Heater Matrix models

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D.Slatford
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Heater Matrix models

Post by D.Slatford »

Hey all,

So I've stumbled across a cheap but mostly good condition Xantia Estate, 1998 model. It's easilly the finest ride any Xantia's given me (despite the hefty 160K milage on its 2.0 petrol engine, which itself seems in good order) and the space is wonderfull, so I've fallen for it!

The bad news for me is that the front carpets are soaked. The unsealed windscreen scuttle no doubt explains much of this, but the sweet / sticky water suggests the matrix has gone too, so I'm going to take the plunge and change it.

What I wonder is, does the one matrix fit all sizes and ages of Xantia, with or without aircon? The GSF matrix claims 'xantia no air con' at a nice price, but I have aircon. Another supplier (Andrew Page) claim the one matrix fits all models. Can anyone in the know tell me which supplier has it wrong?

I'm also after some parts from a doner car if anyone has any seats / headlamp or other parts going - advert in appropiate forum!
citronut
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Post by citronut »

GSF should be able to point you in the right direction,im sure you will have lots of fun when you get down to the fitting,he he he
regards malcolm
D.Slatford
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Post by D.Slatford »

Tell me about it. This time I'm fortunate in that I have another 1.8 saloon Xantia to keep me on the road in the mean time. I hope to document everything with plenty of pictures now I have a decent digicam too! I'm simply wondering at this point if anyone here's changed the matrix on both a pre and post facelift, with and without aircon models, to see if it really is the same matrix in all models or not.
Peter Mannn
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Post by Peter Mannn »

There was a time when my Xantia developed a leak from the heater matrix. Considering how notorious they are for this, I was intending to go to a radiator specialist and have them make an equivalent in a heavier duty material/weight (I never want to do a repair twice). As it happened, the leak healed itself while I was driving around with the radiator cap off (to prevent internal pressure from making it leak faster). So I never changed the matrix at all. Along the way I discovered that the coolant would boil in the head about 40 seconds after shutting off the motor. This, combined with a 22 psi relief valve in the radiator makes for a lot of pressure building up inside the cooling system. I figure that in my case, this pressure unseated some elastomer seals, which gradually re-seated once the pressure was off. To prevent it happening again, I now run with an anti-boil/anti-freeze coolant. And I fitted a couple of 3/4" ball valves so I can qickly isolate the heater matrix if it ever starts leaking again. The cheap plastic irrigation valves have been in the car for about 18 months with no problem, but I carry a spare in the boot Justin Case.
James.UK
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Post by James.UK »

Hi Peter.

>>I now run with an anti-boil/anti-freeze coolant. <<

Can you tell me exactly what you are using? And who makes it please.. I did persue some stuff made by a firm called 'Evans' in the USA a while back but it was very very expensive.. Worked out at well over £100 to fill my ZX with it.. :shock: :( And I wasn't entirely convinced it worked anyway. dohh.. lol..
Cheers.. :)
James. (Nr M67 East of Manchester).
Dark Blue ZX 1.9D Auto 1994 'L' 5 dr (modified) Aura. 98K miles used daily. Ave mpg 40
Wedgewood Blue 75 CTD auto Connoissaur. 2002. 144k. used daily. ave mpg 40 ish.
citronut
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Post by citronut »

i think that when these heater matrix leak its because the car has overheated ,and the extra presure pushes the ends of the matrix,as the two i have seen this is what seemed to have happened and the core was in good condition,also if the engine and cooling system are runnig corectly there should be very little presure in the system,my test for a happy system is to run engine up till the fans cut in and cut back out,then gently remove the header tank cap,the coolant should be calm and only let off a little pis as you releas the cap
regards malcolm
D.Slatford
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Post by D.Slatford »

I thought mixing different brands of antifreeze could cause corrosive effects too, felt most in the heater matrix, and I'm sure hardness of water would have something to do with it too.
c7rlf
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Post by c7rlf »

As a rule of thumb.... :wink:

Was told at college many moons ago that at full running temp the top hose should have about quarter to half inch of sqeeze in it, if its really hard somethings wrong some where :shock:

The tutor that told us that has been correct many times since then (very experienced in the trade)
Formally known as PARANOID
Peter Mannn
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Post by Peter Mannn »

I am using Valvoline G-05 Concentrate mixed with de-mineralized water to a 50:50 blend. I paid about A$10 per litre for the concentrate.
Yes, it is taking an unnecessary risk to mix different brands, and (in the case of Toyota, at least) different products from the same supplier.
Low pressure in the cooling system is normal while the engine is running. However, there is a substantial amount of heat stored in the head at switchoff, and this is transmitted to the (now stationary) coolant in the head. On my Xantia, there is enough heat stored in the head to blow half a litre or more coolant from the reservoir if the cap is left off. With the cap left on, the relief is set at 1.5 Bar (22psi or 1.5 atmospheres) which in my opinion is excessively high for a cooling system. Evidently, the heater matrix is inclined to agree that this is too high.
1.5 Bar is the internal pressure that is reached if there is a headgasket leak, but unless an antiboil coolant is used, the pressure in the sealed cooling system increases as the coolant temperature passes boiling point at one atmosphere (100 degreesC for water, 129 degreesC for 50:50 water/glycol).
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