Xantia heater matrix - quick fix with forte or replace?

[chinkostu]

So the inevitable happened. Had a wiffy smell on monday on the trip back from kent but no obvious leaks anywhere. Pulled up to work yesterday with a very misted up window and a pool of coolant in the passenger footwell. It's a significant amount but it's far from gushing out, mostly tricking.

Now given my attachment to the car i'm happy to rip the dash out and change the matrix, but is it a waste of money to try radweld/forte/wynns in there first to see if it can stem the flow until the weather improves? Or is that going to make the end job much harder?

At least I can replace the dicky bulbs in the cluster at the same time

[CitroJim]

Forte is the ONLY stuff to use. NEVER use anything else as in my experience it welds up the matrix connector elbow..

Forte will hold off the inevitable until there's a bit of decent weather/time to do the job properly...

Not for long but just long enough...

[chinkostu]

Forte is the ONLY stuff to use. NEVER use anything else as in my experience it welds up the matrix connector elbow..

Forte will hold off the inevitable until there's a bit of decent weather/time to do the job properly...

Not for long but just long enough...

Be nice as i'm having to scrounge lifts to work as its piddling it down up here!!!

Wheres the best place to grab some?

[CitroJim]

Wheres the best place to grab some?

eBay normally has some...

[CitroJim]

There you go Stu,

Here's atypical listing:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORTE-COOLING ... SwWTRWulVQ

[chinkostu]

Cheers Jim, i'll get hold of some and see if it works! Guess it'll be a simple case of getting it to temp then pouring it in?

[CitroJim]

Yes, basically, I find it best to drain off say, a litre or so of coolant before tipping it in just in case the level goes too high and the cooling system blows it out of the overflow before it's had its chance to do its work...

[chinkostu]

Will have to give that a try thanks. I might have to bite the bullet and replace it though as it got limped to my rents on tuesday and has been sat, but now is completely dry of coolant in the expansion tank. So forte might not help!

[RichardW]

It's remarkably good stuff.... I had it in 3 of mine - the HDi for over 60k (ahem...) and it stopped it leaking. Wasn't as bad as yours mind, but one of them made a damp patch on the carpet before getting forted.

[chinkostu]

So dash is out, am i right in thinking i now have to undo the dreaded clip on the bulkhead?

Also, is it just the one nut in the engine bay holding the heater box in? I've read a few guides and it seems so but i'd rather not break it!!

[CitroJim]

Yes,

Indeed Stu, one nut with a fibre washer under it on the bulkhead but you have to split the heater box. Look for gold coloured bolts roughly in the middle of the heater box top and bottom and undo them. The box will then split apart and that savers having to get to the other nut holding the box in that hides behind the LHM reservoir...

Makes the job a whole lot easier!

Go easy with the matrix elbow joint. I recommend on a 1.9TD removing the turbo piping to improve access...

[chinkostu]

I can just about reach it with the piping in place, hopefully can just refill the system and use the pressure to pop it off aswell! The pipings not difficult to remove mind but i can never get the clips tight enough when refitting

[chinkostu]

Right, does anyone have recommendations for where to buy a matrix? I'm happy to pay a bit more and get a Valeo one but i'm struggling to find one (apart from citroen who have one for £99....) and wary of the dirt cheap ones (£15?!)

OBV will get a bottle of Forte and flush the system out as well (might loop the old matrix out as per http://www.partinfo.co.uk/files/TSBEC003.pdf ) but then do i refill with red or blue? i'm sure the old stuff was red and topped up accordingly, but then it could have just been grubby and i've mixed them!

[myglaren]

This one any good from eBay?
Valeo insist on adding Forte Cooling System Stop Leak with a new matrix - it contains various additives that protect the matrix apparently.
Warranty void if not used.

[Zelandeth]

You can use either type of coolant so long as you thoroughly flush the old stuff out. I generally use the red OAT stuff simply as it lasts longer. That's been in all manner of cars from the 107 to the Saab including Metros, Skodas and Ladas along the way without any problems.