Heater Matrix

Hi I was just wondering if there is any information about changing your Heater Martrix online. I wanted to try and replace mine myself, but heard it isn't easy. A friend of mine, does my work normally and he keeps the cost as low as possible. However he told me that it would be the time involved with this. Also how can you be sure that it is the Matrix that has gone and not something else, when you aren't getting any heat. Thanks in advance and sorry if I posted in the wrong place. :cry:

Is yours an A or B series? What makes you think the matrix has gone, are you losing coolant or is just not blowing hot?

If the matrix isn't leaking and your not losing any coolant, then the coolant system could have air inside and that is an easy fix.

Heater matrix is easy to do bud am sure theirs a wee bit plastic on the end you have to snap off where heater matrix sits in but you don't need it s the heater matrix pips hold it in you can take glove box out am sure so you don't have to strip dash on it half hour job

Wow half hour job, like to watch that. :shock:

i thought half a week not 1/2 hr

Not a difficult job, but certainly not in half hour.

Hi
Ease of the job will depend on whether you have an A or B series. If it's an A series it'll take best part of a day as you have to take the whole dash out to get the heater box out to change the matrix (been there done that). As for the B series, I don't know as I haven't done one.

As to whether it is the matrix block you have to diagnose, I trust the cooling system doesn't loose water and never has, does the engine temp gauge run at the normal hot/warm place, do the hoses and rad get hot. Does the heater blow cold or tepid/warm. If you can answer yes to most of the above then you'll probably find the matrix is blocked. You could try back flushing it using a hose pipe or even running the engine with a rad cleaner fluid (bleach) to break down the crud. Failing that you need to change the matrix.

Stuart

Hi sorry i haven't thanked you all for your replies. Just wasn't sure how to respond. The thing is now that my daughter who owns her beloved Frontera Sport and it is a 1998/99 A I think, has been told that when the heating isn't working the head gasket is on it's way out and it wont be worth repairing. It runs well and the body work is excellent for it's age. She couldn't afford to take it to a garage, as it would cost more than her Frontera is worth most probably. If the head gasket is on it's way out, then why no other problems.

I have just found out that the heater comes on and is hot when the engine gets hot but then it goes tepid again. Does this give more clues. My daughter really wants to keep it but has been told its not worth it if it is the head gasket.

Forget about the head gasket and start with the easy things first. Air lock, thermostat, water pump. Flush the rad and the heater matrix through, fill up with the correct anti freeze mixture and bleed the system. Go for a spin and see what happens.