1993 Celica heater matrix replacement

I am assuming that what you refer to as a heater "matrix" is what is known as a heater core in the U.S. I've never run across a heater core that is easy to replace. You may wish to remove the passenger seat to give yourself some extra working room.

Ray, Paul,

I can confirm its an absolute ARSE of a job and requires removal of most of the dash.

James

LOL! Judging by the pictures I saw of your Celica, I'd feel very safe relying on your assessment!

I've never run across heater and evaporator work that wasn't a huge pain!

Well i have not got the aircon version of the car so i dont have to worry about that bit of it, but thanks for breaking the bad news to me,but i did have a idea that it was going to be a f***er of a job to do.............oh well onwards and upwards and its time to shut up and get the tools out

thanks for the help guys

Paul

PS is there anything obvious i am going to trip over that you would all like to warn me about before i start??

Keep plenty of anylgesics like aspirin, ibuprofin, or acetominophen on hand for the aches and pains from your contortiouns and bandages for the finger cuts.

lol, i think there isnt a part of my baby I've not seen naked now LOL.

Heres a writeup I found on the GT-Four (alltrac) owners club: _____________ The secret is this, if it (heater matrix box) dosn't come out EASILY then you havn't undone enought bolts n nuts. I did the following.

Removed Gear knob. Removed Gaiter covers. removed stereo facia/cupholder/ashtray thingy. removed arm box thingy in middle (screws actually under tape holder) removed centre column. removed door trims that says celica removed panel below steering wheel removed glove box remove middle vent with clock (just pops out) You do not have to remove the climate control panel.

Now you will see 3 white boxes on passenger side to remove two of these you will have to unfortunatly ungas aircon and then undo pipes from engine bay, there are two pipes for heater matrix and two pipes for aircon.

When pipes from engine bay undone i then removed the two metal brakets that the stereo screwed into they also act as supports for dash. Remove ECU also. Now you have to remove the middle white box (air con unit) and the right hand white box (heater matrix). these are held in by about 9 bolts and there is one behind the clock holding in the heater matrix which is a BITCH to get to, its not exactly behind clock but its to the right behind the cable that turns the tempreture up. You also have to detach a small rod that is on a control wheel on the right hand side of the right box by uncliping it. These white boxes WILL come out VERY easily if you have undone all the bolts and nuts, if they DO NOT come out you have not undone all the bolts OR the pipes are having trouble going through the firewall. You do not have to open the white boxes ever so don't undo the little screws that hold them togheter or the clips, leave them on. Remove air con box first then the heater matrix one. You will see when you have heater matrix box that you undo a holding screw on top of the pipes and it slides right out. _________________________

And an image of it part way through:

LOL! No offense, but better YOU than ME tackling that job! I've been there and done that, wearing a suit - it impressed the hell out of customers to see a Japanese guy in a dark suit crawl under the dash board!

Maybe the woman in this picture was trying to get at the heater:

LOL, in a suit - no chance. Its the head-balancing-on-floor with legs over the seat back that would do me in, bound to split the suit. Plus I always end up with 2 extra screws and NO idea where from until 6 weeks later when something rattles itself to destruction.

Hehe, she should rent herself out as Heater Matrix Lady.

Actually, I did take off the suit coat...

I'll share one of the tricks of the trade...

Always put spare screws in your pocket before anyone else notices and blame the problems that arise as a result of the missing screws on the owner's "personal mechanic" or uncle that worked on the car 5 years ago ;-)

Or a yoga instructor.