changing heater matrix

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:21 am

right lads picking up my new e30 tonight and she is losing water into the passanger footwell which leads me to think its the heater matrix

how much would one of these cost

and is it a big job to do them

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 9:32 am

whart e30 u got body type and engine size/year & type of lump if known

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:10 am

IT really does depend, but some one can post the TBMW article which shows how to solve the problem.

A

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:20 am

well if u want a quick fix ten diss conect the matrix from the bulk head and connect the 2 pipes toghter (usin some sort of copper pipe) creatin a loop and therefore bypassin the leakin matrix (no more loss of water)
enabalin u to still use the car while u figure out how to do it. by the way you will have no hot blowers so fix before winter

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:34 am

core prices depend on age of car, early cars have metal pipes, after about '88 they are all plastic. Check the heter valve too, they can leak.

My hetear matrix leaked once a couple of years ago on the way to Gaydon BMW show, but has never done it again! the car fixed it self...

there used to be a tech article here :-

http://www.totalbmwmag.co.uk/Pages/Tech.html

but the site seems to be blank at the moment....

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:38 am

its a 1991 320se....first off how do i get at the heater matrix

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:40 am

jimmyg_e30 wrote:its a 1991 320 is....first off how do i get at the heater matrix

Left hand drive,

very hard!

A

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:44 am

sorry sorry should ahve read 320se ........god i wish i had a 320is

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:46 am

drop glove box, drop all the black covers and have a look to see whats leaking.

A

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 7:31 pm

Just had to replace mine , believe it or not the Haynes manual details how to replace it quite well, as already stated remove glove box and all the plastic covers behind, not a hard job approx 1+half hours , make sure you mark the position on the brake linkage when you disconnect it as this determines how high your brake pedal sits.Make sure to replace the o rings (cheap) and not worth repeating the job because you didn't. Cheers Keith

Post Thu Jun 30, 2005 10:33 pm

Much more likely to be the electric valve than the matrix itself, especially as its leaking into the passenger footwell.
Also check you have the new type radiator cap, with a yellow discon the bottom.

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:09 pm

Is there any way of checking if it's the valve or Matrix? I'd like to replace both but as far as I can see on the eurocarparts and GSF websites the valve is as much as the matrix so it would be a bit costly.

Post Sat Jul 02, 2005 9:48 pm

Easy to check if it's the valve.
Take of the panel to the right of the glovebox (remove the one above first), and you will be able to see if the valve is leaking.
Plenty of valves in scrapyards.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 10:34 pm

Is this the right valve? or is it the one I've chopped out of the right of the photo that looks the same but one side of it is black plastic?

I couldn't find any water leaking though and I couldn't see anything that I thought was the heater Matrix.

Any suggestions/directions much appreciated

Hope you don't mind me carrying on your Thread jimmyg.

Post Sun Jul 03, 2005 11:35 pm

Thats the heater valve.
I think the one you chopped out of the pic is the one that the seal goes on and leaks.
You have the matrix with plastic pipes which is not as reliable as the metal one

, the matrix lies horizontaly from there across the transmission tunnel.
Have you had the engine at working temp and checked it for steam ?
By the looks of that pic it looks ok.