smoke gets in your eyes exchanging glances

[sparks 0]

hi people

as the title says i get smoke well im guessing steam vapour in the cabin when i use the heater on hot so im guessing its a matrix leaking ???or the on off valve if i switch to cold it doesnt blow steam into the cabin only on hot !! has anyone had this before and can confirm its the heater matrix

plus is it much of a job to do or is it a dash off job ??

 

 

cheers stu ..

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

hi people

as the title says i get smoke well im guessing steam vapour in the cabin when i use the heater on hot so im guessing its a matrix leaking ???or the on off valve if i switch to cold it doesnt blow steam into the cabin only on hot !! has anyone had this before and can confirm its the heater matrix

plus is it much of a job to do or is it a dash off job ??

 

 

 

 

cheers stu ..

 

hi Stu

 

steam in cabin when heater set to hot certainly sounds like a matrix issue :(

 

make sure you buy a Valeo branded replacement - i got mine off ebay & can find the link for you if req'd

 

in terms of 'much of a job' - kinda depends on how you look at it. most people it puts the fear in them, i was not looking forward to talking the one on my valver for certain.

 

however, with the help of a good guide with loads of pictures showing you all screw / fixing locations etc it really wasn't that bad

 

i took my time & removed the dash etc on day 1, then put all back together day 2

 

lots of labels & envelops are a necessity!

 

have a look on my build thread for when i changed the valvers http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?44751-g0ldf1ng3r-s-VR-amp-1-8-16V-headlight-woe-s/page18

 

PS take note of the heater box flap liner part. if i was to do again i would definitely put the time into making sure that was renewed somehow

[Jim 2]

To confirm your heater matrix is leaking, you should pop off the shelf underneath the glove box and have a feel around the underside of heater box itself which is a big black plastic unit dead central at the bottom centre of the dashboard. If you get coolant on your fingers, you know you've got a fun job ahead of you :)

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

To confirm your heater matrix is leaking, you should pop off the shelf underneath the glove box and have a feel around the underside of heater box itself which is a big black plastic unit dead central at the bottom centre of the dashboard. If you get coolant on your fingers, you know you've got a fun job ahead of you :)

 

good advice Jim - only takes a few moments to remove that shelf :)

[sparks 0]

hi Stu

 

steam in cabin when heater set to hot certainly sounds like a matrix issue :(

 

make sure you buy a Valeo branded replacement - i got mine off ebay & can find the link for you if req'd

 

in terms of 'much of a job' - kinda depends on how you look at it. most people it puts the fear in them, i was not looking forward to talking the one on my valver for certain.

 

however, with the help of a good guide with loads of pictures showing you all screw / fixing locations etc it really wasn't that bad

 

i took my time & removed the dash etc on day 1, then put all back together day 2

 

lots of labels & envelops are a necessity!

 

have a look on my build thread for when i changed the valvers http://the-corrado.net/showthread.php?44751-g0ldf1ng3r-s-VR-amp-1-8-16V-headlight-woe-s/page18

 

PS take note of the heater box flap liner part. if i was to do again i would definitely put the time into making sure that was renewed somehow

 

 

dammm looking at the pictures i take its a dash out job due to having to totally remove the heater box to actual get to the heater matrix was kinda hoping not to go that deep as no garage and its all outside

i thinking im waiting to summer then

can i ask the wise on here if i switch the controls to cold am i right in saying this totally switches off the water to the matrix hence not much chance of it leaking into the carpet ????

 

cheers stu ..

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

dammm looking at the pictures i take its a dash out job due to having to totally remove the heater box to actual get to the heater matrix was kinda hoping not to go that deep as no garage and its all outside

i thinking im waiting to summer then

can i ask the wise on here if i switch the controls to cold am i right in saying this totally switches off the water to the matrix hence not much chance of it leaking into the carpet ????

 

cheers stu ..

 

i would say so m8. i know some on here have done it with part of dash still in place but i honestly have no idea

 

1. how the hell they got the heater box into a position it could be worked on!

2. how they didn't mangle the Bowden cables as there is very little slack as it is

3. taking the matrix out of the heater box itself was a wriggle as was putting the new one back in

 

without a garage it would be harder work & i found it much easier to lay everything out as each bit was removed & put all screws etc by the relevant parts.

 

i am unsure if the cold setting actually does anything other than move the large heater box flap to close off the air which feeds around the matrix to be warmed up. i dont believe it actually stops the water flowing round the matrix itself & am unsure how it would do so as the matrix is a simple radiator really with a flow in & a flow out

 

i think the only way of stopping water moving through the matrix would be to put a temporary bypass in place. this however would mean cutting existing feed / return hose & jubilee'ing a copper 90 degree elbow to reattach the 2. again if you check my build thread the valver had a bypass in place when i first brought it back

 

oh & it is hugely worth the few £'s for a hose clip tool as getting the constant tension clips back on at the bulk head end would be made much more difficult without one

 

PS the pictures do make it look much worse than it is lol if you PM me your email address i will send you the matrix removal guide to have a read through

[robrado974 1]

I would do this sooner , rather than wait till summer . When it gets worse , which it will , not only will you have wet carpets , but wet underlay as well. This is not pleasant. It soaks water up like a sponge and will take forever to dry out .

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

I would do this sooner , rather than wait till summer . When it gets worse , which it will , not only will you have wet carpets , but wet underlay as well. This is not pleasant. It soaks water up like a sponge and will take forever to dry out .

 

indeed the underlay does - in fact when the VR had a leak due to an incorrectly fitted foliage scuttle cover i ended up completely removing the underlay from the backing card

 

i have not yet found what to replace it with

 

but a bypass would stop the water flowing through the matrix & thus stop the wet carpets

[robrado974 1]

I used closed cell sound deadening Goldy. Got it from flea bay . Then I got the underlay from Heritage .

[sparks 0]

indeed the underlay does - in fact when the VR had a leak due to an incorrectly fitted foliage scuttle cover i ended up completely removing the underlay from the backing card

 

i have not yet found what to replace it with

 

but a bypass would stop the water flowing through the matrix & thus stop the wet carpets

 

im kinda lucky the car off the road and im using the missus car at the mo so no great rush

 

might be a garage job i have a friend that loves messing around with Vw

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

I used closed cell sound deadening Goldy. Got it from flea bay . Then I got the underlay from Heritage .

 

any chance you could link me up pls rob?

 

i can save the URL for future as i will probably tackle under the carpet when i take the VR seats out for a refurb in the spring

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

im kinda lucky the car off the road and im using the missus car at the mo so no great rush

 

might be a garage job i have a friend that loves messing around with Vw

 

it would be feasible to tackle the job out doors but obviously on a rain free day & wrap up in thermals in this weather. just need to be a bit more organised with keeping relevant parts all together

[robrado974 1]

any chance you could link me up pls rob?

 

i can save the URL for future as i will probably tackle under the carpet when i take the VR seats out for a refurb in the spring

 

I'm not good at links . The item no is 262082824050 .

Rob

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

I'm not good at links . The item no is 262082824050 .

Rob

 

no danger Rob - that number will help :)

 

thank you

[Jim 2]

but a bypass would stop the water flowing through the matrix & thus stop the wet carpets

 

This solution certainly works in summer but the car is pretty much unusable this time of year without a heater - all it takes is some light freezing rain and you're screwed when you can't keep the windscreen heated to clear it :(

 

I was lucky that my matrix blew towards the end of the summer when the weather was mild - so I bypassed it for a while and then tackled it before the weather really turned.

 

If you run into any problems doing the job, be sure to ask on here - plenty of us have had the pleasure of this job now!

[Jon_vr6 1]

You will love doing the matrix.

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

You will love doing the matrix.

 

that's what i like to see, a bit of optimism :D

[g0ldf1ng3r 15]

This solution certainly works in summer but the car is pretty much unusable this time of year without a heater - all it takes is some light freezing rain and you're screwed when you can't keep the windscreen heated to clear it :(

 

100% true Jim

 

also, with the way the rado's seem to mist up on the side windows too a hot air feed is essential in damp / cold weather

 

im still a bit miffed that i got the matrix done in the valver well in time for winter but still cant drive it due to the unaligned & current unalignable lights :(

 

if i can have a weekend off from working on my house this weekend i hope to start to dismantle the donor lights received from stuarttaylor & make a working set with those in the car currently