Leaking Heater Matrix - Advice Please

[marshman]

The heater matrix in my Stag is leaking. I noticed it last year but it was a tiny drip then, yesterday when I got home from work I noticed the passenger footwell was very wet - at first thought it was due to the heavy rain all day and a leaking hood somewhere - further investigation revealed that unless mother nature was adding antifreeze to the rain the leak from the heater was now much worse. I intend to bypass the matrix for now while I sort a replacement. I have another MK1 heater of unknown heritage so really want to fully recondition it before swapping it over. Rimmers want £153 + return postage on exchange unit, I suspect I can get a local radiator specialist to recore mine for a lot less, just wondered if anyone else had done this recently and had any tips - expected cost etc.

Thanks

Roger

[Giles]

I would try some K seal first - a lot easier if it works, no great loss if not

[marshman]

Already considered that Giles but prefer to do the job properly, also gives me a chance to check out all the wiring behind the dash and sort out the steering column bushes while its all apart.

Thanks

Roger

[jakesmig]

Already considered that Giles but prefer to do the job properly, also gives me a chance to check out all the wiring behind the dash and sort out the steering column bushes while its all apart.

Thanks

Roger

Next it'll be 'i'll just check this, then that', bingo, full strip down.
john

[ChasR]

Having tried (and failed with K-Seal) on two occasions (First time in a Peugeot 306 which never stopped leaking, second time in a Porsche 944 which did stop from being a small leak but 2 months later thanked me by chucking red hot coolant onto my lap + steam (not what you want on a motorway!)...) I would try and see what a radiator specialist wants for the job of recoring it.

Not sure if it would be trusted something as old as a Stag, but in the case of the 944 I (and others) have used secondhand matrices without an issue (especially when new they are over £250!).

If you want a temporary measure you could buy some universal hose and circumvent the flow of coolant into the matrix whilst you source the bits .

[Stagdad]

This happened to me so i got a spare one off Martin at justriumph for about £35 which came with no garantee of it being water tight .I pumped it up over night at 2Bar and got lucky it didn't leak.It came with the heater unit so i didn't have to swap it over which looks quite involved.

Cheers Steve

[Td5newbie]

Hello Roger- this is one of the jobs I remember well. My stag has been off the road for 10 years but is now being restored.

I have a mk1 and ended up removing the dash and supporting it with cushioned ropes attached to the T-Bar. The unit I had has a drain pipe at the rear which stopped it being "wiggled" out unlike the versions that were referred to in the workshop manual I was using. It had to be lifted up and out.

My matrix hose split in spectacular fashion showering my bare legs in hot antifreeze one day. I bypassed the heater matrix for that entire summer (a five minute job done from engine bay with a rubber hose) and ended up driving like that until the cooler months when I needed some demisting. You can get refurbed units from Robsport for about £50 if I recall. Suggest you bypass it for the moment and get an exchange unit - you'll fit it in a few hours.

Hope that helps.

Andrew

[whitev8stag]

I wouldnt use kseal on anything. it does what it says block up leak... however i am sure it ruined the radiator on my land rover.

if one of the cores was to have a small amount of crap in it... which is pretty likely then kseal could block the rad... doing this in any car isnt a good idea, let a lone in a car with a dodgy cooling system.

[Kevin Garrod]

I wouldnt use kseal on anything. it does what it says block up leak... however i am sure it ruined the radiator on my land rover.

if one of the cores was to have a small amount of crap in it... which is pretty likely then kseal could block the rad... doing this in any car isnt a good idea, let a lone in a car with a dodgy cooling system.

I'm pretty sure it only seals when it escapes to the outside air. Certainly not caused any issues in my Stag.

[milothedog]

I wouldnt use kseal on anything. it does what it says block up leak... however i am sure it ruined the radiator on my land rover.

if one of the cores was to have a small amount of crap in it... which is pretty likely then kseal could block the rad... doing this in any car isnt a good idea, let a lone in a car with a dodgy cooling system.

K seal is not like Barrs leak etc, it stays suspended in the coolant and only forms a seal when it finds a way out through a gap. I have used it on 3 occasions in different cars and would recommend it to anyone for minor leaks.


Ian

[ChasR]

After using it on a daily (and the incident in the Porsche), I would never recommend it to anyone again. Many hoses, an engine (there were signs of the PO using it), and a radiator later.... If you do not cover many miles you are probably OK, but still, no cure like attacking the cause .

[marshman]

I bypassed the heater matrix at the weekend, simply removed the shorter heater hose and routed the longer heater hose from the back of the left hand head and attached it to the heater rail that runs along the right hand head. This means I can run the car and fix the heater properly. I will go for a new matrix and rebuild the heater box when I get time.

With regard to leak sealants I'm not a fan, at best they just prolong the inevitable, at worst they can clog up the rest of the system. K Seal is probably the best of them and doesn't seam to leave any residue or contaminate the system but its not my preferred option in this case.

thanks for all the comments

Roger

[Philip Wardle]

Hi all

When I rebuilt my heater I sent the old matrix (or more accurately one end of it with valve and pipes attached) to DEMISTERMAN, see www.demisterman.co.uk, and he attached these to a new matrix (see pictures). The cost was around £80 inc. postage but this was a while ago so you'll need to check for any recent increase. The completed assembly fits into the heater unit quite nicely.

Cheers
Philip

Image331.jpgImage335.jpg