V70 heater matrix

[850timj]

Hi can anyone confirm if this is a dash out job on a late 1999 V70? Looks like that is my weekend ahead.

Have taken dash top off before, are there more bits to remove? In some ways fortunately no passenger air bag to worry about.

[850timj]

Ah the wonder of search function - found this useful link, which suggests can do it without dash out :-)
https://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showt...=heater+matrix

[lightyears]

its a tight fit, but once you get the glove box out of the way its quite straight forwards. Make sure you either clamp off the hoses under the bonnet or drain to completely as you run the risk of filling the footwell with the whole coolant bottle worth of coolant (from experience).

[Derek UK]

Although he shows the job on LHD drive cars, and that might be easier than on RHD ones, check Robert DIY on YouTube. He does the job frequently and it looks to be a fairly easy job. Put some plastic sheet down to catch the drips.

[DaveNP]

I’ve done it before and I don’t recall having to remove much of the interior other than the carpet and below dash panels in the passenger footwell. Then it just requires the contortions of reaching over the door cill and under the dash at the same time 😁

[T5R92011]

I recall also needing a very small torx bit (T15 I think) for a couple of the screws on the white plastic enclosure for the matrix.

Other than this, the job is pretty straightforward. Fully remove the glovebox. The glovebox lid will remain connected to the dashboard.

As per Robert DIY's advice, it is highly recommended that you get some large bin bags and get the whole floor area around the matrix pipes protected by the bin bags so they will collect any spilled coolant.

[NewbieV70T5]

I've literally just done this and the main radiator as part of my V70R restoration.

Here are some tips:

- Drain coolant from bottom of radiator
- Pinch two heater hoses at bulkhead using brake pipe clamps
- Remove glovebox and lower panel
- Remove drivers lower panel
- Remove centre console side trims for both sides
- Lift carpets up
- Place thick plastic sheets under matrix on passenger side to catch any spills
- Keep lots of rags/old towels to hand
- Undo the three torq fittings for the white heater box (two midway, one right at the bottom where the two pipes go into the matrix)
- Pull the attachment points and catch what coolant comes out
- Remove the small stick up rubber trim piece to aid access
- Wiggle out the matrix being careful to not damage pipes
- Strip out old matrix and clean housing - you'll have to undo the bolts underneath
- Refit new Mahle Behr matrix and foam sealing strip - note the matrix only goes one way due to the bolt pattern underneath so you can get this wrong
- Fit the two new o-rings to the matrix pipes (use some new coolant to lubricate them and ensure they're on correctly
- Reverse what you did above, making sure the pipes go in clean and the torq screw nips up
- Tighten up both mid-way torq screws
- Refit and fill with coolant/bleed


I reckon it took me 2 hours to do all that and I was taking my time cleaning etc.

The actual refit of my car took ages as the heater matrix had been leaking for years so I had to strip the entire interior, cut out all sound deadening, lay in all new 3 layer automotive stuff, buy all new carpets etc and then take my time building it all up. I did it very thorough, and left the interior floors drying in the intense heat for weeks! Even took the time to place some zinc primer/anti-corrosion waxes over the floors.

Good luck, its really not hard. Just be warned that if it's made a right mess, the coolant will have absolutely saturated the thick foam under the carpet and that will all want coming out....

[DaveNP]

Originally Posted by NewbieV70T5

I've literally just done this and the main radiator as part of my V70R restoration.

Here are some tips:

- Drain coolant from bottom of radiator
...
...

Aaagh the traumatic flashback!

The drain plug on the bottom of the radiator is only plastic and it is more of a valve than a normal plug, it does not need to be done up mega tight, once it's done up enough to stop the water any more risks snapping the plug.

[Dippydog]

I never bother disturbing the radiator drain plug,I simply disconnect the bottom hose.

[NewbieV70T5]

Yep, that is another way. I guess for me I had just changed the radiator as well, so the plug is still fresh...

Next time I too will drop the bottom hose off, also because I need to change it!