Heater Matrix Update..

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

so I bought one of the euro car parts matrix's 3 years ago http://forum.205gtidrivers.com/index.php?showtopic=116863&hl=%2Beuro+%2Bcar+%2Bparts+%2Bmatrix&do=findComment&comment=1058588

 

today It spectacularly failed and pissed everywhere... good job I don't have a carpet and I was only around 20 miles from home at this point.

 

so 3 years service.... and I haven't exactly done much mileage. clearly a o/e valeo one is a much better option

[farmer 328 1 Cars]

I bought a Euro car parts one and quickly changed to Genuine Peugeot, the quality difference was very noticeable.

[Anthony 1,003]

I guess that it's luck of the draw to a point.

 

The ECP one on one of my old 205's is still going strong, and that's despite enduring a pressurised cooling system from a blown headgasket for potentially several months which tends to kill marginal heater matrixes.

 

The heat output on it was never quite as good as the original Valeo one though, thanks I suspect to the reduced density of the fins on the core.

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

2 years in on the £13 delivered ECP special here too.

 

No doubt the effeciency is reduced, but I made the choice to take a punt for £13 and would continue to recommend them.

[welshpug 1,737]

Nissens seems to be the way to go then, YB had them on ebay at a ruddy bargainous price recently, they're actually marked valeo on the plastic too, yet to fit mine as I'm still on the original unit 24 years and 162k miles on, but I think DCC has fitted his one.

[S@m 156]

Fitted a new valeo one last year, will see how it gets on.

[jackherer 543]

Have you only run 50:50 coolant mix throughout those three years?

 

Valeo heater matrices sometimes come with a note in the box saying they must be run with a minimum 50% coolant mix or the warranty is void.

 

http://www.valeoservice.com/data/master/webfile/7164731514AD46CDE7E2B7.pdf

[Matt Holley 11]

Mines still fine but the car did spend nearly 2 years off the road.

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

Have you only run 50:50 coolant mix throughout those three years?

 

Valeo heater matrices sometimes come with a note in the box saying they must be run with a minimum 50% coolant mix or the warranty is void.

 

http://www.valeoservice.com/data/master/webfile/7164731514AD46CDE7E2B7.pdf

 

 

of course some of mercedes-benz's finest lol!

 

it was a 15 quid pattern part jobbie aswell... win some lose some!

 

edit 2: and the car has done around 8k miles since install so nothing really

Edited August 9, 2013 by Lan

[jackherer 543]

I realised it was a pattern one, the same causes for premature failure still apply. Did you read the PDF? And did you do all the things listed before fitting the matrix?

 

Mileage is irrelevant, if there are corrosive deposits in the coolant it will rot from the inside out while it stands still.

 

Where is it actually leaking from? And does it look corroded? It would be interesting to take it apart like the one in the Valeo PDF.

[Lan 24 1 Cars]

I realised it was a pattern one, the same causes for premature failure still apply. Did you read the PDF? And did you do all the things listed before fitting the matrix?

 

Mileage is irrelevant, if there are corrosive deposits in the coolant it will rot from the inside out while it stands still.

 

Where is it actually leaking from? And does it look corroded? It would be interesting to take it apart like the one in the Valeo PDF.

 

I had flushed the coolant system at the date of install and again after having it off the road for 12 months (it was drained during those 12 months) but it could well have crap in there now anyway, obviously mileage is irrelevant I only put it down to show I had not done much in those 3 years.

 

I will dissect it when I get the chance to take it out