Technical Heater matrix

[Ryanedgeworth89]

My 2017 heater matrix has stopped working. Is it a dash out job to replace matrix? Cant find any videos for this shape or on videos on a ducato that has been replaced

 

[brokendonkey]

you could try reverse flushing it through from the engine bay side first.

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

Have slight heat when van is above 2000 revs. On way back from garage top rad hose has blown off. Have put it back on but coolant is leaking out of there as i go to top it up!!!

 

[brokendonkey]

blowing hoses off is not a good sign.

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

Nope hopfully its wrong. As had engine out this time last year with 2 seized injectors then engine wouldnt turn over. Turned out to be a bit of carbon that had dropped in. Then had new belt & pump fitted plus glowplugs fitted

 

[jackwhoo]

Have slight heat when van is above 2000 revs. On way back from garage top rad hose has blown off. Have put it back on but coolant is leaking out of there as i go to top it up!!!

This is very bad.
Likely heat not working because full of gases instead of hot coolant.
Hose blowing off due to excess pressure from gases entering coolant.
Get a "sniff" test done of expansion tank-you could have headgasket failure

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

This is very bad.
Likely heat not working because full of gases instead of hot coolant.
Hose blowing off due to excess pressure from gases entering coolant.
Get a "sniff" test done of expansion tank-you could have headgasket failure

Hopfully not as head was taken off this time last year. Temp gauage sits at half way all the time. Even when heating went i have done 600miles since then and temp gauge sits at half way once its up to working temp.

 

[jackwhoo]

Hopfully not as head was taken off this time last year. Temp gauage sits at half way all the time. Even when heating went i have done 600miles since then and temp gauge sits at half way once its up to working temp.

Yes hopefully not.
600miles is very little.
Hose has blow off (it shouldnt)and heating not working(it should)....get sniff test done before assuming heater matrix at fault together with hose fitting fault occuring randomly together.

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

 

[jackwhoo]

Sping clips appear intact.
What about the other part? Do the parts that engauge with the spring clips look broken or deformed?

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

Sping clips appear intact.
What about the other part? Do the parts that engauge with the spring clips look broken or deformed?

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

No all looks ok. I know when i got pipe back on last night as i put coolant in tank it just poured straight out of here so thinking something is missing to seal that. As elbow fits back on and cant be pulled off unless clips are pushed in to remove.

 

[jackwhoo]

@bugsymike
Hi should there be an oring in the groove just past the tapered edge?
J

 

[jackwhoo]

Decent photo of the elbow that pushes in would help. The rust staining on the spigot would show where oring sits when fitted

 

[Ryanedgeworth89]

Decent photo of the elbow that pushes in would help. The rust staining on the spigot would show where oring sits when fitted

The elbow is what is in the picture.

 

[jackwhoo]

The elbow is what is in the picture.

Ooops Yes of course it is.
Picture of spigot elbow pushes onto Will show rust stain up to where oring sits
And yes there should be an oring in groove in elbow , spigot slides through oring.
I zoomed in on your photo and it shows spigot staining as expected.

 

[bugsymike]

@bugsymike
Hi should there be an oring in the groove just past the tapered edge?
J

On the ones I have done there was only one O ring and that was in the plastic end of the hose, so it was sealing on the parallel part of the radiator fitting and just held in place by the spring clip stopping the hose from sliding off.
So at #11 photo is the only place I have seen an O ring.
After making up new O rings with the Loctite kit, I used silicon grease to help it slide onto the radiator spigot and you could feel the clip lock into place.

 

[Mike1alike]

If head gasket is fine and it's just the heater matrix not working, you don't need to replace it. You can just clean and unclog it.
I did it on my Punto, it gave absolutely no heat then and I was assured by a mechanic that I need to replace it and there's no other fix. Turns out there is. Washing it with citric acid.
Here is how I did it:

I fixed the car heater (little radiator inside the car) | FIAT Punto (Mk2/2b)

Hello everyone, I will share with you this great fix, for the case your heater is not working but cooling system works fine, engine temperature is steady good and thermostat works fine. So everything works just fine, then winter comes alog and you have no heat inside the car. And also, it's...

www.fiatforum.com

 

[jackwhoo]

If head gasket is fine and it's just the heater matrix not working, you don't need to replace it. You can just clean and unclog it.
I did it on my Punto, it gave absolutely no heat then and I was assured by a mechanic that I need to replace it and there's no other fix. Turns out there is. Washing it with citric acid.
Here is how I did it:

I fixed the car heater (little radiator inside the car) | FIAT Punto (Mk2/2b)

Hello everyone, I will share with you this great fix, for the case your heater is not working but cooling system works fine, engine temperature is steady good and thermostat works fine. So everything works just fine, then winter comes alog and you have no heat inside the car. And also, it's...

www.fiatforum.com

Hi Mike,
Did your heater matrix problem cause so much pressure in cooling system a pipe burst off radiator? Like the ops van.
There is more going on for the op than no heat.
Best wishes
Jack

 

[jackwhoo]

Very well worth disconnecting both de-gassing tubes from expansion tank and checking you can blow through both of them.
If blocked can cause heater not to work and false reading of coolant level .