If you are happy with the price given, and prepared to have the Matrix changed, and if the dash doesn't need removing then all well and good. I have been looking into this myself, just in case I get a similar problem, and a Matrix seems to be coming in at around £130, factor in the dealer price for coolant, and system flush, and the labour costs, you are probably looking at around £250 for parts, and 4 hours labour at, what, £60 to £100 an hour?, you have to be looking at a bill of at least £500, because in my view, it might be a straightforward thing to change the matrix, but the system then has to be flushed, filled and bled, because, no matter what way you go, if the matrix IS blocked, I would be assuming that there MUST be debris within the rest of the cooling system, and as such, then even if the matrix is changed, it stands to reason that a flush of the entire cooling system would be the way i would go. Factor in the possibility of a blocked matrix not being the fault, and you are at a starting price of £500.

Personally, I would be setting aside an afternoon with a hose and wellies at the house, flushing out the system myself, and seeing if the problem is solved before I spend my hard earned cash on chucking a matrix at it. Then if it's still not fixed, I'm only out the cost of flush and anti freeze.

I see this approach to car repair happening more and more, especially with dealers, The seem to have the attitude of, well it's not MY money, so lets start big and work down.

I hope that if you go the dealer way, It is a blocked matrix and it's fully fixed, with no hidden costs, but I have seen this all too often, that will be £500 sir, but it hasn't fixed the fault. so we recommend throwing more money at it and see what happens.

Of course it could just be me that's a cynical old git.

 

It was £100/hr at one of my local Jag Agents three years ago. Now ... ?

Edit: Just checked the invoice ... four years ago ...

"Unit 1.5 - £150"

so £100/hr and ... that's before VAT !

£120/hr four years ago

 

I too have what I believe to be the common issue of a blocked heated matrix. I have tried flushing a couple of times with a hose, but it hasn’t really made a difference. A new matrix is about £170 but it sounds like a bit of a pain to get to.
i am contemplating building a device that will pump a continuous cycle of flushing chemical round the heater matrix via the pipe connections under the bonnet, which I think would be more effective than just plain cold water from a hosepipe. I’m thinking that with a couple of valves and a filter I could get it to alternate the flow at regular intervals, with the idea that you leave it running overnight which hopefully might have the desired flushing effect.

Of course building this may end up taking more time than actually changing the matrix, and not sure whether it would work anyway, but I’m tempted to try it!

Ben

 

By the time you have 10+ years, and original rubber, it only stands to reason to follow Jaguar's recommendations to perform proper maintenance as specified by the Workshop manual. Nothing is "wasted" by following their procedures. Since the heater core is always the last item for attention, if back flushing the system doesn't restore it's flow, and it isn't leaking, then one would go ahead with removal. You wouldn't add OAT until after the flushing process anyway, and if back flushing didn't restore proper flow, then you would not be adding OAT until you replace the core. It doesn't make sense by default to rip things apart by virtue of the logic of "waste." JMHO.

 

Results would depend on how you went about back flushing. If you flush in the normal direction of flow, it would only stand to reason that you wouldn't dislodge material blocking the flow.

 

I was thinking that it could change flow direction say every few mins, the idea being that it would agitate the debris more than a constant flow in either direction, which would be captured in a filter before circulating the flushing agent around the system again.

 

Gates has a tool which introduces low pressure air into the flow which does a great job when compared to just water flow alone. Jaguar states at least 5 minutes in reverse direction.

 

Good idea but do remember ...

CAUTION: Heater core internal pressure must not exceed 100 kPa (14.5 psi). Failure to follow this instruction may cause damage to the heater core (W/Shop manual)

 

Well you're pretty much spot-on with your price to which must be added 20% VAT another £100 ! However, they have told me they will carry out some more tesst when they have the car in and won't just put a matrix in *****-nilly. Car will stay with them for 3 days, and they need the car from a cold engine, so I assume this is for more tests. Parts referred to for the job are: -

C2C7076 A/Con kit
C2C7071 Heater core

I also get a Jaguar loan car for the period, (no charge), probably an XE or XF.

 

That sounds like a good idea.

Also good point about not exceeding the max pressure in the matrix, I had envisaged an open system with the return feeding back to a header tank to avoid pressurising the matrix, and an open filter so that the crud being removed is visible.

 

Had a look through the workshop manual today, and it is as I said the heater matrix can be removed from the heater leaving it in-situ, but there is obviously some dismantling involved to get to the side of the heater, incl. removal of glove box and fan module, and accessing the heater pipes in the engine compartment as well.

Yesterday I got back from a run to my mother's bungalow and back and hand "tested" the heater outlets at foot level. The passenger side did seem less warm than the driver's. This is the well-known syndrome on these cars of a blocked matrix. The workshop manual describes the operation of the heater and says that it's divided into two halves, one for driver, one for passenger.

What puzzles me is why this car and not my previous X350 !!

 

The prior owner may not have not taken as good of care of the car as you do. Fraser, We all know how you baby her.

 

Well, possibly true. I was the 2nd owner of my last car; this one has had several owners. The coolant may have not been replaced at the specified interval.

 

Whenever I come across a suspected blocked cooling system/heater, I normally run a flush through it first, then drain it, then back flush it, then refill with water, run it up, drain it again, back flush again, refill with water, check, and if all is well, run another flush through it just for the sake of it, then one last back flush, then refill with coolant and run up to temp. I have seen people use gallons and gallons of coolant dong a flush and could never understand it, it's literally just throwing money away. Some catch it and use it again, and I think, So, you just flushed all the crap out and it's in that coolant, and now you are going to chuck it all back in?

Then if it still wont heat up, your last hope is to get upside down under the dash with every size and type of torx and allan key ever made, a torch in your mouth, a bucket load of plasters, lots of coins and a big swear jar.

 

Having rebuilt a Mark 2 and an XJ6 Series 3 when I was a lot younger, I have the knowledge to do various things, but now prefer to hand the job over to the techies. I no longer have garage facilities either. The problem with back flushing is it is not guaranteed to work, so one could spend a load of cash only for there to be no cure, and the car still cold.

I suspect the problem was there last winter, but it was milder than normal so not noticed. I wish I had noticed it as the car was under warranty then !

 

Time is ticking Fraser. As the say on G.O.T. ---- "Winter is coming"
If it makes you feel any better. I just replaced a leaking heater core on my wife's 2001 Range Rover. TOTAL PITA !!!! As it was leaking, the choice was easy. I still can smell antifreeze in my skin!!!

 

Fraser, I Know exactly what you mean, always done my own repairs, no matter what was involved, had my head in a footwell and my feet out a sunroof many a time, But I'm am now of an age where If I did manage to get myself upside down under a dashboard, I would not be getting back out without the help of a mobile crane several fire tenders and the jaws of life. But I am also a tight git when it comes to money, and I refuse to spend money letting someone else do what I know I can do myself, and will happily, well maybe not happily, but will spend hours or days of my own time trying to rectify a fault, whether it will kill me or not. And only after I have broken bones, cut myself to ribbons lost a couple of pints of blood and gallons of sweat, and exhausted every possibility, will I then give in and let someone else have a go. Then moan about the cost. It's a Scottish thing..

 

As Fraser points out, there are separate matrices within the core. One for the drivers side and one for passenger. I presume for the purpose of dual temp controls.
I use an infrared thermometer pointed at the various vent to gauge temp output vs. "feel".

I've yet to read of a successful back flush/ flush on this forum once the core is clogged. I think it's because the water flows freely through the passenger matrix and there's no way to parse it off and back flush the gel out of the driver's side, certainly with limited PSI. I've also yet to see a chemical that dissolves the gel.

Probably stating the obvious, and hoping a tech proves me wrong.

There's not much to clamping off the hoses @ the firewall once the flush and fill is done.

I'm in an XK now and the cabin is so small, aside from the seat heaters, the dual climate zones is just stupid.

So for those who don't care and encounter a similar problem, you may want to investigate installing a good old fashioned single core, assuming you can find one that fits.

 

I know as my mother is Scottish, (from Greenock) ! My spirit is willing but the flesh is now too weak. Anyway, dealer phoned yesterday to say the parts are on 'back order'so job is now delayed. UK winters are sometimes harsh, but in the meantime we have wife's VW Neew Beetle to tootle around in and the heater does work on this car at least !

 

I don’t believe this is correct, there is a single inlet and single outlet, it’s not like the SType system as there is no DCCV. The airflow is divided into two and passes through either side of the matrix.

My understanding is that the issue affects one side as the matrix is quite long and thin with the inlet/outlet on the short side, meaning that the flow at the far end of the matrix is not as good and that’s where any crud and silt ends up accumulating.

Ben