I recently bought a '97 vanden plas on the cheap. It runs pretty well. A couple of engine compartment leaks I need to figure out when the cold weather breaks. But one annoying issue is I get the smell of coolant when I get in the car. I get heat and I don't detect any leakage but from what I've read the only real fix is to replace the heater core (unless I wanted to bypass it, but I live in a cold winter area) Has anyone had experience getting to theirs? Does the entire dash come out or can you dissassembe it partially? I'm not looking forward to it but I may have to. Thanks

 

rhd is dash out same job as evaporator

lhd is supposedly steering column lowered, pedals out and work your way towards the center

 

I have LHD, Not sure what you mean by pedals out.

 

I just found the thread on removing the dash to get at the AC, I guess I'll get familiar with that since it looks like I need to do all those steps.

 

You can cap off the heater core ( matrix ) at the engine side and see if the smell disappears before digging into dash

The heater core as one sealed item pipes stick through the rear engine firewall to see you fwd

Same with the A / C evaporator pipes on the cars right

Even though you may have the heat turned off there is some flow into the heater core at higher engine RPMs

This was corrected in the later V - 8 version ( X308 ) with check valves in the coolant lines around the heater core ( matrix ) on the engine side

See item # 6 and 7 with check valves insert , this will be for X308 correction

Genuine Water Valve, Pump And Hoses-petrol For Jaguar Xj 1998 - 2003 (from 812317 To F59525) Classic | Jaguar Land Rover Classic Parts

This compared to X300

Genuine Water Pipes-3.2/4.0 Litre (less 6.0 Litre) For Jaguar Xj 1995 - 1997 (from 720125 To 812255) Classic | Jaguar Land Rover Classic Parts

See section 2.4 , this was written for the V - 8 but the same system

703_SG.pdf (jagrepair.com)


You can see your coolant flow path on post # 4 section Y

Repair Manual - Jaguar Forums - Jaguar Enthusiasts Forum

Extra info for you starts on page 51 for your AJ16 engine

jagrepair.com/images/Training Guides/801S - 2000.pdf

 

I guess my question is for a left hand drive car can the heater core be replaced without disturbing the AC. That would make the job much easier I would think. I'm tempted to try and use K-Seal but haven't as of yet. The smell is worse after the car has been sitting, when I drive around I barely notice it. There's also a slight odor in the boot. I was thinking that the leak is very minor but the smell still manages to permeate out.

 

The heater core is sandwiched between the rear engine firewall on the car's cabin interior and the A / C evaporator inside the climate control plenum

There are some good pics as someone posted their project

Researching

 

What was your link as may be the same one I'm looking for ?

 

I was looking at this thread: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...-guide-146900/
It's amazing, except it's not clear if the heater core is in the AC box with the evaporator.

 

I think there was another pictorial from Brendan

It sits in this position with the big opening at the top , mates with the other plenum upper half

Genuine Air Conditioning And Heater Unit For Jaguar Xj 1995 - 1997 (from 720125 To 812255) Classic | Jaguar Land Rover Classic Parts

And

Genuine Evaporator/heater Matrix For Jaguar Xj 1995 - 1997 (from 720125 To 812255) Classic | Jaguar Land Rover Classic Parts

It would be great if you can slide it out the side of the plenum

I think your heater core fittings are on the plenum / car left side so you have to at least go there

I was wrong of the heater core being closest to the engine firewall.

 

Excellent, thanks for this info.

 

It is, it's rearward of the AC evaporator. You don't need to disturb the AC to change the heater core. I don't believe you need to remove the dash to remove the heater core.

 

G'day PBoudr,

I replaced the heater core in my car not long after I bought it as there was very little flow through the core even though I tried various descaling fluids try to clear it out

Bear in mind though that my car is RHD and all I had to remove to access the heater core was the glove box, the rest of the dash stayed put.

In your car you might be able to get away with undoing the upper steering column bolts and laying it down.

I have attached some pix I took when I did the work on my car, it may give you some idea of what is involved

Cheers,
Jeff.

P.S. After I had replaced my core with a new one I filled the old one with kettle descaling fluid and boiled it using a heat gun on the end tank and after several repeated treatments the flow through it as about 90% of the new one with no apparent damage from the fluid. I had nothing to lose trying this as there was a new core already in my car.

P.P.S. Best to get any coolant leak into the cabin of the car fixed ASAP as ethylene glycol, a component of the coolant, when it is hot and vaporised is nasty stuff. Google it and check out the PDS if you want a scare.



The general area with the glovebox removed. The rectangular box with the shiny fitting on it contains the body processor module (BPM)



The heater core with the pipes disconnected. You can see the buildup of scale in the spigots. With the pipes out of the way the core slides straight of the A/C unit.

 

Any tips on the pipes / hose decouple ?

Slides out to the cars left is a great releif

 

G'day Parker,

You can see the hose clamps in the first pic. You can also see in the second pic that the pipes are O ring sealed into the spigots with the little clamps holding it together.

Cheers,
Jeff.

 

Thanks!! That doesn't look too bad. I'll have to give it a go this summer.