Is K-seal the best sealer for a main rad leak - NOW MATRIX!!

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 01 Jul 2008, 14:40

Anyone able to make a personal recommendation from actual experiences
with this or any other as my Activa has quite a leak now and it'd be far less
hassle getting it home where I have a replacement rad if I could pour a temp
sealer in?

Andrew

Post by **RichardW** » 01 Jul 2008, 16:04

Forte radiator sealer is extremely effective at sealing matrix leaks - and stopped a leak on our previous ZX on the rad too. Dear, at £14 a bottle though - and it takes a bit to work. If the water is not running out, I'd just take it easy and keep a gallon or two in the boot to top up if required.

XantiaMan · Post by **XantiaMan** » 01 Jul 2008, 17:20

I've nothing but high praise for K-seal it really does work..but the best thing for a leaking rad is replacing it

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 01 Jul 2008, 17:45

K-seal is great stuff, the bottle claims it is a permanant repair. I have even heard good feedback about it sealing leaking head gaskets.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 01 Jul 2008, 18:39

I TOTALLY agree that the best fix for a leaky rad is a new one! I see any
"fix" this evening as a means to an end to get me home where I have
another NEW rad waiting for just this scenario which was purchased at a
bargain price on ebay; I guess this shows the pessimist side of my
Citroening!

I did pop into the motor factors with a bowser of water in the car having
topped it up and have used some Kseal so watch this space! I've baled out
of totally horrid gridlock for a breather in Sainsbury's and haven't checked
levels etc yet as it's hammering down hard rain (of course, it's sunny July
now

)

The temperature was stock steady at 80 before I caught traffic and no
warning lights but went over 90 a smidge when I stopped. I'll chill with
a cuppa in the shop and amuse myself with my iPhone on the net!!

Thus far, sanity, finances and Activa are still in order!
Further updates to follow shortly!!

Andrew

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 01 Jul 2008, 19:59

Got home now without incident, not a big journey of about 12 miles but
through a never ending range of traffic lights at T junctions. Swansea
would never get totally dark as there'd still be a massive glow from all
the damned traffic lights now that the streetlights are dim orange efforts!!

The temperature stayed nailed on 80 and the level is on the dot upon
checking it now and there was no back pressure on the cap though there
was when I limped to the motor factors to get some sealer.

I've had a very minor drop in the water level over the past few weeks but
could never see anything which had my paranoia working on the basis of
a heater matrix leak so to some degree this could work to my benefit!

Andrew

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » 01 Jul 2008, 20:27

In-laws BX van n/a Diesel had sprung a leak in the rad, because of the air filter canister carrier rubbing aganist the matrix.
Solved by using a heavy molegrip to compress the side of the offended matrix pipe just over the pinhole.
The aluminimum is rather easy to compress and make sort of a cold-welding.

Worked for most of the wintertime (½ yr) no problems at all, until rad replaced on first nice spring weekend.

Burly Chassis · Post by **Burly Chassis** » 01 Jul 2008, 23:22

K-Seal gets the thumbs up from me.. full-dash-out-matrix-repair averted by little bottle of wonderstuff in January. Still holding...

...Now where's that wood I need to touch?

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 Jul 2008, 13:50

Things have now taken a bit of a nosedive here unfortunately...

I had quite a pressure in the cooling system the other day when the rad
sprung a leak, probably no doubt due to air trapped in the system.

Problem is I now appear to have a TOTALLY failed matrix that's joined in
the fun and games too!

This past weekend was so desperate weatherwise I haven't managed to
fit a replacement radiator I have for the car but noticed a deep few inches
of water in the footwell when I popped my head in for sonething on my
storage shelf (instrument binnacle!!) and idly thought dammit, heavy rain
has overcome the scuttle flood defences; it has been diabolical weather.

In a rain free 5 minutes I made the effort to mop out and thought I'd better
check the engine coolant and have a closer look at the rad leak and sadly
discovered low water and briefly ran the car which fugged up the screen so
prognosis doesn't look good. There has been a faint smell on the blower
when it first started but quickly went; not now!!

So. I'm going to do the decent and fix the car as I do rather like it, and
have practice on a few Xm's and Cx's.

Is there any trick to removing the heater box unit from the bulkhead once
the dash is removed as I recall a git of a job removing everything off a
scrapper a yearor two back?

Guess I'll have to do a show and tell with piccies?

Andrew

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 07 Jul 2008, 22:43

andmcit wrote:Is there any trick to removing the heater box unit from the bulkhead once the dash is removed as I recall a git of a job removing everything off a scrapper a year or two back?

Guess I'll have to do a show and tell with piccies?

Andrew

Hi Andrew,

I replaced the matrix on my V6 on Saturday, as its the third Xantia I've done the job on I've now got the time taken down to six hours from start to finish .

To release the heater box from the bulkhead there is one nut close to the heater hose connection and a second one behind the LHM tank close to where the air con hoses go through the bulkhead, but before pushing the heater box back make sure you undo the two screws securing the metal collar for the air con drain pipe otherwise you may break the plastic pipe and get the air con draining into the footwell.

You can only remove the heater box completely if you disconnect the air con pipe where they go through the bulkhead, obviously that involves getting the system re-charged, however you don't need to do that as you can push the heater box back far enough to be able to pull the matrix out once you have removed the two nuts.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 07 Jul 2008, 23:15

Damn! I'd forgotten it has AC (and bless it works really well). That's great
Richard, So, I don't need to split the AC if I just fractionally move the heater
box back carefully!?

Could you be a little more detailed regarding the AC drain tap as I don't have
the faintest idea what/where any of this is as I don't normally 'do' AC; plastic
drain pipe - sounds like it wants to break just from its' description...

Andrew

DickieG · Post by **DickieG** » 08 Jul 2008, 05:58

andmcit wrote: Damn! I'd forgotten it has AC (and bless it works really well). That's great Richard, So, I don't need to split the AC if I just fractionally move the heater box back carefully!?

Yes thats right you can leave the A/C connected, but the heater box will need to move back about three inches at the matrix end in order to clear a cross member that sits right above the matrix.

andmcit wrote:Could you be a little more detailed regarding the AC drain tap as I don't have the faintest idea what/where any of this is as I don't normally 'do' AC; plastic drain pipe - sounds like it wants to break just from its' description...

The drain tap is in an awkward place on the bulkhead behind the gearbox right above the steering rack, look for a silver metal collar with a rubber pipe running out of it, on early cars the pipe is short with an open end pointing down whereas on my V6 (S2 model) the pipe is much longer and runs across to the N/S wheelarch area. The collar is secured by two Torx 20 self tappers, remove those then pull the metal collar/rubber hose off of the plastic pipe allowing it to move around freely when you manipulate the heater box.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 08 Jul 2008, 07:53

Many thanks Richard; I've the feeling there may be more questions...

wasn't there a full chapter and verse with pics for this job in the past;
I've tried a search and looked in the hints and tips but not found anything detailed?

Andrew

Post by **CitroJim** » 08 Jul 2008, 12:50

andmcit wrote: wasn't there a full chapter and verse with pics for this job in the past;
I've tried a search and looked in the hints and tips but not found anything detailed?

Andrew

I recall that thread. It showed the dash all apart..

My 2.1TD badly needs doing. Its matrix held for a while with Forte Stop Leak but although it's not leaking enough to drop the coolant it is smelly as I discoverd yesterday morning and the fumes seem to give me a headache

The forum matrix specialist and I will be replacing it in the near'ish future and I'll try to get a load of pictures and do a photo sequence of the job.

Forte does work as without it the carpet was wet so it's in a pretty bad way.

andmcit · Post by **andmcit** » 08 Jul 2008, 13:01

I've used some of this forum's famous percywatsit and found it!

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=17811
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?p=64323

Looks like I may need a load more though...

Andrew