Leaky heater matrix

[TheRecklessEngineer]

I've had my disco in Greece for the summer and she behaved well for the entire 5 months, until she arrived in Calais on the return trip....something about running for 25 hours solid Must be a small coolant leak somewhere - noticed the heater wasn't kicking out heat and on checking found the coolant worryingly low.

Thinking about it, you can occasionally catch a whiff of antifreeze from the heater vents - this makes me think that the heater matrix is leaking...is there any way of easily gaining access to it without pulling the whole dash apart, checking, putting it back together again, ordering a new one, pulling the dash apart again, fitting new one, cursing old one, and finally putting the whole lot back together?

Must confess that on refilling the system I broke that plastic plug in the top of the thermostat...using gaffer tape and string (and instant gasket and cable ties) managed to limp to a dealer in Canterbury who were surprisingly helpful - even had a mechanic come out to the front to check I was alright changing it...

[jameslwt]

not sure how similar disco is to defender, but on my 110 just removed 2 hoses - inlet and outlet, from top of heater box/matrix, and joined them together with copper pipe and jubilee clips, so the water misses out the matrix all together. Then just keep an eye on coolant for a while - if it doesn't go down anymore, then this is likely to be it. Means you have no heating whilst it's bypasses - could get a bit chilly!!

but have no idea how easy it is just to get to hoses?

[TheRecklessEngineer]

It's the ****ing P gasket...

Easier than the heater matrix at least.

[Alan lewis]

I've had my disco in Greece for the summer and she behaved well for the entire 5 months, until she arrived in Calais on the return trip....something about running for 25 hours solid Must be a small coolant leak somewhere - noticed the heater wasn't kicking out heat and on checking found the coolant worryingly low.

Thinking about it, you can occasionally catch a whiff of antifreeze from the heater vents - this makes me think that the heater matrix is leaking...is there any way of easily gaining access to it without pulling the whole dash apart, checking, putting it back together again, ordering a new one, pulling the dash apart again, fitting new one, cursing old one, and finally putting the whole lot back together?

Must confess that on refilling the system I broke that plastic plug in the top of the thermostat...using gaffer tape and string (and instant gasket and cable ties) managed to limp to a dealer in Canterbury who were surprisingly helpful - even had a mechanic come out to the front to check I was alright changing it...

two easy ways to check, is the carpet on the gearbox tunnel wet? or does the car steam up inside with the heater on and windows closed?

if yes then the matrix is gone, the worst thing is that it requires the whole dash to be removed

i had to do it on my series one disco.

hope his helps

Al

[TheRecklessEngineer]

Whilst doing the pre-MOT checks today I noticed a brown stain running down the block behind the alternator from where the P gasket is. So not the matrix after all.

Thanks for the tip though...