G60 heater matrix - urgent help (currently upside down in car!)

[Thursdave 10]

Hi folks. Having real difficulty changing out my heater matrix in my early G60.

 

I've removed the glovebox and lower dash trim, I've removed the one bolt for the blower motor housing in the n/s of the engine bay, but I can't for the life of me. Get the two matrix bolts out in the engine bay, or the large plastic nut which holds the fan up.

 

Nor can I get one of the coolant pipes off of the matrix in the engine bay. Silly spring clip that looks to be bent out of shape slightly.

 

Anybody got any tips? There's **** all room for the two bolts in the engine bay and I've tried everything on the plastic fan nut.

 

Typing this up in my phone with my head under the dash and my feet on the rear head rests!

[16VG60 0]

The through bulkhead fixing bolts are infamous for corroding in place such as you describe. It is possible to unscrew these as they are, but you will need to remove them with help from a mate. If you get your helper to apply gentle pull on the heater box, on a direction away from the bulkhead, while you unscrew the bolts in the bay. This in effect will unscrew the fixings from there location into the heater box itself.

As for the large plastic fixing holding the heater box in at the fan unit end, you going to have to get as good a purchase on this as possible, pliers, grips etc and persuade it to move. This should shift once you get a decent purchase on it. Good luck.

Are you removing the dashboard to do this work? Or are you going for the P4 technique which makes the process even more a nightmare.

[bristolbaron 10]

This job is a million times easier if you remove the dash! Extra work, less cut hands!

[Thursdave 10]

Doing it without removing the dash.

 

Might have to get a long 10mm socket and try it that way.

[16VG60 0]

Totally agree. I have never understood why anyone would try any other way. Especially when you take into consideration that the matrix is remove through the top of the heater box.

[Thursdave 10]

Is there a guide for doing it by taking the whole dash out?

[16VG60 0]

Take the dash out my friend. It might seem a longer job, but it really isn't.

[16VG60 0]

If you carry out a search on here, there must be a how to on dash removal. A lot of what is required is very logical. Some of the screws are concealed behind trim. If you really get stuck I am happy to help 07974 020031

[Thursdave 10]

Managed to undo the spring clamps on the pipes, god bless the correct tool! Makes it easy.

 

Got one of the two matrix nuts undone, but the other is spinning on the bolt. Arse. Will have to con someone into helping tomorrow. Still no luck on the plastic nut on the inside.

[16VG60 0]

It spinning is a good thing as it will in effect now be unscrewing from the plastic heater box on the other side of the bulkhead.

[Thursdave 10]

Hmm, OK. So if I keep undoing the nut it should come out anyway? Handy.

[16VG60 0]

Indeed. Persevere and you will be rewarded :-)

[Thursdave 10]

for future reference, this tool (or one similar) makes taking those spring hose clamps off really, really easy. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flexible-Reach-Flexi-Ratchet-Pliers/dp/B00LN8C89E/ref=sr_1_6?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1408972495&sr=1-6&keywords=spring+clamp+pliers

[seanl82 23]

Pretty sure it shouldn't spin. The captive nut is bonded into the box so spinning means it's not retaining properly. One of mine did this but I manage to pull the box out without doing too much damage. I had to plastic weld it back in place afterward though. The hardest part I found was removing the top two dash nuts, access under the scuttle, specifically the drivers side one as the wiper linkage is in the way. Very fiddly and hard to get to with a ratchet. You may have more luck with a flexible extension, but mine were quite well corroded on so the flexi just kept bending out of shape. Managed it in the end but very frustrating!

[Thursdave 10]

Right, been trying this for the past 4 days now.

 

I've got everything apart form this last nut in the engine bay done. The blower motor and housing is undone and out (currently drying off, too), the hoses are undone, and it's just this one bloody nut.

 

I've tried it with a ratchet spanner on it and holding the bolt in place with mole grips and that doesn't work.

 

I've tried with another person pulling on the heater box inside the car to tension it and trying to undo it in the engine bay and THAT doesn't work either.

 

I'm in two minds to just file the bloody thing off now, but surely there's got to be another way to remove it that i'm missing?

[Jon_vr6 1]

Just give the heaterbox a good pull

[Thursdave 10]

Just give the heaterbox a good pull

 

In order to tension the nut against the bolt, or break the plastic mounting for the bolt on the heaterbox?

[davidwort 0]

I drilled it out in the engine bay iirc, bought a spare distribution unit to replace a broken lever so had spare bits for putting it back in the car, pita which added loads of time to the job, did it with the dash in which was a fiddle but not too bad.

Edited August 28, 2014 by davidwort

[Jon_vr6 1]

The plastic molding will be rounded off anyway so should just pull away from the bolt