405 heater matrix

Wish me luck!

First there was a smell of anti-freeze in the mornings ... now there is
fluid in passenger foot well.

So it must be my turn to change a heater matrix. It's obvious from
Google Groups that many people have done this from the side by taking
out the glove compartment, not the whole console. The Haynes Peugeot
405 Diesel describes it without reservation (we know how much to trust
that). Different posters even with the Series 2 seem to have had
different problems (with slightly different solutions), so I will just
have to set out and see what I eventually find.

As I said ...

 

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!

 

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 http://rangerovers.net/repairdetails/heateroring.html

Ron

 

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!!!"

 

In message <>, Dave English

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.