Removing/replacing the heater matrix

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Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby Storm » Thu Dec 15, 2005 3:31 pm

Replacing your heater matrix

You only need some simple tools for this job but you will need to depressurise the air con system as you remove the air con evaporator. This is best done professionally but I was okay because mines had no gas in it anyway!

Tools you need are:

    Pliers, preferable long nosed ones
    10 & 12mm sockets
    Long extension and flexible joint for socket set
    10 & 12mm ring spanners
    Cross headed screwdriver

Where to start is the first hurdle as it seems like a daunting job but you should manage it in about 3-4 hours.

First remove the centre armrest, undoing the two screws under the ashtray and the two inside the armrest. Put this away somewhere safe. Next remove the centre piece from around the gear stick and put it somewhere safe. This can be tricky so take your time so as not to break it.

You now need to remove the rest of the centre tunnel. This is done by removing three screws from either side and the two outer ones from under the clock binnacle. You will need to disconnect the electrics as you go obviously.

Now you need to remove your glove compartment. This is done by squeezing in the sides so it drops down then removing the two screws you can see. The grey rail it sits on can also be removed by undoing the bolts and screws you can see but there is another 10mm bolt at the bottom outer edge of the dashboard. On mine this allowed me to wiggle the support rail off.

Now you can remove your evaporator through this gap. To release the evaporator there are two 12mm nuts which need undone top and bottom and two electrical connections. The evaporator is still held in place from the outside at this point so you need to look under the bonnet. There are two 10mm bolts holding the hose connections in place as well as a rubber outlet pipe. The 10mm bolts are on a diamond shaped piece just behind the battery and the rubber pipe is about 300mm (a foot) down under the water pipes for the heater. This just pulls off.
Returning to the foot well you can now slide the evaporator out by pulling gently from the bottom and rotating it as you pull. Good, now put that all to one side

To remove the pipes from the heater matrix you need to look under the bonnet at where they enter and they are held on by clips. This is where the long nosed pliers come in handy as the clips are tucked away under brake pipes and space can be limited.

Return to the inside of the car and you can see where the heater matrix sits. You are now one screw and a couple of nuts away from your goal. The matrix sits in a white box held on with four 12mm nuts. The two in the passenger foot well are reasonably easy to get at and should be removed completely. The two on the drivers’ side are a bigger pain to reach, especially the upper one, but these should just be loosened as they do not need to be removed completely. Once this has been done the whole unit can be gently levered out from the passenger side bulkhead. NOT REMOVED but just brought out enough for the matrix pipes no longer to be sitting through the holes in the bulkhead. On the unit, between the two matrix pipes you will find a plastic hinged clip holding the matrix in place. This can be removed by loosening off the screw and lifting it out of its pivot hole. This hinge piece has had a lot of heat over the years so it will be brittle and may well break. If it does it is no big deal. Now you can slide/ wiggle the heater matrix out and replace it with that nice new one.

As they say in all the best books, fitting is the reverse on the above. As I said, it can be time consuming but if you go about it in an organised way then 3-4 hours should be sufficient.
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Postby CJ » Thu Dec 15, 2005 3:52 pm

Good guide Storm, well done :)

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Postby NobbyV4 » Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:42 pm

May I copy this and add it to the grease monkey section on the FTOOC UK site please?

It appears to be easier than removing the whole dash which is what I've been told needs to be dine.
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Postby Kelvin » Wed Oct 11, 2006 8:29 am

:D Spot on instructions followed exactly and job done!

I still managed to break the lever on removal of the Matrix, I thought it needed to move more than it did, and that was after reading your warning.
Guess i was too heavy handed.
If you need a Matrix I get my stuff from Camskill, and have done for the four years I have had the car. Check out the prices!
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Heater matrix removal

Postby Gerry » Thu Mar 27, 2008 10:03 am

Excellent guide, really helpful and very accurate.

Cheers again.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby andyahp » Wed Jan 25, 2012 5:45 pm

I am not the most tab handed at fixing cars but I followed this guide to replace my heater matrix because I was not paying labour costs to fix it. It was super and I managed to change the matrix myself with the aid of this guide. Excellent guide
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby optical illusion » Sun Jan 29, 2012 12:51 am

andyahp wrote:I am not the most tab handed at fixing cars but I followed this guide to replace my heater matrix because I was not paying labour costs to fix it. It was super and I managed to change the matrix myself with the aid of this guide. Excellent guide


Good to hear. Mine's next on this list, I'll let you know how it goes.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby andyahp » Thu Feb 02, 2012 8:07 pm

Hope it goes well, looking back on it, it wasn't too hard a job thanks to the guide
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby WeeScottyBhoy » Sat Feb 11, 2012 10:45 pm

Hi,

I've just purchased a FTO, however the heating doesn't work ... It will blow cold air no problem at all but I've noticed in the engine bay there are two pipes showing however with nothing connecting them ... I've taken a picture however not sure how to post ... any advice would be appreciated thanks!
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby goz_83 » Sun Feb 12, 2012 4:46 pm

set up a photobucket account. get the image tag link and post picture in forum.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby colm_mcm » Sun Feb 12, 2012 6:41 pm

normally there'd be 2 pipes coming through the firewall

Image

Chances are, if the matrix is leaky, the previous owner just joined the 2 pipes together and bypassed the matrix altogether.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby optical illusion » Sun Feb 12, 2012 10:29 pm

Thankfully mine is in now. I dunno if the Version R is different but it wasn't quite the same as described by Storm, there were no clips for example.

And thankfully, it's doable by taking out the glove box but you'd want to be a contortionist!! :D
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby goz_83 » Mon Feb 13, 2012 12:42 am

Get some smarties and send in a child. No need for contortionism.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby WeeScottyBhoy » Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:32 pm

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p73/ ... G_0395.jpg

Hi,
Thanks for responding, I do believe it was leaking before not sure ... I've attached a link of the photo ...

Cheers!
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby WeeScottyBhoy » Mon Feb 13, 2012 7:34 pm

ps. Where would I go from here lol
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby colm_mcm » Mon Feb 13, 2012 8:59 pm

See where the hose clips are on the bendy pipe? Theyre the pipes for the matrix, also one of the plastic things for the matrix is broken so your matrix is definitely shagged.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby goz_83 » Mon Feb 13, 2012 9:10 pm

colm_mcm wrote:See where the hose clips are on the bendy pipe? Theyre the pipes for the matrix, also one of the plastic things for the matrix is broken so your matrix is definitely shagged.


if a pipe could be connected to the broken lower pipe and sealed, that should do the trick, but you may be better off replacing fully.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby WeeScottyBhoy » Mon Feb 13, 2012 11:12 pm

Thanks alot people for the advice :)

I've had a look online and found these ...

http://www.demisterman.co.uk/Mitsubishi ... matrix.php

Could they do the trick? If not, how hard is it going to be to fix? baring in mind I'm not a mechanic of any type but I'm up for the challenge ha!

thanks again
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby goz_83 » Tue Feb 14, 2012 11:56 am

They look like a good find. Although I don't know how difficult it will be to get in at the matrix to fit them. It's supposed to be a nightmare to replace the matrix, but it could be easier to replace the pipes if the whole matrix does not need to be removed in the process.
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby WeeScottyBhoy » Tue Feb 14, 2012 12:53 pm

Guys thanks very much for the info and taking the time to respond! Much appreciated, before this forum I knew nothing but now I feel like a fully pledged mechanic and I shall order these parts this week and attempt this job on the weekend most probably! I'll take a few photos and let you see the mess I create haha

Once again thanks alot and any tips are appreciated .. wish me luck!
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby bluemajor » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:58 pm

id still test matrix before ordering pipes bung bottom pipe and outside waterhose on top pipe then check inside passenger footwell for wet
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby WeeScottyBhoy » Wed Feb 15, 2012 6:30 pm

Good advice thanks, I'll try that first .. :) fingers crossed its's not leaking! Should I have engine running etc when doing it?
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby bluemajor » Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:18 pm

no you are only connecting to the two pipes on matrix ie top[ pipe and broken lower
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby optical illusion » Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:02 pm

goz_83 wrote:Get some smarties and send in a child. No need for contortionism.


Goz, on more than one occasion you've made me LOL in the last few weeks, thanks! :D
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Re: Removing/replacing the heater matrix

Postby goz_83 » Thu Feb 16, 2012 12:46 am

optical illusion wrote:
goz_83 wrote:Get some smarties and send in a child. No need for contortionism.


Goz, on more than one occasion you've made me LOL in the last few weeks, thanks! :D


That wasn't my intention. I hope you didn't splutter into your beer, that would be truly terrible. It's a recession here ;)
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