Getting at the heater matrix ?

[BigA]

As i am on a bit of a role at the mo with actually getting the old girl sorted, thought i would tackle the heater matrix next. I recently replaced the fan unit, and whist it was out, i could get my hand behind the matrix, and as expected it is caked in mud. Hot water definitely getting through the matrix, and all water system recently flushed and checked over, but only cold / lukewarm air coming out.

So, i have looked at the Haynes manual (for a laugh) but am i right in thinking, that if i remove the center of the dash, the bit above the console, with all the heater dials, vents, ashtray etc. in, i will be able to get at the matrix?  I want to get the matrix out and give it a clean, it may heat some air then?

cheers for now.

[bilge rat]

is it a 300 or 200 . i know the 200 theres no chance without removing the whole dash . 300 think there is a short cut but cant advise you to how to do it. alan

[BigA]

Its a 300, according to haynes its most of dash out, but that is always over the top  :roll:

[burgerman]

 Never done a 200, but a little whilst back had a fire damaged 300 and had to replace the whole dash area inc wiring  :shock:

  But really wasnt too bad, i personally dont know of the "cheat" to to the heater insitu, but i have heard of it being done

Good luck  :lol:

[weeone]

Just done a 300....

.... NOT a quick job :(

Yes, the whole dash has to come out: you need to remove the heater box from the car!

The heater pipes are clamped to the matrix, and the heater box.... and don't lose the big double-grommet that seals the bulkhead, where the pipes go through.
The wee O-rings that came with the heater matrix just didn't work, but fortunately I'd also ordered a pair of Genuine Land Rover O-rings, which fitted just fine (I tested for air-tightness, and it took ages to get right)

Sorry - didn't think to take pictures.... I just followed the workshop manual :)

I reckon you're looking at about 8 hours, if you've not done it before.... 6 if you have

[BigA]

Yes, the whole dash has to come out: you need to remove the heater box from the car!

I reckon you're looking at about 8 hours, if you've not done it before.... 6 if you have

Damn...  :'( what i expected i guess. Well looks like a fun weekend ahead, i suppose i could clean it whilst its in bits (dash)  :-k as whats removed i know is going to need a good clean.

[landroverkeith]

 :shock: Blimey Andy dunno if your brave or mad lol

[BigA]

:shock: Blimey Andy dunno if your brave or mad lol

I think the one you need is "MAD"  :twisted:

[landroverkeith]

True I have seen you riding a angle grinder around the drive lol  :-k

[Yoshi]

hhhmmmm lol

Think for those comments Andy you should get Keith helping! lol

[weeone]

Damn...  :'( what i expected i guess. Well looks like a fun weekend ahead, i suppose i could clean it whilst its in bits (dash)  :-k as whats removed i know is going to need a good clean.

I have to confess that, once I'd got a million bits spread around the workshop floor, I though I'd bitten off more than I could chew.... but actually it's not too bad

It just takes time.

[BigA]

Think for those comments Andy you should get Keith helping! lol

errr..... i will think about that one, i could let him do all the really fiddly bits, i know he likes that  :^o

Well i have found that you can just see the heater matrix from the drivers footwell, and it is getting hot. So i guess that the heater box thingy itself is full of mud, much the same as the heater fan unit was, and that is why i am only getting cold air out. So i guess i will have to have a go, should be interesting  :-k

[weeone]

Before you go any further.....

..... check the belden cables that control the flaps & valves.

Open the panel that gets access to the fuses, and the wiring loom. you need to move the wiring-looms away from the left-hand side, and squint in, and slightly up. There are various metal plates and levers on the side of the heater matrix cabinet... and two cables controlling them.

The one that's easy to see (the one that is about 8" in from the facia) is the temperature control for the drivers side: does twiddling the temperature nob move this lever?

The other one is much closer to the inside of the facia, and is awkward to reach with big hands... this is the direction controller.

If the engine is warm - check the temperature of the core... and the pipes. If they're cold, then there's no water getting through: the matrix heats, irrespective of what the temperature & direction switches are set to.

[craig_midz]

when i done my heater matrix me an my mate had done it in a couple of hours we left steerin wheel on but remember if yours has air con remember to remove pipes from the back an the cheat is where u cut the heater pipes an use snap lock plumbin connections to put it back together but i didnt wanna do it that way but isnt a hard job at all

[BigA]

Before you go any further.....

..... check the belden cables that control the flaps & valves.

Open the panel that gets access to the fuses, and the wiring loom. you need to move the wiring-looms away from the left-hand side, and squint in, and slightly up. There are various metal plates and levers on the side of the heater matrix cabinet... and two cables controlling them.

The one that's easy to see (the one that is about 8" in from the facia) is the temperature control for the drivers side: does twiddling the temperature nob move this lever?

The other one is much closer to the inside of the facia, and is awkward to reach with big hands... this is the direction controller.

If the engine is warm - check the temperature of the core... and the pipes. If they're cold, then there's no water getting through: the matrix heats, irrespective of what the temperature & direction switches are set to.

Defiinately getting hot water to matrix, all water sysmtem recently checked, and the matrix is getting hot.

i will take you advice on checking the flap controls, as i think that this is where the issue is now, i think the flaps may be stuck/blocked. i recently had the fan unit out, and the flaps on top of that for changing from external to internal air source were completely jammed with hard mud.

cheers, i will update after a look.

[weeone]

Defiinately getting hot water to matrix, all water sysmtem recently checked, and the matrix is getting hot.

i will take you advice on checking the flap controls, as i think that this is where the issue is now, i think the flaps may be stuck/blocked. i recently had the fan unit out, and the flaps on top of that for changing from external to internal air source were completely jammed with hard mud.

cheers, i will update after a look.

If you've had the fan out, you've had the facia out - you can't do it any other way :)

[BigA]

If you've had the fan out, you've had the facia out - you can't do it any other way :)

Managed to do that with the facia in.

But all out and back in today and here was the problem;



And that is literally how it was once i took the back of the heater unit of.  :oops:

[bilge rat]

guess you found the fault then ;)

[landroverkeith]

Blimey no wonder we all got through the mud run ok andy looks like u got it all in ya matrix m8  :dance:

[BigA]

guess you found the fault then ;)

Yep all nice and warm now  :)

Blimey no wonder we all got through the mud run ok andy looks like u got it all in ya matrix m8  :dance:

That will have been Abi's driving again  :lol:

Thanks everyone for help  :clap:

[discorich]

If you've had the fan out, you've had the facia out - you can't do it any other way :)

Managed to do that with the facia in.

I know that this is a bit of a change on the subject but i gave a 200 and after some nasty tinking noises my fan has given up the goast, what is the easiest way to get to and remove the fan?
It is prob full of mud i have always liked playing in water and i have had the sterio underwater when getting stuck one time.

[BigA]

I know that this is a bit of a change on the subject but i gave a 200 and after some nasty tinking noises my fan has given up the goast, what is the easiest way to get to and remove the fan?
It is prob full of mud i have always liked playing in water and i have had the sterio underwater when getting stuck one time.

if its the same as the 300, you can, with a bit of fiddling, take just the fan out. take the bottom fascia cover out of the passenger footwell, and you should see the fan unit. on the underside of that is the actual fan, and its held in with 3 screws. there is a cable running over it that is a bit of a pain, but if you undo the screws and give it a tap, it will come out with the cable held to the side.

mine was full of mud last year. took it out, cleaned it and let it dry and gave it a good dose of wd40 and it worked again. this year however i had to replace the whole fan unit, as that was choka with mud too.


hope that helps.