Heater Matrix - where to get?

[dragon green 5]

Dash out,I left seats in so I had somewhere to sit while I was doing it

(Done it twice now)

[clumpy1 11]

When I had the dash out of mine to sort all wiring etc we checked my matrix while dash was out and I found it pretty easy Micheal with your skill's it will be a doddle so dash out for me :thumbleft:

[Jim 2]

Taking the dash out didn't seem to be much more of a stretch once you had everything else out you needed to remove anyway. It's only held in with about 5 or so bolts more. Everything comes out quite logically - just make sure you have a good assortment of screwdrivers and as I found a set of ratchet spanners with screwdriver bits were invaluable for accessing some screws, and various bolts.

 

Once you get started, it's surprising how quickly you get into it and actually it's not quite the horror show you think it'll be.

 

Get spraying the three bolts in the engine bay now (two that hold the heater box, and the third that holds the ducting that runs along to the heater motor) with penetrating spray as they were the showstoppers for me!

 

I just got a heater box through the post today (thanks so much to lilfuzzer) and a few gaskets and bolts I ordered have come in at my local Audi dealership so I should be starting reassembly tonight... gulp..

[Goldie 2]

Good stuff Jim.. Soon be up and running again...

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

tidy, sounding good jim

[Jim 2]

Well some reasonable progress this evening I guess though it's taking far longer to put it back together than take it did to take it apart! :)

 

Gave the replacement heater box a wipe down and got all the crud out from inside of it, replaced a couple of the bowden cables and attached them back to the heater controls. They're not perfect and to be honest outside of a new heater box, new cables and new heater controls it aint going to be so I can live with it being a bit stiff (!!). Also installed the new heater matrix of course.

 

Gave the carpets a good vac to get rid of the tonne of foam dust, got the heater box reinstalled successfully including all the upper and lower ducting and then got the dashboard reinstalled. It feels much more like a car with that in there, despite there still being a lot to go.

 

The one thing I highly recommend based on my experience so far... get a load of yoghurt pots and label ALL the bolts you remove. Mine all got mixed up and now I'm having to guess my way around which belong where - I think I'm going to have a few left over!

 

Anyway - here is a quick grainy picture before the light completely faded. Will be carrying on with this again tomorrow after work.

 

 

Also worth mentioning so far I've been able to do this by myself but I think a second pair of hands would have been helpful!

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

good work Jim!!

 

& nice update with tips :)

 

im deliberating whether to start mine this weekend or get my last BBS done & then have it MOT'd before fitting the matrix

[Goldie 2]

Id get the MOT done first, at least you then have a year to do the job...

[Jim 2]

It really is worth considering starting it, given that the nights are getting darker and autumn will be on us soon. I only managed to get about 3 hours working on the car after work before it became too dark to continue.

 

Or as Goldie says, do it next year.. ;)

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

It really is worth considering starting it, given that the nights are getting darker and autumn will be on us soon. I only managed to get about 3 hours working on the car after work before it became too dark to continue.

 

Or as Goldie says, do it next year.. ;)

 

Took the thoughts out of my mind Jim. I have a lucky part that my gf's mom will let me use her double garage. Plus i kind of need to get the valver off my parents drive before they return next week & need the final BBS split finished to do that.

 

Im planning on using the valver during the winter so as to keep the VR off the salty roads so it will definitely be attacked soon but i like your thinking Goldie

 

Plus Im in the middle of selling my apartment / buying a house at present too so its like everything has come at the same time lol

 

I think if i dont attempt it this weekend i will at least get the release fluid on the bolts holding the matrix in & get the battery connected & give her a little run up & down the road. Oh & i will probably try & get the 7 slat grill refurb'd & on it too

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

Out of interest Jim (or anyone with experience of doing this) - is there anything special required to refill the cooling system once the new matrix is all fitted & connected back up?

 

I guess if the system hasnt been drained for X amount of time it might be worth a drain & flush & then just refill as normal?

 

or if just top up the system is there a need to run the engine with the expansion tank lid off so as to purge any air in the system?

 

i fitted a new rad in my VR with my uncle but we did a full drain on that

 

thanks muchly

[Jim 2]

Out of interest Jim (or anyone with experience of doing this) - is there anything special required to refill the cooling system once the new matrix is all fitted & connected back up?

 

I guess if the system hasnt been drained for X amount of time it might be worth a drain & flush & then just refill as normal?

 

or if just top up the system is there a need to run the engine with the expansion tank lid off so as to purge any air in the system?

 

i fitted a new rad in my VR with my uncle but we did a full drain on that

 

thanks muchly

 

Glad you asked that as I was wondering myself. I was considering getting a turkey baster and filling the matrix with a coolant / water pre-mix prior to reconnecting the pipes, rather than just potentially letting a huge airlock into the system. I might ring 2cc later and ask his opinion on that.

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

Glad you asked that as I was wondering myself. I was considering getting a turkey baster and filling the matrix with a coolant / water pre-mix prior to reconnecting the pipes, rather than just potentially letting a huge airlock into the system. I might ring 2cc later and ask his opinion on that.

 

Ahhh im glad i asked too then lol

 

id had a similar idea to your baster but think it might end up with a small amount of air in there

 

I dont have my bentley manual with me at work, i wonder if it has any advice in there.

 

I did say to vince that i might call him about tips for the valver matrix. it was his mechanic who spotted it on ebay & sent me the link via vince & we had a good conversation once i had brought it back but then hopefully someone will pop up here with some info in the meantime

[davidwort 0]

drained a matrix lots of times, just fill up the coolant as normal and top up as required after a cool-down, the in and out pipes are at the top of the matrix so air seems to escape from it pretty easily with the engine running.

[Jim 2]

As usual a reassuring answer from davidwort - much appreciated mate :)

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

Excellent. Thank you kindly davidwort!!

 

sometimes i wonder how we would all get on owning rado's without this forum & its helpful members

[Jim 2]

Latest update. Lots more of the interior trim back in though took a lot of work - another 3+ hours on it this evening and still not all back together.

 

Ran into an interesting problem after reassembling my heater controls, with the fan not working. Hm. Checked I'd plugged it in, etc and had connected the electrical connector behind the heater - all OK. Disconnected the fan and dropped it back out of the housing and connected up random set of heater controls I have (not Corrado - not sure what off - but same pin-out) and the fan came to life. I figured I'd damaged my controls somehow but reconnected them and they worked now. Put the fan back, stopped working again.

 

I found depending on what angle I turned it, the fan worked. Just on a hunch I popped out the resistor pack and could see the cabling that connects it to the fan motor had somehow chafed and corroded and must have been shorting or something.. wrapped it up with some electrical tape to cover the exposed little bit of cable and now it seems to be working consistently as it should :)

 

Ideally will have to replace the fan at some point as it seems a bit clapped.

 

Otherwise it's gone back together OK - wiring is horrendous and I'll say now there's no chance it's all gone back in the original places but everything is connected up, etc.

 

Another session tomorrow and it'll be back together. The only thing I haven't done yet which, in hindsight is a bit stupid having put everything back together, is connect up the heater matrix and run it up to temperature, etc. I should probably have done that PRIOR to putting everything back in the car but.. ho hum :) It'll be fine I'm sure.

 

[davidwort 0]

So, the matrix reloaded?

... I'll get my coat...

 

Good on you for sticking with it though Jim, the car's definitely been testing you recently!

[Goldie 2]

Good work Jim.. Sure it will be a satisfying moment when you are all done...

[chubbybrown 0]

Is the fan worth checking its all out or was it ok working on all speeds?

Edited September 6, 2014 by chubbybrown

[Jim 2]

Fan worked OK on all speeds - besides, it's like a 5 minute job to get it out of the car if it decides to go in the future :)

 

Pleased to say it's all back together, heater matrix connected up and working, and all electronics working correctly. Talk about a relief :)

 

Finished off the install with the prototype pair of replica speedo binnacle covers, and also replaced the gasket on the air intake cover above the fan motor as I was convinced that was letting water in - gave that a good vacuum and clean around there prior to installing the new gasket. So she's all ship shape and even surprisingly rattle free even though a lot of the foam wrapped around the cabling behind the dash crumbled, or made a bid for freedom when it was all being taken apart and I've probably routed the cabling in all the wrong places!

 

 

 

Ignore the ABS light poking out of place slightly - for some reason it's always been a bit duff and never sat in the dash properly. I'll replace it one day. Probably :)

 

Extremely pleased. Extremely relieved. I'm off to reward myself with a couple of beers. Cheers!

[Jon_vr6 1]

Beer time good work Jim

[wapadrand 0]

Quality! Know where to come now Jim :-)

[Jim 2]

Happy to give advice on the task but not sure I'll be in any hurry to do another!

[robrado974 1]

Beer on a Monday ..... Living the dream Jim .