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[MutantCav]

How much of that is the heater matrix itself and how difficult is it to actually change the heater matrix once the centre console is off??

I have one here, if its not too bad a job we can probably sort it out while your here picking up the parts??

Not sure whats involved though

[humbucker]

'parts' are 180 inc VAT. as far as the job itself is concerned, i dont really know whats involved other than its a big job. labour charges equate to 7 hours. i did a scout around the net and the forum and all seems to point to a job for an experienced mechanic, beyond my capabilities anyway. and even then im not sure my original problem is going to be addressed, ie. is the matrix responsible for my prolongued coolant leak? or is the pressure build up / coolant leak responsible for the matrix giving way, a symptom of the bigger problem... i dont have the experience to answer that really.

 

[humbucker]

i guess my question is would a faulty heater matrix (radiator) show evidence of leaking / dripping on the ground underneath the car?

[Olympia5776]

This is for morale support only. I really sympathise with you as I am in the same situation with my wife's Freelander ( and they are more than prone to blowing the HG)
I understand how frustrating it is to be thwarted at each attempt to rectify the problem ,however I wish you luck and hope the misery comes to an end soon.( and at reasonable expense )
Good luck.
Don

[humbucker]

as garage won't accept TC they will drop work down to 700. this includes parts (heater rad, coolant etc) and 7 hours labour *85 an hour!* and courtesy car. sheesh. and still could be back to square one afterwards. bah.

[tmx]

K Series Engines i know a fair bit about pm me!!

the 1.8 is prone to more HG Failure than the 14 & 1600 engines

[humbucker]

heater matrix fitted and pressure testing suggests leak has gone away. vx said after i haggled on costs that contrary to the 6 hours they have charged me it took them 12 and a half. i will still check coolant levels and oil cooler plate / stat block when i get it back, just in case secondary leak is still evident, but i dont feel too bad about the labour charges now...!!!

[MutantCav]

Good job mate Glad to hear its sorted...so only £45 an hour labour then in the end lol

[humbucker]

oh and after much ear bending i managed to get the parts at trade cost in the end too. thankfully i can also claim the vat back which will make a bit of a difference.

[humbucker]

Good job mate Glad to hear its sorted...so only £45 an hour labour then in the end lol

hehe yeah, better than it was at least! for main dealer that's not a bad price i guess! still, proof of the pudding and all that... haven't got the mothership back yet, will pick her up on friday, but fingers crossed that it's all ok. i have reservations on that front, but we'll see.

[BOURNVILLE MOTOR SPARES]

Hi.  ;DGlad you got it sorted. If i were you i would now buy a bottle of K-SEAL which is around £10 or cheaper on ebay. This stuff will stay in your cooling system and seal any leaks as they appear anywhere in the cooling system. If you GOOGLE this stuff and read about it before you purchase it you will be amazed at what else it does

[hotel21]

Hi.  ;DGlad you got it sorted. If i were you i would now buy a bottle of K-SEAL which is around £10 or cheaper on ebay. This stuff will stay in your cooling system and seal any leaks as they appear anywhere in the cooling system. If you GOOGLE this stuff and read about it before you purchase it you will be amazed at what else it does

Those on here who know such things (not me, I hasten to add...) would recommend otherwise.....  K-seal and similar, whilst doing a job, also do other things to engines that need minute waterways to function correctly.  K-seal can and does block these, apparently, and cause more probs than they fix....  Use with caution.

[Essex_Andy]

When changing coolant I usually flush the coolant system, use distilled water with decent antifreeze and I have always lobbed in a bottle of barrs.

To date (20 years of driving) no hassle.

I'm taking an educate guess that if there's any excess Barrs/Bars in the cooling circuit the flush out will remove it but (hopefully) wont remove any repair.

Having seen the hole caused by corrosion on the oil cooler cover on my Omega in January 07, the anti-corrosion claims and pump lube on Barrs/Bars wins me over every time.

[markrl]

I dont think putting in one bottle of the Barrs leak stop will do any major harm. The problem is the temptation to go on adding the stuff if the leak is either not fully cured or subsequently returns. Then you'll get a problem.

[justme]

Hi.  ;DGlad you got it sorted. If i were you i would now buy a bottle of K-SEAL which is around £10 or cheaper on ebay. This stuff will stay in your cooling system and seal any leaks as they appear anywhere in the cooling system. If you GOOGLE this stuff and read about it before you purchase it you will be amazed at what else it does

Those on here who know such things (not me, I hasten to add...) would recommend otherwise.....  K-seal and similar, whilst doing a job, also do other things to engines that need minute waterways to function correctly.  K-seal can and does block these, apparently, and cause more probs than they fix....  Use with caution.

Intersesting "minute waterways" where are they I have never seen one.?

In a sense ilovemyelite as answered his own question.
the 24v v6 i have loses coolant regularly. You go through the normal visual checks nothing obvious, and then quite by accident you see the little bugger RAD CAP bypassing but only when depressurising with the engine off. No sign at all whilst running, so a faulty rad cap, which is also the  main culprit when the heater matrix blows, and yet the relief valve is obviously working in my case, very easy to just change the cap, but that does not answer the question why, my temp very rarely goes above 90. I have my suspicions as to what is happening just need to prove it. So when your system is pressue tested make sure your cap is also tested. And I use Kseal and always have in this particular car, advised of a hg failure. I wont mention what I think of such advice.

And just to do a bit more winding that is also without any anti freeze which the car as never had since I have owned it.