Well this heater matrix job has turned into a bloody nightmare.
Glovebox destroyed completely.
And the little screw securing the pipes to the matrix had to be drilled out.

"Ahem, dad, can I have your GTI6 that you're selling please? Is it ok if I pay you back £2 per week?"

I've even a feeling the old matrix wasn't leaking - one the new rubber O rings I put in the other day has a chunk out of it! So maybe I bodged fitting those and thus thought it must be the matrix.

I think that is a job that I will never do!

I agree, in my somewhat limited experience I have already learned that jobs on the coolant system that require working in small spaces are best left to some other poor sap lol. Saying that I am going to attempt the thermostat at somepoint this week. Hope I have somewhat more luck than you Kris!

I think this is something every 405 owner should do as part of preventative maintenance

Uber nightmare now!

New matrix wont fit in its hole......
But I thought I'd connect the pipes up anyway. It leaks. Tighten it up a bit more. Still leaks. Undo it all. Reconnected it. Tightened it up, still F***ING leaks! Tighten it up a little bit more......SNAP! Bloody bolt snapped!

Reading this makes me very grateful to the kind chap who put a new one in my car before I bought it!

I give up, I'm just crap with cars. So tempted to beg my dad to let me have his 306.

Surely can't be that bad Kris!!



A thermostat is somewhat an easier job, no worries!

Been down Pug, got new seals, new bolt, here we go again...

Nope no success.

It's the bottom pipe that seems impossible to get to sit flush and no amount of wiggling gets it in the right place.

Also the matrix sticks out, the bottom of it is different to the original. Great.

Not good! You got any pics Kris to help explain whats going on?

Sure the new matrix is the right one?

bypass the matrix, put on a bit coat, wolly hat and gloves, and cross the severn with some cash

It is the correct matrix, it's just there's a section of plastic that needed removing, as Welshpug pointed out a bit earlier. They really oughta have instructions saying so though.
Jer, was gonna get some pics but the batteries in my camera need charging so not point really because I've discovered that the big plastic section that the blower bolts to needs to be removed. It basically hinders movement of the lower of the 2 metal pipes that go into the matrix and you can't get it in properly.

I know I've made a right cock-up of this job but I'm always like this the first time I attempt a new job on the car. I remember having to remove the aircon compressor to get my sump off because it was leaking and it took me four attempts before I finally stopped the bugger leaking but after that I was like a pro at it.

So frustrating that these things need doing at this time of the year when there's only a nano second of daylight and it's minus 50 out there.

Still can't get it in so I've chopped the pipes and it was still virtually impossible to do indoors so it was no wonder I couldn't do it in the car.

kris i no its no good if you need now but,have you spoted the new pipes and seals on e bay at a £5??

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...:MEWA:IT&ih=007

Those are phase 2 pipes (according to the ad) Probably different?

p1 and P1 heater boxes are identical, as are the matrixes and pipes.

Ooooooh thanks man! But oh shit, that would mean another week without the car

Shouldn't that be matrices?

Yeah lol.

I've just sent them a message asking if they'd be willing to sell those pipes as "Buy it now".... I doubt they will though.

But you know what I bet nobody even bids on those and it'll turn out that I coulda had them for a fiver.

My car is now at a garage.

Tell you what though when I had those pipes on my lap it was still a right bastid to get them into the matrix with the new seals so god knows how anyone manages it "in car".

Bit of vaseline could do the trick

Yeah I used some grease and even then it was still 100000000x harder than doing anal without any lube

My dad's offered me his 306 but a few things put me off. The cambelt change is due soon, the exhaust system or at least parts of it are on their last legs and it's got bodged wiring looms in the doors. Only thing that tempts me if the fact that it's a newer car and is seen by most to be more stylish, especially being a 3 door car. Still I've always been the non-conformer by steadfastly sticking to 405s and to hell with what anyone else thinks. Also what would I get for my 405? Now with a hole in dash and busted glovebox probably not alot.

Stick with the 405 mate! Heard lots of bad things about 306's

I'd better PM Cybernck and tell him we have another porn spammer

Having owned a 306, I'd definately prefer a 405. But then it was only a TD.

no probs kris might get to see you again next year,if you come to any shows

Eh? What you mean? You being sarcastic?

I HAVE BOTH 306 AND 405, i really like the 306 especially the derv's infact i make most of my living from tuning them and mechanical work on them over on pug306.net (jacmechanicalrepairs)

There really good cars and easyer to work on than a 405 as the engine bay is better designed even though its smaller. Nicer looking car too (in PH3 format) but the 405's not without its charms.

The 405 i would now say is a classic so well worth holding onto as you would not really get much even if you sold it.

Gti6's snap belts alot too

not quite sure how renewing the heater matrix is preventative mantaince, i would saying making sure you have good coolant which is still effective at a good at least 50/50 mix would be more prevenative

i would keep the 405, but 306's are nice, however be warned there a very popular car and i see ALOT, alot are really dogs, people buy them and use them with no regaurd to servicing and general mantainence, i would get a good one if you do and for the little extra for one with FSH. ive seen some real bags of shit, best one was one with a whole new boot pan and rear end welded on off another car (little did the ovner realise!!)

GTI6 cambelts have 72k miles intervals don't they? XU9J4 is 36k miles. Laughable really that Pug though we're gullible enough to believe engine and or belt design had had a 200% improvement. If the GTI6 was once every 36k I reckon they'd not have their cambelt killer reputation. They seem to tap afterwards don't they.

I'm not pleased that I'm having a garage do it because I badly need the money at this time of year. BUT I'm that f***ed off with lying in a freezing cold footwell with bugger all light i'm beyond caring.

Always change a pug belt at 36k, no matter what the book says

and dont forget kriss, your special engine makes more power than a gti6 and its lighter......

Indeed, I can't drive much next few days anyway, got my son staying with me and we're wallowing off down to Devon in a Merc lol

NO,JUST I ONLY EVER GOT TO HAVE A CHAT TO YOU IN PERSON ONES THINK THAT WAS TRAX? ABOUT 3-4 YEAR AGO LOL BE NICE TO CACH UP AGAIN

Oh I see yeah lol, no that was Pugfest 05 and you were washing your car

yea thet do tap if they snap, bad news all round the heads just need new guides or generally just new valves (all of em some dont look bent but they are!)

this makes em quite again BUT....

the can weaken the pistons too well the conrods and ther heave been cases many miles later where conrods have then failed...(lots of miles a good few k)

best to get it changed not really a hard job and WELL worth doing on the gti's.

Was all fixed by Wednesday.
The new bracket they used to hold the pipes to the matrix is a different design, more solid and completely enclosed. No leaks so far, just a few burning smells, hopefully they'll go soon.

ha ha i bet your glad thats sorted

Yeah, very glad! I now need to find a decent glovebox.

i might have a glove box from an mi16 i broke about 5 yrs ago.

Oh right, good one. What sort of condition is that in then?

im not to sure i took the whole dash out and its been sat in an old granda ever since i will try have alook for you, which bit do you need?

Ahh well if you took the whole dash out in theory the glovebox should be ok.

Basically I need the whole thing - the inner bit and the inner bit of the door. If the dash is out of the car it should be easy to get it off without damaging it, although the rivets might still need to be drilled out to separate the inner bit from the rest of the dash. What colour is the dash? It doesn't matter because I can easily get my glovebox outter door on but I was just thinking about other bits I need

heres some pics.





let me know if its any good, opens and closes fine anyway!

pm me if its any good

Clean that car!

ha ha, its sat in an old granada, keeps it safe!!

Thanks for getting the piccies. You do realise I need the inner bit too? Is that damaged at all?

id recomend taking the pasenger seat out as it s not all that difficult and it makes the world of difference being able to lie on your back and fit the matrix pugs