General Heater Matrix

[Alan.D]

The panda has been steeming up loads all of a sudden and even with the air blowing full pelt at the windows they still remained steemed up, checked the carpets and the drivers side was wet so thought I had a leak....the taste test confirmed it was coolant and not water, so no leak from outside as such. Checked the coolant which was low so removed the heating box and there was coolant all over the place which has been leaking into the car? The matrix unit was wet and looks like it's been comming out of the control valve which is the lower pipe attached to the matrix and where the control wire opens and closes the valve to let the hot coolant through.

Having opened the heater box I noticed that it's also cracked so a replacement is required (Boll**ks). The control wires are not to clever either so a replacement will be better than repairing the current box.

I've ordered a new Matrix which is £50 much cheaper than the dealers.

I'll do a full how to in reverse when I put it all together.

 

[Steven]

It's knackered Alan. I'll give you 50 quid for the whole car.

 

[Alan.D]

Add another couple of noughts and I may be interested and I don't mean by adding a decimal point

Just to add to this the whole heating system is a self contained unit and all that holds it in place is 4 screws for the dash controls, 2x10mm nuts and the heating pipes. You do however need to remove the wiper unit, dash cover and disconect a couple of wiring plugs. 30-40 min and it's out.

 

[Alan.D]

Been out most of the day looking for a casing but been unsucessfull although I have a lead for one tomorrow fingers crossed.

 

[Tony M]

Been out most of the day looking for a casing but been unsucessfull although I have a lead for one tomorrow fingers crossed.

There was one in the 1000s the was at greggs breakers yard... I took it out but left it there with the bodywork... as i had intended to go back for the rear axle. The car has probably been compacted by now though.

 

[christopher watson]

Alan, have a look at my panda parts thread, as i will be stripping two pandas on monday.

 

[Alan.D]

Thanks Tony, Chris there's one in the field next to the yard on a K plate with the wheels removed and would be a perfect donor but can't find the owner although the yard owner knows him and is trying to get in touch so I can strip it. I't just a pitty that the other box broke when I removed it from my 1st sisley