Heater Matrix

[jasper5]

Yeah, car was unused for 14 months, but I've done a good few miles in it since i got it on the road.

I'm using it again tomorrow so I'll have another look (smell) of it.

[jokubelis]

I have same experience, my pug was left without antifreeze for a couple of months. After refill it started to leak a little bit on carpet.
But after two or three month leaking has stopped....

I have found through experiance that they don't like being left standing unused ,
The o-rings on the pipes dry out & perish & when you start using the car again & the pressure builds up & hey presto they start to leak .
I.I.R.C Jasper this car had been staning for a while before you revived it .

[FarmerPug]

I wonder would a bit of stop leak cure a leaky heater matrix, the stuff works quite well on radiators and head gaskets.

Taking the heater matrix out isn't too bad, although i drilled into the dash if you had a torx shaped allen key it would get the screw off without drilling.

If you don't want to drill a hole in the dash here is how to remove it:
4nf4fNQ3hKM

[jasper5]

Another of your superb videos, thanks very much for both of them showing heater matrix and dash removal

Thankfully I have a set of torx allen keys plus other small scale torx bits should I decide to remove the matrix, it was a bit smelly yesterday when I was out in it...nothing leaking under the bonnet...maybe I'll pull out the glove box and have a look. Looking at the screws that hold the glove box in they may well have been removed previously.

Coolant level is almost at full.

[jasper5]

Good news so far

I've had a look but can't can't see any leak, just done a run through town to docs and no smell of coolant, so, we'll see how it goes....for the moment all is well, car drove lovely

[dirtydirtydiesel]

Glad to hear that jasper ,
Let's hope that's the last of it .

[ally406]

Jasper, what brand of matrix did you go for?

I ordered a "Nissens" matrix from an ebay seller, and an "AVA" one turned up which is junk, not to mentioned damaged, and without the correct O rings. I'd already removed the old one at this point.

I tried to refit the original but the O rings are shagged.

I'd happily fork out for a Valeo if I could find one. I drove 20 miles to work today in -2 conditions with no heater, horrendous.

[jasper5]

Hi, I didn't actually replace the heater matrix yet as the symptoms disappeared after a 20 mile run, I'm keeping an eye on things for a little while longer.

The Nissens ones are very good, I've bought quite a few Nissens radiators and have not had a single problem, the price is good too!

Valeo is obviously the top make.

Have you tried Andrew Page?

[ally406]

Thanks Jasper, I have (hopefully) sourced a Nissens with delivery tomorrow. In the meantime I have run down to the local car shop and bought a 12v heater!

[Anthi]

That's a bit mad, equipping cars in countries where you'll never need them with heaters. Still, there's always a chance you'll go mad and drive up to the Arctic circle

Looking at Frank's (brilliant) vid there I do remember seeing in Haynes that you might have to saw off some plastic, I didn't realise it was part of the dash though

I too have a borescope There have been so many times in my life when I thought it would be something I could use (looking inside box sections, behind wall panels without having to remove them etc.) however... I've had it for 3 years and, apart from looking at my fillings in order to test it, I've never used it for anything serious Ah well, it was an ebay cheapy, it's got no screen (them's the expensive ones) so it goes into the laptop on USB.

Hi!

I stumbled on this forum when i was making a google search as i was looking for information about my 406 HDi Estates leaking heater matrix. It seems to be actually the o-ring seal at the heater matrix-end of the coolant inlet pipe...

I just had to register on this awesome forum to say, that i have a 406 Hdi here in Finland, 200 km above the arctic circle. Yesterday the weather was excellent for that lovely piece of Egyptian- made Peugeot. Temperature dropped to -40 Celsius.

Coolant leakage on the floor is a bit annoying..