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Originally Posted by lnparry
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Has anyone replaced a heater matrix before as a first timer and is the job as horrendous as it looks or is it just a matter of methodically ploughing on and getting there in the end? Any tips would be appreciated.
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I replaced the heater matrix on my V90 (with air con) during the past summer, as a first timer. I think that car may be the worst of all 700/900 models for changing the heater matrix.
Here is what I'd suggest:
- There are several accounts of how to do it on the internet (one somewhere in this discussion group). You should track these down and read them in detail several times. I would say that, for a first timer, it would be verging on the impossible without these accounts.
- The worst aspect (with the V90) is undoing about 12 screws around the heat exchanger that contains the radiator, three or four of which are almost entirely inaccessible. With perseverance, working by feel, using a flexible drive, they can eventually be undone but it might take a morning or longer to undo one or two of the screws. The screws (from memory) are 5.5mm hex head. It's worth buying several 5.5mm hex sockets as, when a socket drops out of sight behind something, you don't want to have to spend a morning trying to retrieve it. It's doubtful that you will find 5.5mm sockets at the local DIY store and you don't want the work to come to a halt while you wait for sockets to arrive via mail order.
- For replacing these screws, you can super-glue each screw into a socket. You can then put it in place without it dropping out of sight never to be seen again. Once the screw has been screwed home, the super-glue joint can be broken easily.
- Even when these screws have been undone, you will need to separate the parts which are glued together with a black tar-like sealant. I found that an old steak knife was useful for this job. White spirit is good for removing the tar stains which seem to finish up all over the place.
- You will need plenty of clean space to store the parts you remove. That will be almost all of the interior of the car, panelling, seats (front and rear in my case), ducts, radio, centre console,... I used the guest bedroom.
- You will also need plenty of working space on each side of the car, for removing the seats and for working with your head under the dashboard and your legs out of the doors. Don't attempt it in a one-car garage.
- Use a large sheet of cardboard to label each and every screw you remove. This is important. If you don't do it, reassembling the car will be a nightmare.
- The carpets and plastic foam from under the carpet will be saturated with coolant. To wash them out, put them in the bath and tread them all over several times, fresh water each time. To dry the foam (at least for the V90) will be difficult and will take a very long time. I was fortunate - a week of heat wave 30°C hot sunshine got them dry.
- You should count on taking two weeks to do the job if you work at my speed. If you work at it eight hours a day, six days a week, it may take less than two weeks. Don't put yourself under a deadline by requiring that the car should be back on the road by some particular date. The job may seem everlasting but it will eventually be done (unless you abandon it, as I can understand someone being tempted to do).
Good luck, if you decide to do it.