Heater matrix or not?

[scottlock40 0]

Hello lads, my windows on my 97 highline keep misting/steaming up, I'm getting hot air from the heater but it's not clearing the windows, after driving for about 20 mins it starts, and it starts to smell of hot water/coolant, I am losing maybe 1-2cm of water per drive, the air con has been removed in the past if that helps narrow things down, the carpets aren't wet at all, oh yeah and my temperature gauge is fine always on a steady halfway. Is it my matrix or could it be something else.

I've only had this one for a couple years and the guy I bought it from said he'd recently had it changed??

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, cheers

[Bealieboy 1,625]

Any sludge in the oil? Sometimes the oil coolers give way.

Check your pollen filter too, is it wet? The scuttle panel at the bottom of the screen might be letting water past and into the pollen filter housing, hence adding steam to the windows, not clearing it.

[HopefulVr6 10]

Sounds like it could be the heater matrix if you are smelling the coolant. If it was a leak in the engine you shouldn't be able to smell it very much as the plenum chamber where it sucks air in is sealed off from the engine bay (even though that seal does get a bit weak in age). It will be leaking somewhere anyway that is for sure. Before tearing the entire dashbaord out probably worth getting it up on ramps and having a very careful look for any signs of leaking coolant.

Edited May 31, 2015 by HopefulVr6

[scottlock40 0]

Thanks for the replies, come Saturday I'll have a proper look, check the oil, pollen filter and get it on my mates ramp and investigate, somehow I'm hoping it's the matrix rather than oil coolers giving way

Cheers

[dom.joy 87]

I'd rather swap an oil cooler than the matrix personally

[oliver cox 71]

the best thing to do is a coolant preasure test and see where the leak is coming from then you will defo know

[steveFC 0]

i would say this is almost certainly heater matrix having just done mine (well,, at a garage). i had the exact same symptoms, steamy windows that would not clear, coolant smell and losing a bit of coolant every week. i too was still getting heat ok, and the running temp stayed normal. My heater matrix was really bad when it came out. i would suggest you do it sooner than later as they can blow, then u get the added bonus of coolant all over the carpets.