Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[amba]

Driving car this afternoon coolant warning came up on screen,so as it was very cold and temp gauge didn,t rise beyond mid point felt sure it was safe to drive car back home.

Few miles from home with heater on "Hi" setting windscreen on drivers side only suddenly descided to start steaming up,so suspected we now had a major water leak.

Car on driveway,checked coolant bottle which was empty,so added around 2 ltrs of coolant mixture and turned heater up on screen full blower setting .Checked bottle again and again empty,but noticed drips coming from drivers side sill half way along length of door.Lifted up floor mat to discover that drivers side footwell had a fairly large puddle ...looks like heater matrix has gone.

Now question is would this just be age and wear related as coolant is always at correct strength and whilst I have been smelling a slight waft of antifreeze for several weeks now on start up have never needed to add more than a few drips to level.

 

[cem_devecioglu]

Omega heater matrix is not a high quality item and was very similiar the one I used in one of my ex cars..
 
trouble is its a dash out job or you may prefer the dark side and cut

[fiend61]

Now question is would this just be age and wear related

im afraid so  they tend to get bunged up with crud and seeing as it only has narrow waterways they will blow under pressure, sorry to add to your misery but they are a pain to takeout and refit unless you cut and repair the trim as per guide on here

[dbug]

Cut trim carefully as shown in gudes and repair.  Done it on mine - about 1 hour all in 

[Abiton]

FWIW ours let go a while before the HG leak into/out of pot 4 (2.0) got really bad.  Overpressurisation no doubt contributed to its demise, but it was high-mileage anyway (155-160K? at the time).  Your profile doesn't say, but I have a feeling yours is a V6? So HG less likely, esp if 2.6/3.2.

See if there's residual pressure in the coolant system after the engine is stone cold , that was one of the clues that ours was leaking gases across a fire-ring.

[amba]

Really don,t fancy even thinking about removing the entire dash so I will venture around the dark side and statrt peeling away the vinyl and arm myself with a hack saw blade.

Job in the morning then will be to remove both quick fit bulk head pipes and join them with a section of 15mm copper pipe and some cable ties so car can then be used although will need to drive around with coat on  until can source a matrix prompto along with seal rings

[amba]

Mines a 2.5 V6 with a lowly 199k so really want to break the 200k.

When I removed coolant bottle cap there was no pressure inside..but equally no water either .

Just started trawlling web for quickest and best price for new matrix as wil get seal washer from VX as can only be pennies

[PhilRich]

Good luck with it!

[amba]

Thanks for words of support

Just need to find the best place and quickest to get replacement now 

[fiend61]

what car is it ??

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-OPEL-OMEGA-B-HEATER-MATRIX-90379972-/310350402400?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4842535360

[albitz]

I would ask Twiglet if he still has the matrix from his 35,000 mile breaker.Unlikely to get a better one unless you buy new,and I would imagine genuine new will be a lot of money.

[amba]

Search did bring up new from BuyParts at less than £20 but then you are dealing with no doudt poor quality 

Thanks for info Albs ..will drop Twiglet a pm then

[albitz]

Thats a very good price. I have no experience or knowledge of pattern matrixes, maybe others have ? 

[amba]

Can anybody confirm if the heater matrix is the same across the entire year range...would that from a Facelift be suitable and fit into a M/Facelift ?

A part # for the small "o" rings seals would also be very helpfull if anybody can confirm the correct one as searches seem to bring up several