312D Sprinter (1996 Mk1, 5cyl) heater matrix

[markspace]

Hi,

i have a 99% certain leaky matrix - losing coolant slowly, heater air smells of antifreeze, system isn't pressurising, no drips under van and coolant loss slows down if the heater is off!

does anyone have any handy hints or dos and don'ts for changing it before i wade in for a miserable kerbside epic?

i'm planning on doing the viscous fan coupling while i'm at it as that's gone sticky and noisy as on every previous 308/310 i've had at about 150k miles.

thanks for any help.

Mark

 

[IAN MAC]

Sorry mate, dont have any real help here, but when the heater in mine stopped working and i looked at the job of pulling it out,,,, i was glad it was the head gasket that was blowing..!!! reckon that was the easier to do.

 

[dava]

It's in the top of the dash, a big job to do, not impossible but not for the faint hearted. I've done a few latest shape one's but cant recall if there any different on your model.

 

[Bill312D]

Sorry this isn't going to help you but what sort of noise does the viscous coupling make? and how often? I onlong motorway journeys i get a noise up over the engine like an extra loud whiring fan sort of noise, it'll appear for 3 or 4 miles then tail off again and then the same will happen say 500 miles later or whatever its pretty random, but makes the van quiet loud whilst its happening.
Recetnly my van has been leaking coolant for ages, and the tmep hasn't been quiet right, tried everything short of the matrix and the head gasket and the head gasket went properly last week with the full on coffee effect in the header tank.