*@!%$$$@*.*!!!!! ...... was what I thought of my Xm when I got home from the mechanic last fall. It had stood for 3 weeks at the his garage, waiting for one out of four ABS sensor, as Citroën DK, surprise surprise, once again, did not have the missing spare in stock. My better half had driven the XM the home from the mechanic and he was complaining, that the windows was fogging, when he put the heat on.

I took it for a test drive and not doubt ...... THE HEATING ELEMENT WAS GONE!

Wet carpet in the right food well, the sweat smell of water containing glycol. I went to my local supplier in Citroen parts and bought a new heating element on my way home from work, the next day.

I surfed a little on a Swedish Citroën forum, Akutten and for once, I found myself lucky to own a XM. Opposite an Xantia, I didn't had to take the hole car apart, to get to the heater.
So here is a little guide with pictures.

First all the trim below the dash and the glove box, has to be removed....


It helps to remove the seat, because it gives more work space. For once, the dear French, has been drinking water to the wine. The seats in a XM, is the easiest thing to dismantle, as you can get to all bolts without trouble....


On these pictures I disconnected the pipes and taken out the element..
It is hold in place by two screws and three plastic hooks..




Haynes recommends that you cut something on the side of the house where the element is located and then later on, glue the cut of bit on again. The reason is, that you easily can damage the element, when you have to put the element in place again IT IS NOT NECESSARI!!!
I found that the three small plastic hooks, are the once to make all the trouble. simply cut of the plastic hooks. The two screws are enough to hold the element in place. Here I have cut of two of the three hooks...



Haynes also recommends that the two steel pipes should be dismantled in the engine compartment. There are close to no space and you can push the pipes so much that you can get them on and off and the element in and out. Here is the new element in place. Remember to give the two o-seals a little grease designed for faucets. Connect the pipes and tighten them again....


When you see the size of the hole, it is no wonder that carpets are soaked. It is strange that the element leaks here in one of the curved pipe. I've Seen it on a different element from an XM also. I think the hole is due to whirl Corrosion. The phenomenon is known from the plumbing industry, where I work daily.
The water coming out, is not under pressure !!!




The whole operation took about 4 hours from start to finish.

Hi Shans.

I find it hard to imagine the procedure on a Left Hand Drive Xm is more troublesome than it's
Right Hand Drive counterpart - I've found this task to be quite painless to replace a matrix
with the wheel on the 'wrong side' to the car's home market!!

The only 'big deal' is the disconnection of the steering column and by grovelling about in the
footwell below it the matrix comes out easily enough without removal of any seats. Sure, the
knee panel section that houses the handbrake could be removed to make things easier still
but it's not compulsory nor is chopping up of the heater matrix air box or the removal of the
plastic retaining tabs.

In total with no exaggeration a two hour job on the basis the single screw wants to undo on
the shoulder holding the pipes to the matrix. If that isn't the case, pick any time you like!
The Haynes mention of removing a triangular wedge is to permit the matrix to tilt in the heater
box side aperture to clear the steering column which is better out of the way anyway, (I've even
just propped the column vertical and left all the wiring connections). There is still a rib on the
bulkhead that tries to hinder progress but it isn't that big a deal.

Andrew

Excellent post, shans

Andrew,

Ive done 3 now, never had to take the steering colum out/off...

only the knee panel...

I think we've all found it an easy task on these, unlike those peski units in the Xantia/306 family...


PAUL

Hi Paul.

I've lost count of the damn things I've done!

Mind, if you're that good at doing the matrix without the column being removed or lopping chunks
out of the heater box why not share it with everyone! This isn't a competition you know!!! For the
modest time it takes for me its a decent work around without putting any strain on the new matrix.

Andrew

Hi Andrew!

You are absolutely right. This isn't a competition. My topic was just meant as a more adequate guide than the one i Haynes ( Their books are not as good as they use to be )

I´m not saying, that i have found the holy grail, but this is the way I found best. You don´t have to remove the front seat, but then you are 6,3 feet as I am, it is nice to have more "room" to work on

Of cause having a Left hand drive car, I don´t have to consider the steering column as on at UK car. The reason I cut of the plastic retaining tabs was, that they damaged the old matrix, then I removed it. I saw no reason to damage the new one, especially not then they are not needed. Yes I took me approximately 4 hours incl. a cigarette and cup of coffee. It was my first time and I´m not a mechanic, but I like to do things properly. I´m sure that I could do the job much faster to day.

So this is the way I did it. You have another way. I like to listen and learn, because I might find a better way to fix a problem, than the way I had i mind

I'd say one thing Soren, you've already had the steering column removed out of the way!!
Mind, someone's stuffed a glovebox there instead!!

I'm not picking holes in a good write up, far from it, I'm just amazed the LHD (ie French market)
Xm appears to be more of a fiddle to repair than a relatively limited production run RHD car!!

Actually I'm waiting for Paul's method to be explained!

Andrew

Yes Mike, a good tug will do the job.

Once you've undone the centrally positioned bolt and freed the aluminium bracket shoulder
that the bolt runs through the pipes are simply an interference fit as they're gripped by the
O rings. No other disconnection needs to take place on the pipes as there's enough slack in
them to push clearance back 10-20mm past the port into the plastic end cap of the matrix.

You'll need to put newspaper down to mop the 300ml of water that'll be sploshing about in
the matrix and heater box.

The matrix is specific to the XM AFAIK although some sellers on ebay suggest a Pug 306
which doesn't sound right. The matrix is £35 from GSF which isn't too horrendous.

Andrew

Additionally, the proper kit from GSF comes with a new pair of O rings and a draught excluder
strip that needs to be stuck around the circumference of the matrix core inside the heater box.
When getting an alternative off ebay etc check these are included in the replacement kit!

On the first s2 one I've replaced the other day, the knee pad dash console panel needed to be
loosened off but the diagnostic socket held firmly and wouldn't budge off so I had to work
around it; not ideal I know but I got the desired effect by removing it allowing access to the
column mountings - also with the s2, the column lower shroud needs removal to give any
suggestion of space needed to thread the 4 nuts back on remounting the steering column.

Andrew

Andrew

Many thanks for your information.
Having an extra pair of hands around at the crucial time and as the pipes seemed reluctant to move, I gave them a little careful help with a pry bar behind the hose clips under the bonnet, while one of us pushed inside the cabin. The main impediment to removing the old unit -- once I had pushed the pipes far enough back toward the bulkhead --- were a couple of plugs (out of a total of about six), plugged into a connector block smack in line with the top corner of the matrix as it is withdrawn. Simply unplugged them to make way. Just a tiny bit of persuasion saw it past the steering column, which I left untouched.
Fitting the new one, I moved back / broke the famous clips and offered it in. Halfway and that was it ! Pulled it back out and realised the nice black end piece (opposite to hose end) must presumably be a transit cover (??) Certainly wouldn't go in mine with it on.
No 'O' rings in the GSF unit, but the foam is ready in place. Old O rings seemed fine ---- BIG MISTAKE. Reassemble, put coolant in -- watch coolant run out onto cabin floor. Decide to tighten clamp screw further. BIG MISTAKE -- suddenly, splines disappear from screw head and can neither tighten or remove -- coolant still running out. Considerable use of time served phrases, such as 'goodness, that's a bit unfortunate, oh dear !!!'
After much aggro, have removed b******d screw and am now waiting till tomorrow to play again. Times like this always remind me why I like my Landy -- mend it quickly with a sharp stick and a screwdriver and just unscrew the floor if it gets really wet !!!!!
Incidentally, on mine, a considerable amount of coolant seemed to run down the pipe -- certainly more than the matrix contents.

Mike.

OBVIOUSLY the Peugeot 605 matrix is ALSO identical, the 306/Xantia one is too small, AND the pipes that connect to it have a push / clip connection and NO provision for the screw to pull the metal pipe connection sealer....


Paul

Back out to play this morning.

Dismantle union, dry, apply Hylomar, reassemble. Seemingly now dry. Got 100 mile run this afternoon, so should know for sure by then. Must be a tiny hole in the old one -- can't see anything on a visual inspection.

So, main lesson if you haven't new O rings to hand is not to rely on the originals alone. New matrix is made by some firm I've never heard of, so be interesting to see how well it sticks it.

Mike.

It's a shame the whole clamping collar arrangement needs to rely on a Phillip's head screw
- I keep meaning to source an alternative bolt with a more meaningful head to the fastener
such as a hex or even TORX. I think in extremis, a bit of silicone grease or at least a rubber
friendly lubricant would help the existing O rings but they do get dry and harden becoming
brittle.

The new matrix used to come with the transit protection on and lately I've got them out
of a sealed box without it so I'm a bit wary of whether GSF are actually selling Valeo or
not but IIRC there's a tiny label on the box saying it is...

yep, I once tried fitting the matrix with the black end cap on believing it was a reinforcement
protection for it in situ!! I too wondered why it wouldn't fit for some strange reason!

As a rule (famous last words) if it doesn't leak immediately on reassembly you've got it
sorted - it's not massive pressure, well, not in the same way as the hydraulics!!!

Andrew

Hi Andrew.

Someone must have been listening to you, because mine was a Torx screw (made of cheese, seemingly). Makers name on the box is 'Flusser'. It certainly looked identical in every respect to the original, which was a Valeo. Mind, on some slower moving lines you may get the real thing in an aftermarket box, if the aftermarket people want to maintain an illusion of covering a huge percentage of the market. Used to find a lot of Motaquip stuff was OE in their box.

100 miles with no leak, so hopefully sorted.

Mike.