Heater matrix bust

[Starbus]

Basically, water is dripping from the bottom of the heater matrix, when i turn the heaters on it pours out.

Anybody else had problems?
Any idea's what it could be in the heater matrix, Many thanks.

 

[dac69er]

it will either be a pipe or the matrix itself. not the easiest of jobs to do.

speak to the likes of jay as i think he knows the way to do it.

 

[Starbus]

it will either be a pipe or the matrix itself. not the easiest of jobs to do.

speak to the likes of jay as i think he knows the way to do it.

Not sure who jay is, i'm guessing either way its a dash out job, I can't really tell wheres its leaking from, but its dark etc i'l have a better look tomorrow.

Is it a known fault? Or is this pointing at a headgasket problem?

 

[Jay]

I'm the patron saint of lost souls and 4efte heater matrices.

Sounds like either the pipes to the matrix or the matrix core itself has started to leak. Hot coolant leaks into the heater ducting and makes it's way to the passenger footwell usually.

As a quick fix you bypass the matrix to remove it from the heater system. Find the inlet and outlet pipes that carry coolant from the engine bay to the heater matrix. This is them at the back of your engine bay:

And loop them together securely. It'll mean no hot coolant will circulate through the heating system in the cabin but the engine will function normally and be safe to use. This will keep you mobile.

It's important to do this incase the matrix suddenly dumps several litres of boiling fluid into the front footwells...

 

[Starbus]

I'm the patron saint of lost souls and 4efte heater matrices.

Sounds like either the pipes to the matrix or the matrix core itself has started to leak. Hot coolant leaks into the heater ducting and makes it's way to the passenger footwell usually.

As a quick fix you bypass the matrix to remove it from the heater system. Find the inlet and outlet pipes that carry coolant from the engine bay to the heater matrix. This is them at the back of your engine bay:

And loop them together securely. It'll mean no hot coolant will circulate through the heating system in the cabin but the engine will function normally and be safe to use. This will keep you mobile.

It's important to do this incase the matrix suddenly dumps several litres of boiling fluid into the front footwells...

This is what i was going to do, thanks for your help.
I'l do a sniff and compression test to make sure its not the head gasket.

Then i'l start looking out for a new matrix, not looking forward to doing it though

 

[Jay]

Because it's a copper core any radiator specialist should be able to recore your old leaking one for around £50-80. Used ones are a gamble and new Toyota ones are predictively expensive.

To replace it you will need to drop the dash out and remove the current matrix from the heaterbox. It's a messy job but be brave!

 

[turbo-roj]

I had to replace mine on my first starlet, because one day i put the heaters on to de-mist the window and it misted up a whole lot more! managed to ge a second hand one for around £40 and put some exhaust gunk around the obvious weakpoints on the matrix, obviously not the fins but the piping etc, then fit it myself, i dont know if there is any easy way to do it, i found that removing the 2 front seats helped alot! then basically, disconnect everything in sight then remove everything trying to keep all the bolts/screws together (bit of celotape goes a long way!!) then remove the whole dash etc etc etc etc etc then replace matrix, and put dash back in. took me 10 hours but worth it in the end!! with regards to all the connections, basically they can only fit into its designated slot (i.e. you wont cock it up) the only thing i forgot was the indicators!

anyway, have fun!

oh and if you take it to a garage its one expensive job!

 

[Starbus]

Because it's a copper core any radiator specialist should be able to recore your old leaking one for around £50-80. Used ones are a gamble and new Toyota ones are predictively expensive.

To replace it you will need to drop the dash out and remove the current matrix from the heaterbox. It's a messy job but be brave!

Hopefully it won't be that hard, never thought about getting it recored, that might be worth it.

I can't see the pictures its says access denied.

 

[Jay]

[img=http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6930/brakepadsanddiscs1583ok1.th.jpg]







The last EP91 I did:

 

[Starbus]

Thanks for that, how long did it take you to do it?

I'l see where i can get it recored and then rip it out on a weekend or something

 

[Jay]

I got it down to around a days work now. Usually have a spare matrix ready to swap in so as it's done in the one sitting. It's not the stripping that is the hard part, it's putting everything back together properly that eats up the time!

 

[Starbus]

I got it down to around a days work now. Usually have a spare matrix ready to swap in so as it's done in the one sitting. It's not the stripping that is the hard part, it's putting everything back together properly that eats up the time!

I can imagine, i might take the chance to change the front speakers etc while i'm there.
I might buy an other 1 then get that recored, don't want this happening again.