It went bang!!!

[paddyg 0]

Hello,

ok after all my searching bout matrix's I still am missing some answers. Story so far is this... driving along the motorway I heard a bang from the engine bay and suddenly the cabin filled with steam (bloody dangerous too) anyway pulled in and got home eventually.

 

Im pretty sure its the matrix as I have the driver & passenger footwell wetness and smell of antifreeze in the car and lots of steam if i put the heater control to hot. Anyway my question is this:

 

Whats the realtionship between the coolant level and the heater matrix? does the matrix circulate the coolant (around the engine) to generate heat for the car?

And If so, and it went bang does that mean I could keep pouring coolant (water) into the expansion tank and it'd leak all over the footwells?

So because it went bang does that mean that I cannot do the temporary measure of using the copper pipe to connect the inlet and outlet hoses to the bulkhead to each other?

 

Ok thats my questions for now, really annoying as i was having another problem re fuel pumps but thats another days issue now as I hope to replace the heater matrix now. Have read the Canada How-To page which is great thanks to previous posts, although it is for a late VR6, and Im an early 16v? will this pose me any unmentioned problems? any early valvers do this?

 

ok sorry for all the questions, but major kudos for any answers...

cheers...

[TomB 0]

I haven't done it myself, however IIRC you should be able to bypass the matrix by connecting the two hoses together as you mentioned, although it's not the ideal time of year for it!

I think there were a couple of posts with long responses in the engine bay section a couple of weeks ago, as it would appear to be that time of year when they go pop... I'm pretty sure there's a method whereby you don't have to remove the dashboard as well, but like I say, I'm fortunate enough to not have carried this procedure out.

Good luck,

Tom

 

EDIT: http://www.the-corrado.net/wiki/index.p ... eplacement

[DanVW 0]

Sorry mate its a right pain in the ass!! Know thats not what you wanted to hear but I have not had to do it on my G60 (yet) although I did have to do it on my Golf 16v a few years back I guess its almost the same, best to put a side a whole day to do it and I have heard that its best to put in a MK 4 Golf matrix *Can anyone confirm this is correct!?

 

Best of luck

 

Dan

[saysomestuff 0]

Whats the realtionship between the coolant level and the heater matrix?

matrix broke, level go down.

 

does the matrix circulate the coolant (around the engine) to generate heat for the car?

No, coolant leaves the engine bay through a pipe through the bulkhead, go round the matrix, and then back to the engine bay via the other hose

 

And If so, and it went bang does that mean I could keep pouring coolant (water) into the expansion tank and it'd leak all over the footwells?

Yep

So because it went bang does that mean that I cannot do the temporary measure of using the copper pipe to connect the inlet and outlet hoses to the bulkhead to each other?

 

Nope, the opposite in fact; You can easily undo the two pipes that connect through the bulkhead and connect them together, matrix bypassed, no more wet feet. Then fix it at your leisure. (it is a bu66er of a job)

 

HTH

[markmcie 0]

Yeah Paddy you can connect the two pipes and bypass the matrix. We had a banger mk2 and we had it like this for months but it was f'n cold. Otherwise as you top up the coolant bottle it will just piss out the matrix again as the engine heats up. Id recommend getting the carpet up and dumping the sound proofing as it gets soaked and stinks to high hell. Mike on vagdrivers has found a place that can supply new stuff - look up his thread about the leak in the mk1.

 

Touch wood I have not had to do the job on a C but did it my old mk2 Golf. Not such a bastid as people say but was time consuming and working upside down is a pain.

[paddyg 0]

Thanks very much for the answers folks! much appreciated. Probably bypass it for now and fix it in the coming weeks!

is it difficult to get the hoses off where they are going into the bulkhead? Is there a knack to it or anything?

 

Also anyone have the part numbers for a matrix from GSF?

 

Ill do a search anyway, surely they are already listed in some other thread!

cheers

p

[catch_twotwo 0]

I don't think GSF do the matrix to be honest...

 

I had to do mine a few weeks back and it took 2 people to get the matrix bypassed. In my G60 (german spec) there was an awful lot of things in the way. Good to get a second pair of hands and a U bend copper pipe to stop th tubes from bending and causing flow problems.

[Crasher 3]

Only use a genuine matrix unless you want to do the job twice.

[ZippyVR6 0]

Only use a genuine matrix unless you want to do the job twice.

 

Crasher? Sorry to be a pain but the only person I have ever heard say avoid the GSF matrix is you. I did a whole lot of reading up on it before doing the job and would have remembered if many people have said only get the VW one.

 

are you an undercover agent for the VW stealers?

 

or do you have a horror story?

[Deluk 0]

i got mine off e-bay for 15 quid

[ZippyVR6 0]

2nd hand matrix? now that is dodgy.

[Deluk 0]

it was new newbie :)

[paddyg 0]

Update...

 

I bypassed the matrix using copper pipe, although I did break the input pipe to the bulkhead when removing the hose but I think/hope this will be part of my new matrix that should arrive tomorrow from the vw dealer. (€117)

 

In the meantime I've been sorting out that fueling problem I'd been having, turns out a new lift pump was required! Will prob clean the MAF too though!

 

So its a heater matrix replacement job next week. Still havent decided whether i should go dash out route or leave it in... decisions decisions....

 

Anyway thanks for the help...

[Deluk 0]

yeah the black pipe bit comes with it