Hi guys,
i drive a peugeot 306 1999 which i bought in the summer time, since it's become winter (rain etc) whenever i drive the car longer than 10 minutes steam starts rising from below me and fogs up the whole windscreen (impossible to drive) and is like a sauna inside. I asked a mechanic and he stated that i need a new heater matrix fitted, can anyone help?
i really need to get this fixed because i can only drive short distances :(
thank-you!!
Edited by Pugugly on 07/04/2008 at 00:22
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why do you disbelieve your machanic?
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I don't disbelieve, he said that he won't do it because it takes to long, so now i have to find someone else and i'd just like to know more about the cause of the issue.
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heating and contracting of materials/old age/ are two that come to mind
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My car needs water top up's quite frequently, so i'm assuming (novice) that the water is leaking through the heater matrix into my car, car heats up resulting in the leaked water turning into steam.
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if you are topping up with water because you have a leak then you are running the risk of damage to the engine/radiator through freezing and expansion through lack of antifreeze apart from the damage caused by the corrosive inhibitors now lacking in the inner chambers of your engine.
Needs fixing soonest, its possible you have a good working relationship with your mechanic and he wants to keep it this way, as the bill for the labour is going to be very high?
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I am not familar with the job of changing the 306 heater matrix, but usually it can take several hours to get to the matrix, but only a few minutes to then swop it. You don't mention the age of your 306, but if it is an old one this may be as much as the vehicle.
Get a quote
You then have the choice of using one of the proprietary sealers (lots of threads on this site about the pros and cons) or bypassing the heater (not advisable unless you like ice on the inside of the car)
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Its a 1999 car, so not that old. May have been run without a/freeze, which could lead to corrosion of the matrix. As others have said, the dash will have to be pulled forward - best part of a day's work to do it. I have done them on a few cars - not much fun - BMW 730i was the worst. 306 should be comparatively easy - its not difficult, just a bit fiddly and time consuming.
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darn this is going to make my pocket empty :\ i'll do some finding (mechanics)and i'll let you guys know how it goe's.
thanks to all!
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Sorry mate, I'm the bearer of bad news....replacing the matrix is a nightmare of a job...full dash out job.....if you do it yourself start on a Saturday morning so you have all weekend before you go to back to work on Monday. The only plus side is that the matrix only cost between £30 and £40.
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Do you know of where i can get hold of info on the safest way of getting the dash out and not damaging it?
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Haynes manual? Repair CD on Ebay?
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I just odered haynes manual, am i really going to be able to do this with my dad?
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yes if you can wire a plug,first stop disconnect battery,second stop have a brew and read the procedure.
If i come up against a difficult job like this i go down the local scrappy and look at the same car and get an opinion.
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Lots of info (inc pics) about the job on this thread:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=20998&...f
Have fun!
--
RichardW
Is it illogical? It must be Citroen....
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thanks A LOT for the link RichardW much appreciated, i'm gonna go buy heater matrix asap and will then go ahead and slowly get the job done!
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Hi
I wrote that previous thread (solara).
Make sure you flush out your coolant system thoroughly with coolant flush. I simply drained it the first time I did the matrix, thinking that was good enough. Anyway 18 months down the road, I ended up with another leak in the matrix! Had to do the whole job again. Much quicker 2nd time round!
The matrix had developed a small pin hole due to corrosion inside.
Flush it thoroughly 2 or 3 times with water until it comes out clear. Also use the blue citroen/peugeot coolant. Best flushed whilst the old matrix is still in the car.
Good luck
Solara
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Hey Solara,
i wanted to send you a msg to say how helpful your thread is! thx! I sure will flush it thoroughly over and over again! i'm sorry you had to do the job twice over and i appreciate the knowledge you gained from doing so!
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Thats wishfull thinking for a novice, without the proper tools needed. And then gettig the heater tubes back through the bulkhead grommet. It can take alot longer.!!!
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hi there is a cheap and reliable soloution, its called radiator weld or rad weld its a liquid you pour it into the expansion tank(the place you put water in) top up with water and it works only if its a small crack its worth a try? use 2 small bottles.you get it from any good car shop.
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Hello all,
I recently did this job using a haynes manual and the instructions above from solara et al. I just wanted to say a big thanks for the tips, they really helped me through it. 3 weeks down the line it is all still working, so if anyone else is reading this thinking about doing the job, here's a few thoughts on my experience.
I am a very amateur mechanic, this was the first real job I've done, so have courage, if I can do it you can!
I made copious notes and took photos throughout which really sped up the reverse process. Going backwards through the Haynes manual would have been a nightmare. If anyone wants these notes I could scan and post them as extra help.
I labeled all connectors and made notes on when disconnected and their positions. I would also advise labelling the random unconnected connectors you come across, they caused me a few headaches not knowing if I had missed them along the way.
Top tip was not disconnecting the matrix hoses as described by solara, this worked a treat and saved a load of hassle and time.
Also as described above I did not pull the speedo cable back into the engine bay, there was no need.
You don't need many tools, a set of Allen keys, a good set of Torx drives, a socket set with extenders and that is about it. A portable light source is also pretty useful. And lots of tea....
It's pretty much a solo job, apart from the actual removal of the dash.
My top tip would be to zip tie or tape any cables to the dash where you find them. After putting the dash back in, I had to remove it again as some of the connectors were now in the wrong place and would not mate with their other halves. VERY frustrating.
The bad news - it took me 16 hours in total. But I am an absolute amateur.
Good luck and thanks again to all on here for the help. I found the whole experience quite rewarding and I'm going to have a go at some basic servicing now!
Cheers
De Gorski
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www.pug306.net/ they have a step by step guide how to do it 306 matrix's are very well known for leaking good luck with it
Neil
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"darn this is going to make my pocket empty"
You could bridge the heater pipes in the engine bay for a few pence and go without a heater for the Summer, if the expense is an issue.
Edited by oilrag on 18/04/2008 at 08:16
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I have the same problem with the heating matrix leaking into the Peugeot 306. This is my first car and I don't have the money to get it fixed so will have to try to fix it myself. I have no mechanic experience. what I really need are detailed notes and pictures to get me through the process of getting the whole job done. I will get the haynes manual but will need all the help I can get. thanks.
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