Hi ya...

It looks like my water pipes don`t connect with my inside heater ,someone has bypassed it......

I turn my dial [inside]and I dunno if the flap atually turns off so the previous owner might have had constant heat...

It must be very unlikely the there is a leak [inside]...

Is this a common problem or just a one off.....And would you recommend just out of couriousty [spelling] to connect it back up?

mick

oooops Punto 1998....

I would say they have been disconnected because the heater matrix was leaking - the matrix looks like a smaller version of the radiator that cools your engine, it sits behind the center console so there would have beeen a leak inside your car. You would find if it was leaking your carpet in the footwell may have been wet or your windows would steam up when hot air blowing or even water being blown out of your air vents. I guess there's two ways of checking - 1. take the matrix out (requires removing the entire dashboard) or 2. connect it back up and check for the problems i mentioned.......

i would connect it back up and keep a very close eye on the amount of water in ur foot wells it took 3 weeks for mine to dry and iv cleaned the inside and it still smells of coolant lol

The heater matrix is how you get heat inside the car, the byproduct of this is that it cools the engine (heat is taken from the water to create warm air).

Anyway it is very simple to connect the two pipes under the bonnet and was done as a cheap fix because yours is damaged, fix properly or leave it alone, you risk overheating the engine.

Cheers all....

I will have a look....

Cheers it was the matrix [leaked as soon as I connected pipes]....

Wiggled it out to the left without taking dash out ,got a new one off e bay for £50.....

Not such a nightmare...

Thanks for your help...

Wiggled it out to the left - please explain as i couldnt see anyway of getting mine out other than to remove the dash - is it the same set up as a 1.1 55sx 1995

You have to have arms like my tickle......

Took the fan off and then the side pod....undid both of the lower allen key bolts holding the front bottom of the pod...undid the ten mill bolts on the bulkhead....

And the final top two pod 10 mil bolts.....Then pull and wiggle...Then the two little screws holding the matrix...

Half the time I had my legs outa the sunroof...

I have just looked at this thread as I have a linking matrix. Thanks dandaz.

I bypassed the matrix for the summer months (money was very tight!) but now need to fit a new one in order to survive the coming winter.

My car is a 1998 Punto 60sx (R plate).

I always thought you had to remove the complete dashboard and was pleasantly surprised to read that the matrix can be replaced without such fuss. I have really dreaded having to attempt to fit a new matrix.

Are there any photographs/exploded diagrams of this procedure?

Before I have a go at tackling it, I need to build up a mental picture and some confidence. I do hope that the matrix can be removed quite easy as suggested. Removing the dash would be my worst nightmare.

Has anyone else other than dandaz replaced their matrix in this fashion?

I would just like to read about their experience, any snags etc.

Many thanks in anticipation