Thinking or replacing heater matrix

I have yet to try flushing or bleeding my heater matrix, so hopefully one of those will sort it.


I find that it takes around a 15 mile journey for the heater to be of any use when the outside temp is down around 4c or lower.

So, I am looking at the worst scenario where I replace the matrix with a new one.

Can anyone supply any links where I can purchase a new or perhaps a refurbished matrix?

My baby is an 06 TD4.

If it works fine after 15 miles, then the problem is elsewhere.

Diesel engines naturally produce less excess heat than petrol, so often take longer to warm up. This is why the Td4 has a fuel burning heater (and later models an electric supplement to the matrix iirc) to increase warmup time. If you dont work the engine hard it will stay cool for quite a while. From my house in the morning it is an 8km downhill run, so the engine is barely producing any power so warmup takes a while without the FBH.

You may also find you have problems with the thermostat - possibly sticking partly open, overcooling the engine.

Temp gauge is rock solid at just below 1/2 this time of year and dead on 1/2 during the warmer months.

I don't have a FBH.

Is the drain screw accessible from above or below the car?

I will try and bleed any air out tomorrow if the weather is not too bad.

I had a new one fitted to my '06 recently. Cost £370 fitted. It is a dash out job.

its not a bad job to do we did one in our commercial in 2hrs 75 pound for a new heater matrix

I tried to bleed any air out yesterday and coolant appeared immediately with no sign of any air or bubbles so I stopped bleeding it fairly quickly.

How long should I bleed it for to be sure it is air lock free?

Next thing for me to try perhaps would be a flush with a hose pipe.
What is the best method of doing that?

Eric the car guy has an excellent video on how to do a heater flush.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcL_0TWeZJY

I would start with that.

I don't have a FBH.

Click to expand...

i think an '06 with no fbh .. should have a ptc heater as standard ..
( a.f.a.i.k. .. could be mistaken )
.. maybe the ptc heater is faulty ?

Where is the ptc heater situated if I have one and how would I test it?

Where is the ptc heater situated if I have one and how would I test it?

Click to expand...

1 .. i were going by this to see IF the '06 should have one ..
( towards bottom of page )
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f69/2004-freelander-1-sales-brochure-specification-197513.html

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the ptc heater filaments are within the cab-heater-blower unit ..
there's a small relay in the cab fuse box ..
( relay '13' from memory .. small one lower left hand side )
and i think there's another relay and 3 fuses in the engine compartment ..
or at least the fuses are in the engine compartment ..
fuses be in a separate box attached to .. and outside .. the larger fuse box / ecu assembly ..

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with the cab heater fan 'on' ..
move the temp control dial just past halfway ( 12 to 1 o clock aprox )
( there's a micro switch on the temp control dial .. )
and you should just hear the in-cab relay click ..
and a few moments later the engine idle rpm go up an extra 100rpm

and a short while later the incoming air should be slightly warmer ..
it doesn't heat the air up a great deal on it's own ..
but in conjunction with the engine coolant it does ..

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in addition :
try a site search .. was one not long back ( last week maybe ) with pics of the various bits ..

here's one showing the engine compartment relay ..
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/td4-unknown-relay-179014.html

( my '06 has that relay in a slightly different spot .. but still attached to the ecu/fuse box thingy )

I have noticed that my lights dim if I turn the dial to just past 1.0 clock (ish), so that probably means it is kicking in. I wonder if the fan on the ptc could be working but not the heating element???

I can't say I have ever detected any heat / warmth within a few minutes or so.

I shall have to experiment when I can.

I have noticed that my lights dim if I turn the dial to just past 1.0 clock (ish), so that probably means it is kicking in. I wonder if the fan on the ptc could be working but not the heating element???

Click to expand...

in that case it must be drawing amperage (elec. power ) .. if the lights dim
the ptc heater has 3 or 4 ? .. elements .. and 3 or 4 large fuses ( engine compartment )

hard to say ..
had your post in mind whilst driving today ..
think it took about 2 miles for me to be able to feel heat coming from the vents ..
( heater temp on about 3/4 .. fan on no.2. .. air circulation "off")
was thinking of it 'cause a few days ago had the engine coolant changed ..
and the cab-heat now seems to come on a bit faster ..
'n on the return journey had the temp dial at halfway ( ptc "off" .. air circ. 'off' .. fan on '1' ..)
and it were comfortable ( i think outside temps here were about 7 or 8 )
had the air-con 'on' as well ..

i think when the coolant temp. starts to register on the dashboard ..
the coolant temp is about 20c
( will have to check that next time i'm out
( i've a 'scangaugeII' hooked up .. but don't normally have it set to show coolant temp )

usually take mines about 10 miles to get the coolant temp gauge to normal running level .. i.e. halfway .. about 82c ..
( i.e. in winter temps. )

Off to work early this morning and outside temp is 5.4c in my garden (I have a weather thingy).

So I will try and feel for signs of warm air soonish after starting my 20 mile journey.

My ptc is definitely working. I could feel warm air after only two miles.

I think I know why I have not been noticing it previously.
I always have the blowers set on foot well and windscreen. If I don't send some air to the windscreen it will mist up.

This morning, I had the air blowing straight into the cab and it was obvious that it was working. I couldn't do that for too long though as the screen would begin to mist up again.

I try not to use the air conditioning too often to save fuel.

I think I will wait until summer and do a flush of the heater matrix to try and get a bit more heat for next winter.

1 - running the air con will keep the screen clear as the air is dried.
2 - it doesnt make that big a difference to MPG, especially not for just a couple of miles in the morning.
3 - its good to run the air con periodically to prevent seals from failing.

Its a 20 mile journey each way to work.

and?

I used the air conditioning this morning and was lovely and warm.