose (A)which drains into another metal hose (B)which drains below the fan motor blower.