Heater Matrix KZN185

[Orinoco]

1996 KZN185 - heater matrix.

At least that's what I am assuming. One day heading home after a shortish trip in average warm weather, we found the radiator empty and (later) coolant all over the driver's footwell. Checked it out and saw that it's the heater matrix.

So far so good. Can get a pattern part on Rough Trax etc. My question is, how come the rad hasn't lost a single drop since that happened? It's brimfull like it was the day after the above incident.

And... I have a round trip of about 200 miles coming up. Can we chance it without this being repaired?

[shokenore]

Get the coolant system pressure tested and then you can narrow down where the leak is coming from.

The rad may not need topping up as there may well be an air lock, effectively isolating the heater matrix side of the coolant system.



I would not chance any dubious coolant system issues on these vehicles especially for a 200 mile journey, but then that's just my opinion.

[Orinoco]

OK thank you.

Just ran it for 45 mins to "burp" it with the rad cap off, then a hasty race at high revs to push it. Nothing much at all happened; maybe three tiny bubbles and the addition of a teaspoonful (literally) of coolant, most of that through having sploshed it out of place when watching the thing at work.

[Orinoco]

No further recurrence of the water on the driver's footwell. Concluded that as there's no obvious leak or blockage (any longer at least) and that the water on the driver's side floor may have come through a failed repair to the footwell bung, it may not be a heater matrix issue at all.