405 heater matrix

Have a comfy cushion over the door sill to lean on. You'll need it. You have to take out the right and left trim of the footwell as well. Make sure you note where the springs on the glove box hinges go. Clamp the heater hoses in the engine compartment against the bulkhead and you loose only the water in the matrix ... maybe litre and a half. I seem to remember taking out heater fan motor for access... it's basically three screws. The hardest bit is access to the the single cross-head screw holding the clamp holding the metal ends of the pipe from the bulkhead to the heater. You need a short handled driver, or better a cranked one to get started. Once out the matrix should just slide out. And the new one in ... (If it won't go in far enough check there's not a packing cover on the far end of the new matrix). Make sure you buy and replace the o-rings on the feed tubes. Getting that clamp screw done up is even harder. Might be easier replaced with a bolt-headed screw. Good luck!

Dave English wrote:

In message , Wichita writes

Thanks

Talking to Eurocarparts, how can I tell whether I need the Behr or the Valeo?

Looking at it without yet having removed the glove compartment, all that I can read to distinguish is the French word Brevet (meaning patent). But is that strong enough to plump for Valeo. Or perhaps there are not two fittings, just two manufacturers?

...

Not necessarily the matrix. The heater uses O-rings to seal the heater pipes to the heater. These may be leaking. 1995-2002 Range Rovers use exactly the same system (both made by Valeo) and they fail too. See how to fix them on a Rangie and that will help you check whether that's the fault on the 405. See my notes at

I seem to remember I clamped the hoses and took mine out first since the car will run fine without a heater - it was a Valeo. It may be just two suppliers, or it may be the year. I bought my replacement from Peugeot for £50 which wasn't much more than other suppliers and they can look up your car on the computer. Or you could ring and ask them price for part and (in passing) whether it a Valeo.

Very very good point by Becketts. And if it is just the O-rings you save yourself a packet. So well worth trying first. This is a very helpful link (I've bookmarked it straight away) as the fitting looks identical and the same cross-head screw gets a mention! As quoted from link ...

"To install the new parts, he cleaned the crust off the pipes where the coolant had been leaking, and lubed the O-rings with coolant. The philips screw was damaged during removal, so he replaced it with a hex drive machine bolt of the same thread pattern, complete with locking and flat washers. He used the 3M high strength adhesive to temporarily bond the new screw to a hex drive bit. He managed to insert the screw into the hole, and when it was sticking out on the other side by 1/8" he placed a drop of Loctite on the exposed threads. He pushed the O-ring fastening bracket on to the bolt and tightened the bolt down all the way. The leak was gone!!!"

Having now got the part, due to the uncertainty, from my local factor - I can now tell I have the right one. It is a Valeo & has the same word "Brevet" stamped in the same place, right next to where it says "Valeo"

- which on the existing part in situ is just hidden from my view!

Tomorrow AM I will tackle the job.