Steam in passenger side and water coming out under battery

[Wenzil]

Hi All

Got home from a good drive to find quite a lot of water coming out under the car from battery area and whiffs of steam and water leaking in passenger dash area. Is this defo heater matrix or could it just be coolant venting/airlock/overfill, it has just had a new replacement rad although has done 3 good trips since

Its a Mk2 with aircon if that makes any difference. Thoughts and advice appreciated

[Englishman]

Definitely the right area for the heater matrix, but could just be a leaking hose or connection rather than the matrix itself.

[de Sade]

heater matrix,had exactly the same on my Mk2,

[nawarne]

Englishman said:

Definitely the right area for the heater matrix, but could just be a leaking hose or connection rather than the matrix itself.

I'd agree - heater matrix likely culprit.

Coolant in and out of matrix are easily checked connections....in front of inboard 'hump' behind N/S wheel arch.

Think the matrix is now readily available fro TVR parts. I had to get mine re-cored. You can 'by-pass' the matrix with a bit of 1/2" copper central heating pipe connecting IN and OUT pipes.

Nick

[Wenzil]

Thanks guys, pleasantly surprised to find matrix available and very reasonably priced.
Is it difficult to change or should I just give it to the specialists

[nawarne]

Wenzil said:

Thanks guys, pleasantly surprised to find matrix available and very reasonably priced.
Is it difficult to change or should I just give it to the specialists

Not difficult to change.

Trickiest part is detaching/removing said "hump" which contains the matrix from the car. Mine was siliconed in both to the plate on top of the stepper motor 'void' and to the bulkhead piercing. Bit of careful slicing allows a gentle'ish lift and pull off.

You will need to drain coolant below level of heater matrix. Do this via bottom rad' hose. The matrix on mine was held in by a type of expanding foam - I'd make some alloy flat bar brackets to hold the matrix in the 'hump' in hindsight.

With everything re-assembled, the 2nd tricky bit is to re-fill the coolant. Do this with front of car elevated, fill the expansion pot, start engine and when flow starts through rad', vent same from 17mm nut on N/S top of rad'. Squeeze hoses to 'burp' the system, when level in pot steady'ish put cap on .Ensure rad' fans kick in and indicated temp is controlled by rad' fans.Drive - 20+ miles, get home re-check level in pot.

Nick

[Wenzil]

Thanks for that Nick. I know they are awkward to vent, wondering if this is what caused the problem in the first place as I had a rad leak on the way back from Spain and had recently had it changed. Anyway Matrix ordered so should be sorted soon