HOW TO: Heater Matrix Repair

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
Excellent manual, many thanks. I'm stuck at step 5 as the spyder is little different. Should be easy but I'm not able to adres the pillar post as for that unable to remove the inner lining around the windscreen. Anybody any idea?
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,594
It should be fairly obvious, remove the sun visors and interior light if its there, it will reveal yet more screws.

Also look down in the hood latch anchors.
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
Tx for the fast reply. Took some searching. One needs to dissassembly the complete set. Will post pictures later. In hindsight obvious :)
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
It's all slightly different, like reverse panel control does not have screws like the example used. I'm honestly too rough and impatient by nature so really challenged :)
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
To remove the inner lining top windshield:-> remove cover plate on top first by removing screws on inside and hole covers, than screws on inside bottom picture, including sunvisors and interior light. Gently pull of. 60856
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
Personally the all welded aluminium.
Had the same similar situation with my Lotus Elise having to remove the front clamshell to get to the failed radiator. I didn't want to face doing it again due to the crappy crimped plastic end caps failing.
Thing is, sold the car way before in theory an original radiator would fail again, so if fitting an an all alloy, you may be doing it for the benefit of future owners!

EDIT. Didn't realise the link was for a copper and brass. So copper and brass vs aluminium. Not sure!!!
 

TimR

Member
Messages
2,656
Copper/brass will be perfect, if a little heavy ( and twice the price) in comparison...
It sits inside a plastic tray once in situ...I understand it is the joint between the plastic and aluminium that fails on the original. Makes sense to eliminate this weak point to me.
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
Looking at the pictures the core of this matrix still looks to be microchannel and as such I would be very surprised if the core was not made of Aluminium.

That being the case then the end tanks would probably be pressed steel and the pipes copper.

It certainly looks nice in the pictures. Given that a plastic / aluminium version does 12 years plus, I think either the welded aluminium or this one would be worthy replacements.
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
All out. Good to do, discovered small leak on matrix and a leaking airco. Italian design however what a mess for a simple exchange of matrix
60992
 
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niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
The issue is simular to the 166 matrix (same matrix also btw). For that matrix and car it proves that making an earth wire from the metal of the matrix to the ground of the car solves the issue. It was stated that the flow on the alloy develops enough static electricity to enhance issues with the sticking of the two materials of the matrix. Any thoughts on that?

The alfa mecanics I know, will not mount an all alloy as they state it will become to hot on the intake and thereby the housing on intake side will start melting (wonder sincerely if that will happen)
 

TimR

Member
Messages
2,656
I think that was the gist of what @MaserCoupe was alluding to a few posts back...
These days we put our joint of meat on a plastic tray and put it in the oven to roast...! Plastics can be very heat resistant but it doesn’t follow that Maserati used such material. And the reason I repeated the detail as to the cores placement in a plastic “tray”...
People have used all alu rads already I understand. Maybe something to consider is to install some sort of heat shield of your own or modify protection somehow...
I haven’t done the replacement so can’t really say much else. An issue I will need to confront st some point though....
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
I will go for the nessins 70016. Fits perfect, costs 35€. Will make a ground wire though just for experimental sake. I have no problem with taking the car apart in 15 years :)
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
Airco system appeared leaking as tracer fluid was all over the parts clase to the firewall. Emptied the airco system, some contents left. Put 24 hours 10 bar on it. No leak. Puzzles me to be honest. Could be remains of an earlier reparation or am I missing someting? Picture after cleaning.61137
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
Ok all back together. All fine except the meters dont work. All lights connected to msp/sport/ etc do work. Fuses appear ok. Did i misplace the connectors on the back of the display? Or something else. Only the meters
 

niels42spyder

New Member
Messages
23
The devil in the detail. The lowest connector hard to reach had flipped plastic with printed copper. So more carefully put back helped.
 

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mecano

New Member
Messages
4
I was happy with the description to replace the heater matrix. everything was very well described. encountered no weird things during dismantling. My car differed on a few points because it is manual. immediately took the opportunity to tackle the sticky buttons. I sent it to Larry from the American forum. they are perfect.

jan
 

gravissima

New Member
Messages
16
Hi All. My first post! Very useful post, but i'm looking at 3200GT heater matrix but not sure how similar the replacement parts are.

I noticed a slight leak in the centre console recently after changing the coolant. It seems to be from the edge of the matrix core on the RHD drivers side. It's definitely new coolant sadly. Good job for the last bit(?) of Covid-19 lockdown.

What i would love to know; Does anyone out there know the part number for the aluminium replacement Saab 9000 or is the Nissins part (70016?) for the Alfa 166 best? They are slightly different from what i can see (although almost exactly the same size), one has the pipes at an angle whereas the Saab part are 'straight' and the Alfa part seems to have some plastic involved somewhere(?)

Lots of great help in this post as from what i can see the 3200 and 4200 are very similar.
Thanks