5 replies to this topic

[joey88]

HI I've recently bought a Paul Smith mini and I was driving her this morning and put the heating on and the vents started chucking out steam to the point it looked like I'd put a smoke machine in my mini. Anyone else had this problem and know how to remedy it? Thanks

[RedRuby]

Should be a relatively easy fix will almost certainly be the heater matrix. Drain your cooling system remove the two pipes that go into the side of the heater and then there should be two small screws holding the matrix in, remove those and then slide the matrix out, if it has gone you will see the evidence. Purchase the correct replacement slide in replace screws, replace both hoses fill up cooling system job done.

[cal844]

Here's an all metal item for sale on eBay, for an mgb iirc

[AVV IT]

As above, this is almost certainly the heater matrix leaking, and is usually as a result of the matrix inside the heater corroding to the point that it starts to leak. This generally doesn't just happen overnight though, by the time you're seeing steam coming out of the vents, it's likely that it's been slowly leaking away for quite some time. So, check the carpet beneath the heater for any damp areas, if found, remove the damp/wet carpet & soundproofing beneath for drying & then inspect the floorpan beneath that for any corrosion. Also consider disconnecting & removing the entire heater unit completely. Not only will this make removal & refitting of the carpet much easier, but you may well find that the heater needs stripping down and refurbing, if the matrix has been leaking away inside it for months.

Also if you're still using the car, then keep a very close eye on the coolant level in the rad until you fix the problem. It's engine coolant that you are likely to be loosing, and you don't want to cause overheating issues as well.

[madaboutcherry]

and make sure you get the correct matrix for your model year. there are 4 different types, I think.

[Steve220]

You're after this one.

http://www.minispare...px|Back to shop

As yours is an MPi variant, I would drain the coolant by removing the bottom hose of the radiator (bottom right as you look at the engine bay from the front of the car). Once drained, get a washing up bowl under the heater and remove the pipes from the side of the heater unit, you'll get a bit of water drain out too. Remove the 2 screws on what looks like a plastic oblong plate on the side of the unit and slide the old matrix out. You can, at this stage, remove your entire heater unit if you want to clean it out. It's relatively straight forward if you want me to talk you through it.

Me personally, I'd replace the thermostat while the coolant is drained. Once complete, fill with the blue/green coolant 40-50% and top the rest up with water