misty windows

[dom_e]

First off, happy new year fellow Bongoers.

I know this has been covered a few times and I've used the search to find a fair bit of information, but I'm still at a bit of a loss as to why the windscreen mists up so badly.

We have the digital controlled aircon and the fan seems to spin fine on all speeds (but seems noticably louder on full power).

The aircon was fixed earlier this year (new condenser) and topped up with gas. It blew out nice and cold in the summer.

On recent journeys, the aircon kind of worked to clear the screen, but not fast and left an annoying patch which was very difficult to clear right in front of the driver. It is not on recirculate.

I was planning to strip the fan system down if I get time and check out a drain hole I've read about on the fact sheet and forum posts. Before I go to any great lengths, is there anything else I could be missing that could be an easier fix?

Ta muchly.

Dom

[wormey]

Are you getting the air to the screen from the fan through the pipes, could a pipe directing the air come adrift?

[mikeonb4c]

Are you getting the air to the screen from the fan through the pipes, could a pipe directing the air come adrift?

Indeed. Mind you mine seemed OK before I stripped down my heating assembly and cleared out the heater rad. matrix. Since then though, the (slight) howling noise through the system when set to screen only tells me it is flowing much better, and I do believe my screen demists rather quicker too. But maybe it is the large area of cold glass that makes them (and indeed all the windows) tricker to keep free of mist than yer average car. Overall though, I find it's never been so bad I can't deal with it.

[dom_e]

I'll have a poke around for loose pipes I think, then look at stripping it down to get to the heater rad.

The heating/air con system does seem to involve a great deal black art to understand! I found that a temperature of 22.5 deg. cleared the windows best on the last journey. Switching the whole lot off, then pressing the 'demist front window' button is effective, but it seems to randomly come on full power some times, and part power others. This seems to corraspond to the temperature it was last set at, but I can't figure it out exactly!

We have the translated owners manual, which is as clear as mud!

Ta for the comments so far.

Dom

[widdowson2008]

Take a few minutes to look at this post (my first ever) - and the reply was spot on thanks to Kirsty
http://www.igmaynard.co.uk/bongo/forum/ ... =3&t=26835

[mikeonb4c]

I'll have a poke around for loose pipes I think, then look at stripping it down to get to the heater rad.

The heating/air con system does seem to involve a great deal black art to understand! I found that a temperature of 22.5 deg. cleared the windows best on the last journey. Switching the whole lot off, then pressing the 'demist front window' button is effective, but it seems to randomly come on full power some times, and part power others. This seems to corraspond to the temperature it was last set at, but I can't figure it out exactly!

We have the translated owners manual, which is as clear as mud!

Ta for the comments so far.

Dom

Ah, I have manual aircon so its a simpler beast.

Owners manual is useful for some things, useless for many others (i.e. it doesn't include topic coverage, alas)

For what it's worth, and provided you've got spanners to reach and undo one or two hidden nuts (I need box spanners with a makeshift extension arrangement), dismantling the heater assembly to get at teh heater matrix is not hard and only took me - despite mistakes, rain, and darkness - a few hours. You need a suitable pick (I used a pointed bradawl) and pointed hoover attachment (I also used compressed air) and gentlness to pici the crud out of the matrix finning, but the result was well worth it for the big difference it made. How ancient is your Bongo? It might be worth scheduling this job for a nice day when Spring returns.

[dom_e]

Thanks again all.

Ours is a '95 un, so the heater matrix may well be gunged up with damp stuff. I feel that it may indeed be a spring job given that it's just started to snow here!

I'll follow the instructions layed down by Kirsty / Sam (if memory serves me correctly).

Ta

Dom

[Alison01326]

You haven't got a car parking ticket or similar buried in one of the vents below the windscreen have you?

[bigdaddycain]

A clean screen demists much more easily than a grimy one (i'm not suggesting your windscreen is dirty,but regular misting can leave a film) I use Autoglym glass polish on mine,and it seems to help.

[dom_e]

I did try using the Rainex stuff for the inside of windscreens. I think I'll try the stuff you recommend next, BDC. The inside of the screen does get dirty quickly (I don't smoke or anything, it just seems to be a general build up of mess).

I'm also gonna have a good check of all the linkages and for stuff that may have fallen into the vents.

Ta again.

[nfn]

When I last bought some Rain-X to repel water from the windscreen of my car without an occasional-wipe windscreen wiper setting (1971 Volvo), I noticed that the same company do an anti-fog to stop car windows from fogging on the inside. I haven't tried it, but it might be worth a try.

I also use Rain-X on the Bongo windscreen to keep the part that the wipers don't cover cleaner. It works, but has to be reapplied fairly frequently.

[widdowson2008]

A clean screen demists much more easily than a grimy one (i'm not suggesting your windscreen is dirty,but regular misting can leave a film) I use Autoglym glass polish on mine,and it seems to help.

Forgot about this bdc

If you take a look at bdc's posts, you will see that he is VERY particular about cleaning his motor, so on his recommendation I tried Autoglym glass polish and YES, this stuff really does work.

[dom_e]

okay, I've done some further investigation on the linkages etc...

The fans sounds fine, seems to blow on all settings (I can see the fan spinning when I removed the cowel under the bonnet), it blows strongly to the feet and face, but doesn't seem to blow very powerfully up the windows.

The linkages seem to be intact and move when different settings are used.

Here're some pics of the linkages, which all seem to work okay on the driver side.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dom_eggbee ... otostream/

The passenger side one, doesn't seem to move on any setting though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dom_eggbee ... otostream/

Am I expecting too much from the window de-mist or is there likely to be a problem?

Thanks again all.

Dom

[mikeonb4c]

Thanks again all.

Ours is a '95 un, so the heater matrix may well be gunged up with damp stuff. I feel that it may indeed be a spring job given that it's just started to snow here!

I'll follow the instructions layed down by Kirsty / Sam (if memory serves me correctly).

Ta

Dom

If its '95 (like mine) then I reckon it has to be a very good candidate for open heater surgery. Take NHS target times as your model and schedule the op. for Spring

[widdowson2008]

okay, I've done some further investigation on the linkages etc...

The linkages seem to be intact and move when different settings are used.

The passenger side one, doesn't seem to move on any setting though.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/dom_eggbee ... otostream/

Am I expecting too much from the window de-mist or is there likely to be a problem?

Dom

Driver side links look fine.
Not sure what the other link on the passenger side does - I'll go and check mine to see if it moves when the controls are operated. I'll be back!!!! as the man said