Simon's new Xantia V6 and Leaf blog

[GiveMeABreak]

Understandable where there isn't a dealer Simon. Just mentioned it on a price basis alone.

[white exec]

Citroen/Servicebox Parts usually lists the size of component O-rings.
Polymax (in Bordon, Hants) stock thousands of sizes and types, and dispatch quickly.
Adding 0.2mm to the OE thickness of PSA O-rings is often a smart move, as PSA tend to be skimpy of O-ring dimensions.
As they're so cheap, worth adding a few sizes either side just in case, and upping the qty too (in case a pair is needed for the matrix joints).

[RichardW]

Size not given in this case - I didn't check, just assumed that this would not be available anymore, but it seems to be!

[Mandrake]

Size not given in this case - I didn't check, just assumed that this would not be available anymore, but it seems to be!

I'd already read that this part is not available from Citroen anymore and didn't check as I don't have access to service Citroen anymore.

With an easily replaced part I would be willing to wander off the reservation and fit appropriate size 3rd party seals, but (a) I'd have to get the old ones out to measure them first before ordering, which adds considerable delay with the car in pieces, (b) I can't think of a worse job to have to do a second time if it doesn't quite seal properly!

[Mandrake]

An update on the heater matrix - I've had no time to work on this lately anyway, but one set of seals from endon services arrived fairly quickly and I can confirm that 2x the seal part number actually does only get you two seals even though they come two to a bag.

The other seals from Tomo motorparts are MIA with no correspondence since the order confirmation email on the 8th so I'm chasing them up now.

I went back to Chevronics to look at ordering the matrix today £55.20 for a Valeo matrix but they want £32.54 for shipping from England to Scotland! Eh, no!

I guess I'll have to look elsewhere as I'm not paying near on £90 for this heater matrix including over £30 shipping.

Autodoc list lots of heater matrixes for the Xantia at a much lower cost but some don't stipulate whether they're for left or right hand drive - does anyone know the original OEM part number for the RHD S1 Xantia V6 heater matrix so I can cross check them properly ?

https://www.autodoc.co.uk/car-parts/hea ... -3-0-i-24v

Cross checking to make sure I'm getting the right one seems to be a bit of a minefield as there are so many original OEM numbers listed for these different matrixes!

[xantia_v6]

I would be a little surprised if RHD / LHD matrices differed, as they sit in the centre of the car and the air flow is vertical.

[Mandrake]

Some of the matrixes listed say for left hand drive car and some say for right hand drive cars. Presumably the pipes come in on opposite sides. I don’t intend to find out the hard way anyway.

[mickthemaverick]

If you don't have any luck Simon I'll be happy to pop up to Chevronics and collect it for despatch by Hermes courier from my local drop off point. Did a quick guess the dimensions, I put 60x40x15cm and 4kg weight, quote from Hertford to Glasgow and it was around £9. Just an option!!

[RichardW]

There are different matrixes for LHD and RHD cars - by the looks of it if you laid the matrix down with the ports pointing up, then RHD they would be at 2 o'clock and LHD at 10 o'clock. RHD is 644880 (all models, Mk1 and 2), LHD is 644878 (Valeo) and 6448C8 (Behr).

Also used on MK 1 / 2 Berling, Mk 1 / 2 Xsara and ZX, and Pug 306 and Partner Mk 1 / 2 which might open more avenues!

Under £20: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/292385946042 ... SwjkVeTV-r

[Mandrake]

Thanks Richard! 644880 is what I needed to know.

While I like to support specialists like Chevronics, £55 odd with another £30 on top for shipping is way over the top.

Autodoc also have a number of matrix's around the £15-£30 range and charge about £6 for delivery so I'll have a sift through those as well now I have an OEM reference number to be sure I'm getting the right thing.

Ordering from the EU from companies like Autodoc always carries the risk of getting LHD versions of components because they are not always clearly labled as such! (I've been caught out before, especially with parts that say drivers side or passenger side and you have to second guess if they have switched these around for the UK version of their site... the only way to be sure is to cross reference yourself with the OEM part number)

[Dormouse]

I make a point of asking for right and left when ordering from Europe and agree that LHD parts can be different from RHD. All the more reason to double check. But, price savings are there for the finding.

[DHallworth]

If you need parts, Simon, PSA use Allied Parts in Glasgow now. They’re in Possil and most of the staff that used to work in Parts at Robins and Day now work there.

David.

[Mandrake]

If you need parts, Simon, PSA use Allied Parts in Glasgow now. They’re in Possil and most of the staff that used to work in Parts at Robins and Day now work there.

Thanks David.

I have the parts I need to do the heater matrix (apart from a long thin knife to slice the sealer out from under the scuttle which I can't seem to find) however I've been totally unable to look at the heater matrix on the Xantia yet as I've ill on and off for a couple of months now and I'm only starting to get back on my feet now.

First a couple of really nasty viral infections in a row in December that affected the whole family, knocked me down really hard and were suspiciously Covid-like but returned negative test results, then I managed to injure my neck as I was getting over the 2nd virus (probably from coughing too hard as I've managed to do the same once before..) resulting in daily chronic headaches for a couple of weeks which have finally subsided to intermittent headaches but not fully gone away yet.

So not much car repairs going on lately! I'm two months overdue even just doing a tyre rotation on the Leaf let alone fixing the heater matrix as I just haven't been in a fit state to do anything physical.

We're planning a long trip in April which is going to need the Xantia so I'm hoping to be well enough by next weekend to start working on it.

The carpets are going to have to come out as well due to both the heater matrix leak and a rainwater leak - about the only way I can think of drying them out at this time of year is to hang them in the back porch with the dehumidifier going.

Anyone know if I can pull the dashboard out, get the heater matrix swapped, put the dashboard back in and remove the carpets as a separate job ? I don't really want to have the dashboard fully disassembled and all the carpets out and seats etc at the same time as I might never get it all back together again....

[Hell Razor5543]

If you can get hold of one try a paring knife. They are very sharp, but also very flexible, as they are used to scrape as close to the bone as possible (hence 'paring to the bone').

[Gibbo2286]

For a minute there I thought someone had become suicidal.