LEAKING HEATER MATRIX got any tips for removal ??

Hi
  Noticed a wet front floor pan on my stripped out [partially] MK1 , seems i have a leaking heater matrix . Any one got any tips for a quick and painless removal ?   

Thanks Chudd…

I'm guessing easiest way is from the scuttle area under the bonnet - just remove the whole unit. Doubt it will be painless tho!

From memory doing this on a Jetta approx 20 years ago?? :roll:

You remove the lower dash trays, theres a support bracket for the brake linkage that needs un bolting. Remove a plastic cover, undo 2 jubilee clips and pull hoses off and then slide out the matrix. It?s actually easier on RHD for a change ?cause the pedals would be in the way on LHD

Are you sure that it is the matrix leaking and not a water leak from arround the windscreen or bulkhead? is the water level in the expansion tank going down at all?

Maybe I can be of assistance here having just been through this over xmas  

As Clive says its pretty straight forward. On my Campaign I only needed to remove the passenger side dash undertray, and the plastic gear surround console bit (where the extra gauges are fitted if you have them).

Not sure there is an easy way to remove the matrix without spilling some coolant, even if you completley drain the system some coolant seems to "pool" in the matrix itself, so have a bowl handy.

The matrix has two connecting pipes through the bulkhead that go through a large rubber grommit, then onto the inlet and outlet pipes of the matrix. There is a plastic clip on end cover that keeps the matrix in place - remove this first and you can see where the hoses through the bulkhead connect to the matrix. They are usually fastened on to the matrix using jubilee type clips.

If the leak has been near these clips then they will probably be rusty so replace them (Halfords have replacements of the correct size).

The hoses and matrix are a tight fit, and in the end I found it easier to undo the two clips where the pipes attach to the matrix, and then pull the matrix pipes back into the engine bay bit by bit (bit of silicone lubricant helps here). Also try pushing them off the matrix connectors from the footwell side. If like mine yours are the original ones then this is the bit thats a bit of a skin your knuckles time-consumer  :roll: . This is the bit where the coolant thats left in there will also decide to make a break for freedom, so have that measuring jug / small bowl handy!!!

Once the pipes are off the matrix it just slides out horizontally like a draw into the passenger footwell side.

You will find its worth cleaning out the area where the matrix came from as mine was full of about 20 years worth of dry leaves / fluff / god knows what!!

As Haynes says replacement is the reversal of removal (no, honestly it is!).

If coolant has spilled inside the plastic housing that the matrix slides into I'd recommend trying to clean that up as much as possible before re-assembly other wise even with a new leak free matrix you will get the nasty smell of coolant when you put the heater on.

Both GSF and EurocarParts have good OE quality replacements available, both at about 35 quid plus VAT. I mistakenly ordered one from each place  :roll: and checked both against the original and the quality was spot on.

I would also consider replacing the double rubber grommit going through the bulkhead and the two heater pipes going to the matrix if they look at all suspect replace them - you don't want to be doing this again in the near future  :wink: . All three items are still available from VW (sorry don't have the part numbers to hand), and I think came to about 20 quid incl VAT all in.

Also use new jubilee clips, especially if the old ones are rusty.

If you haven't done it in a while I'd recommend flushing and refilling the cooling system - not much extra work and helps things stay nice and cool. If you do this you probably want to get a new thermostat housing o ring seal too - about 60p from GSF or ECP again.

Good luck, and shout if you need any other info. I meant to take pictures, but it was xmas eve and I had about 2 hours to fit it so didn't get time.

Chris

Oh yea forgot to mention drain water first!!!

Or you could do what my mate with a Maestro did when his heater matrix started to leak, use some RadWeld. Worked too!

P.S. Don?t laff about the Maestro ? M-Reg, 2.0 litre Turbo Diesel, PAS, 5 speed, factory sunroof, stereo, 65K miles, 2 prev owners, new tyres and exhaust, MOT and taxed for 6 months, all keys and manuals. Just 400  8O quid last April. Similar MKIII Golf would have been ?1,400 at least.

Atleast he as a Type 2 Camper and his GF ran a MK11 GTI for years until someone rear ended her  ops:  just before xmas.

When you bought the Maestro, was there a free trilby hat on the parcel shelf and was the right hand indicator stuck on??!!  

Hairyarse said

When you bought the Maestro, was there a free trilby hat on the parcel shelf and was the right hand indicator stuck on??!!  

Nah, I bet the previous owner took the trilby for his replacement Rover 200 to sit beside the tartan rug on the parcel shelf  :wink:

As to indicators I think they are an optional extra on those cars aren't they?

Chris

ChrisB and Early-1800 thanks guys

I will put your practical tips in practice on Sat , i had visions of a "dash out" job , cheers

Chudd……

Before you start though it may be an idea as Storm81 suggested to double check its the matrix and not some other cause.

Usually if its the Matrix removing the passenger side undertray and gearlever surround and poking round in there with a torch should be enough to tell you if its coolant leaking. If its a significant leak you should have noticed a drop in the expansion tank level too (as Storm81 mentioned too).

I'd also add that it might be an idea to check the integrity of all the hoses in the engine bay why you are at it. If you are draining the system its a good time to replace hoses too. If you haven't already done it I'd recommend spending a quid or so for the replacement nylon "joining piece" in the coolant hose that DOESN'T have the heater valve in it. You'll see what I mean its in the corresponding position to the heater valve in the other hose to the matrix on the engine side of the bulk head.

The original piece was steel and rusts away letting crap into your coolant and eventually it will just rust away.

I think there is a thread on it somewhere with myself and tallpete as the main contributors.

If you overhaul the system now, (do the heater valve too if its original - costs less than a tenner from GSF), you will probably save yourself a lot of potential problems further down the line and it doesn't cost much. refill with the newer pink G12 (I think it is) coolant and ionised water (all available from GSF/ECP).

My car certainly ran noticably cooler after I had flushed it out and replaced the matrix.

Good luck,

Chris

Chuck the matrix away and put a new one in, the core quickly gets fired up and the heat is reduced inside. I renew the matrix every 2 years. Very easy to renew compared to the MK2 GTI!!

Where do you get the nylon joining piece that Chris mentions?

Is it dealer only?

Had a dig around in my old posts (don't get on here much these days since the Mk1 went   ), and this one has a link to the thread on the old campaign register with the details of the nylon pipe, plus some pics I think:

http://www.vwgolfmk1.o…ums&file=viewtopic&t=1074

Only thing is I don't think the archive of the old posts is still at the campaign register URL anymore? It may still be online at a different URL, but not sure what that would be.

If you can get hold of the ETKA parts CD (maybe try crazyquiff?), the nylon part is listed as a replacement for the steel original from memory. It is a dealer only part to the best of my knowledge, but I think it may cover other models and not just the Mk1 (possibly the Mk2 as well?). Its made of white nylon - just found a pic from when I did the work (don't you love picasa ;-))

http://picasaweb.googl…Parts?authkey=r7rsvyWgv5c

Chris

Bit of a resurrection here but never mind..

Does anyone know the part number for the nylon joining piece discussed here? The link listed is now broken and I can't find the heater on vagcat.

Failing that a bit of pvc conduit should do the trick!

…I'm sure someone posted a pictorial 'how to' on here ages ago…..just done a quick search but may have missed it…

Just ordered a new heater matrix for my mk1 convertable as the heater only gets luke warm. Fed up with scrapping ice off the inside of the windscreen  :cry: Any way found out a new matrix from GSF is £35 + VAT. one from eurocarparts is £25 including VAT a fair saving assuming the quality is the same