heater matrix gone?

[jmuggali]

Hi, turned my fans on full (hot) and what looked like steam came from the vents!
It cleared after a bit but the screen foged up, could this be a signe my heater matrix is on it's way out and are they hard to change? thanks James.

[nobananas]

Had the same thing on my 850 just after I had bought it and it was indeed the heater matrix !...Now the good news..They are the easiest one to replace that I have ever done, and I have done a fair few. You only need to remove the trims under the centre of the dashboard either side of the tunnels (in front of the gear lever) You should see a black plastic box on top of the tunnel area which is removed by undoing four (I think) screws, one on either side and two that point upwards towards the back (I think they are Torx type) There is also a slightly trickier one that holds the pipes in right round the back so you may need a right anged driver for it. Be prepared for fluid loss or do as I did and clamp off the matrix hoses under the bonnet with a couple of brake hose clamps. Once the black box is out the matrix is easy to get to inside. My matrix was about £80 (try Euro-carparts or GSF) but a word of warning, you need two O-rings on the pipes where they join the matrix so I ordered these new from Volvo at a cost of £25!, they are however just normal o-rings so you can get them anywhere and they may even come with the new Matrix. The job takes less time to do then it does to describe !

[jmuggali]

Thanks been putting it off thinking it was going to be a nighmare, next weekends job sorted then thanks.

[woz]

Funnily enough I was going to post an exact same query - it was like it when I got the car, I put it down to dodgy a/c. When a charge up, new MF resistor and free up the drive clutch had been done (Ouch! - wallet!) and it still odes it I applied some thought - it does it when a/c is on or off, and none of teh other controls seem to change it, plus the smell is of coolant. I suppose in most other cars it just goes under the carpets and rots the floors out! - But it scares the crap out of you the first time what appears to be smoke comes out around the dash when you are doing 80 up the fast lane. ;>)

Thanks for teh useful posts - I heard any job under the dash was monstrous in an 850. I will do it this month instead of having to save up for it.

Cheers
W:>)

[jmuggali]

Mine has shown it's self as a large puddle of water in the passenger footwell floor matt now, got worse very quick so the bit's are out awaiting delivery of a new matrix.

[woz]

Tried to get one from GFS - none in stock :>(
Tried Eurocarparts - over £110 :>((

- perhaps you bought the last one?? ;>0

[craig]

this probably wont help you if youve got water on the floor but i had an audi 90 and when i switched the air con off for a minute and then back on it would blow steam in through the vents but its nothing to worry about apparrently just condensation.

[jmuggali]

Tried to get one from GFS - none in stock :>(
Tried Eurocarparts - over £110 :>((


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

got mine from a local company called fast rads, giving mine as a partex think it was £60

[woz]

OK - good idea. Had thought about this - and had success using that route for other obscure applciations before (Alfa 33, triumph 2500 etc)
Willl let you know.

Thanks for all the good info!!
W:>)

[woz]

Tried D&H Radiators in Bristol. (As posted before I have used them in the past with good success.) Today was no different. £65 +VAT, got one on the shelf. Phone call lasted 35 secs.
I think this is the lesson for radiator stuff - go to the local specialists.
Thanks for the help.
W:>)

[Kirbo]

Hot steam, it was horrible. The heater matrix was pretty easy to replace, just a pain! See photos! Any detailed questions throw me a PM.

:brokenhea
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Kirbo2/Volvo85092HeaterMatrix-kirbo.jpg

The backseat's footwell :slap:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y87/Kirbo2/DSC00663.jpg

[jmuggali]

Neraly 2 weeks on and mine still hasn't dried out!! Not as bad a job as I thought.

[Tomcat]

Replaced mine the other day, very easy, couldnt be simpler. Paid £8 for a used matrix from Salvo, just have to wait and see if the wet carpet and slight water leak go away now.

[woz]

oosh - yuk! Must do mine quick!!
Got the matrix for 55+VAT - could be doing with £26 for two O rings so got a mixed box of 300 for £14-95 from Machine mart - I will never be short again. I can smell a business idea coming here ;>)
Will do the job by teh weekend - tahnks for the photos!!
W:>)

[Slumpy Monster]

I think mine may be going. I get the odd waft of hot antifreeze and a slight very slight bit of condensation on the windows. I had put that down to water sat in there from the ac evaporater but it has used a tiny bit of coolant every 2000 miles or so. Nghtmare!

[mexybhouy]

Don't forget if you have an old or blocked cabin filter/pollen, the same symptoms can result! as long as there's no coolant in the cabin/carpet?
it's very common!

[Tomcat]

I think mine may be going. I get the odd waft of hot antifreeze and a slight very slight bit of condensation on the windows. I had put that down to water sat in there from the ac evaporater but it has used a tiny bit of coolant every 2000 miles or so. Nghtmare!

It's not a hard job to do, should only take an hour or so if you know what your doing.

[RollingThunder]

Don't forget if you have an old or blocked cabin filter/pollen, the same symptoms can result! as long as there's no coolant in the cabin/carpet?
it's very common!

Also, another possibility is that the radiator itself has a leak - in my 850R the cabin stinks of antifreeze when I start her up in the morning but quickly clears with no misting, no wet patches on the carpets... My problem is that the radiator seeps overnight and the fumes in the engine bay are drawn into the cabin when I start the car up (the heater/aircon is usually set to 'auto').

BTW A new genuine radiator is just under £100 from FRF.

Glad to hear a matrix change isn't as bad as I'd feared - I'm sure its something that will pop up its ugly head some time in the future...