xm interior matrix heater
Moderator: RichardW
xm interior matrix heater
how easy is it to replace the radiator.car has a/c as well.radiator leaking all over the floor.
I replaced the heater matrix on my 1990 xm2.1td and it was quite straight forward.
All I took off was the lower dash cover on the drivers side and the centre console cover(there is a hidden nut at the rear of the cover in a hole in the carpet)
Undid the screws holding the matrix into its housing.
Undid the small screw in the middle of the clamp plate which holds the 2 pipes into the matrix and pushed the 2 pipes back into the bulkhead (this was the difficult knuckle bruising bit)
I then had to cut a small corner bit off the plastic housing so that I could pull the matrix out past the steering column. Don't worry it can't be seen.
The matrix is a tight fit in its housing and you can't help bending a few fins here and there.
The plastic end cover will probably be left in the housing so pull the new matrix's cover off before you put the new one in and don't forget to renew the 2 o rings which go on the pipes.
I hope I haven't forgotten anything but you get the idea.
Mine started leaking when the head gasket blew. The heater matrix was a doddle compared to the headgasket change!
The manual said it couldn't be done without removing the engine!
Huh! I beg to differ!
All I took off was the lower dash cover on the drivers side and the centre console cover(there is a hidden nut at the rear of the cover in a hole in the carpet)
Undid the screws holding the matrix into its housing.
Undid the small screw in the middle of the clamp plate which holds the 2 pipes into the matrix and pushed the 2 pipes back into the bulkhead (this was the difficult knuckle bruising bit)
I then had to cut a small corner bit off the plastic housing so that I could pull the matrix out past the steering column. Don't worry it can't be seen.
The matrix is a tight fit in its housing and you can't help bending a few fins here and there.
The plastic end cover will probably be left in the housing so pull the new matrix's cover off before you put the new one in and don't forget to renew the 2 o rings which go on the pipes.
I hope I haven't forgotten anything but you get the idea.
Mine started leaking when the head gasket blew. The heater matrix was a doddle compared to the headgasket change!
The manual said it couldn't be done without removing the engine!
Huh! I beg to differ!