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3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 4:05 pm
by banker
Need to swap mine out, Haynes says remove dashboard but heard it said you can remove by just taking the lower section of the passenger side trim off. Anyone done this?

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 4:25 pm
by SUPERCHARGEDGTA
sorry, no

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 4:35 pm
by SUPERCHARGEDGTA
according to an article on 3rdgenorg, only top pad and under panel need to come off

http://www.thirdgen.org/heatercore

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 8:48 am
by banker
Cheers John, i've been doing some trawling too. Found a couple of vids on You Tube which show installation without the dash fully out so i'll give it a go, sounds like there could be a lot of swearing ;-)

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:03 am
by Rocky
Done hundreds, the dash doesn't need to come out but is easier to fit if it is out. You will need to remove a couple of the top screws under the dash pad and the lower dash nut so you can pull out the passenger side of the dash slightly.

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 10:43 am
by banker
Cheers, sounds like one of those jobs which is a bitch first time but easier second time round with experience. You busy? :oldrolf:

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:01 pm
by Rocky
Seem to always be busy at the moment, long way to come just for a heater matrix though?

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:35 pm
by banker
Hence my other PM :thumb:

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 9:10 am
by bhm1712
have you seen these videos?:




Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 9:38 am
by banker
Cheers Ian, did find these and quite useful.

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 11:16 am
by Caz
banker wrote:Cheers John, i've been doing some trawling too. Found a couple of vids on You Tube which show installation without the dash fully out so i'll give it a go, sounds like there could be a lot of swearing ;-)
Hi James
When you do yours please take loads of photos as I've got to do mine. Lol :thumb: and if I break a nail :naughty:
Let us no how you get on. As heat in my car would be heaven :oldrolf:
Caz xx

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 1:20 pm
by banker
I'll certainly try, just waiting for parts to arrive

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Mon Dec 30, 2013 10:52 pm
by Newcastle knight
I had to do mine a few years ago and it was indeed a royal pain ! make sure you dont snap any of the under dash plastic that houses the matrix though as mine was, it looked like some previous owner had tried to do it and left it so i had to take the whole thing out of the dash to change it, which in turn made changing the matrix easy but i had to dismantle nearly all of the underside of the dash to do it.

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 7:52 pm
by banker
managed to get a day off yesterday and sorted this out. Don't know if i was exceptionally lucky but managed to do this by only taking trim off bottom of passenger side and use a few different sockets and bars to get at the awkward ones. The heater hoses even slipped off easily at the baulkhead so didn't need to cut old ones off and fit new hose, should have bought a lottery ticket. Just a bit fiddly lining up the new matrix with the holes in the baulkhead but wasn't too bad.
Wasn't before time as there was a nice little pool of antifreeze in the footwell so had got worse quite quickly. Nice to have a car that isn't misted up every morning with ice on the inside of the screen.
Shame the leak had stained the carpet a bit but sorted that with a dusting of carpet dye :thumb:

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 8:59 pm
by SUPERCHARGEDGTA
good news dude :thumb:

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Sat Jan 25, 2014 9:31 pm
by Caz
If you fancy doing another. Fill free to work on mine lol

Re: 3rd gen heater matrix replacement

Posted: Sun Jan 26, 2014 12:17 am
by banker
Once the cuts heal up i'll let you know ;)