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Hi, back in January I replaced the heater core in my D3. To avoid removing the centre console I modified the panel as the attached photos show. I was lucky that my replacement core had clamp on pipes but I would cut the swaged on pipes and join up with heater hose at a convenient location. Pulling the dash is a pain that I don't want!
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I knew I’d seen this somewhere recently. Did you remove the dash or join the pipes?
It seems the RRS has a different configuration with an intermediate join in the pipes for some reason.
Quote:
Originally Posted by PerthDisco
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The replacement cooler that I used on my D3 had clamps at the cooler and there were also inline clamps a few inches from the cooler. All accessible without dash removal and with my modified centre console the whole job would take less than an hour.
So I had success today. Not fixing the issue yet but proving it is the core.
I got it out and chopped the top and bottom off to shine a torch though the pathways. Of the 106 little paths the water should be flowing through only 8 were clear enough to see a torch through. The rest are blocked with hard crusty deposits. I marked the clear pathways with black marker.
The top cover piece I chopped off is dull with an even brownish coating and the bottom cover piece is a moonscape.
Thanks for the shortcut suggestions but I ended up removing the black plastic sub frame under the steering column to get access. I uncrimped the pipes from the core so the pipes are still in one piece at this stage. Even so, they needed some persuading to move out of the way in order to slide the core out. To remove the subframe meant removing everything except the dash and the glove box. All in all it was a fair bit of work but all done and driving again in a day. To be honest it was less daunting than I had feared.
Heater is bypassed in the engine bay for now till I get a new core.
Good news on the mystery vent that didn't appear to be working. I was worried I'd wrenched something last weekend when I was trying to see if the blend motors were doing their thing. I had simply rolled the vent closed with the open/close wheel [bighmmm]
Well, what a day. I got a matrix and the only one I could get hold of last week was a genuine LR one with the pipes crimped on. So on Saturday I figured I'd just get stuck in and get the dash out. So I did just that. This, that and everything else came out. With the dashboard off and the cast aluminium frame below pulled back I was ready to get the old pipes out and the new matrix and pipes in. But do you think I could get the quick connects off the pipes on the engine side of the fire wall??? Not on your nelly. Access on the D4 2.7 L is so tight. I could get my finger tips on them but could not release either. Believe me, I tried. Blood, sweat, creatively improvised tools. No chance without removing 1/2 the engine. Madness. Clock ticking.
Super bummed and concerned the weekend was going to get away I went back to my original plan from post #1. I carefully opened the crimps on the new matrix and removed the pipes. I cleaned the ends of the pipes trapped in the car and put the new o-rings on and stuffed them into the new matrix. I carefully folded the new matrix port collars over the new pipes, filled the matrix with water and pressure tested for leaks. No leaks.
It all went back together easy enough then fingers crossed starting....Errors galore: "stability control not available" "emergency brake assist not available" "HDC not available system fault" "stability control not available". And the car would not lift above access height. Google time indicated 2 potential causes, low battery and steering calibration needed.
So I put the battery on charge. No joy. Went for a longish drive. No joy. Hard reset (+ and - battery leads touching). No joy. I, tried calibrating the steering sensor and the iSoft thingo could not communicate with the steering sensor. Mmmm. Then the penny dropped - I figured I must have not reconnected the steering sensor. Rejoice that did it! Everything works again.
But I ran out of time to drop the coolant, remove the heater bypass and refill coolant with the new heater matrix connected. I'll get that done after work one day this week.
Thanks for all of the thoughts and comments on this and other AULRO threads I read. I would not have been able to get this done without it. There is no doubt I went about it the hard way and by about 2pm on Saturday with bits all over the place I was feeling that horrid what have I done sense of panic rising. But I learned a lot and got it done in the end (pending reconnecting to the coolant system).
What job next? Knock in the steering, whine in the front diff or slight shudder from the torque converter [bigwhistle]
Final word on this...
On Saturday I had a chance to reconnect the heater to the cooling system and refill with new coolant. Once the car was up to temperature the heater is as hot as hell. I could only stand holding my hand in front of a vent for 7 seconds and full bore in the footwell on thongs was equally unbearable.
Very happy. As good as I had hoped, better than I was expecting.
Thanks again for the tips.
I've been a bit busy lately and have put a few k's on the clock over the Xmas period but it's now time to tame my angry gearbox. Before I do I'm just doing some house keeping and I thought I'd post the list of videos I found that helped me sort my heater. Perhaps this list will help someone some time. Finding and watching all the relevant parts was the most time consuming part of the job....
How to remove the center dashboard:
How to remove the center dashboard on Land Rover Discovery 4 / LR4 - YouTube
Centre console removal (top section around gear selector):
How to remove lower center console gear change on Land Rover Discovery 4 - YouTube
Centre console removal (lower section - shift it back a bit ) 4:24 to 4:26 (rear 2 screws) and 4:52 to 5:50 (front 4 screws and clips)
Landrover discovery 4 Centre Console removal - YouTube
How to remove the screen, radio and heater controls:
How to remove the screen, radio and heater controls Land Rover Discovery 4 LR4 - YouTube
Remove centre dash frame with side footwell kick panels From 19:50:
Landrover discovery 4 Centre Console removal - YouTube
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How to remove the dash end panel (passenger side):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SV_D3wvH0I
Glove Box removal (upper and lower glove boxes):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-16yODa7_Y&t=97s
Glove Box removal (only the lower glove box - not actually necessary):
https://youtu.be/e-2JOgx2YeM'si=C2Inw2XnItiF9xRJ
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Steering Wheel Removal (A)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LZRmvNwcqM&t=3s
Steering Wheel Removal (B) up to about 5:40
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTCG7k8P3Dw
Steering Wheel Removal (C)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRhuCXmfr44&t=375s
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Remove steering column shrouds, stalks instrument cluster and dash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLkrbOAkiN0&t=123s
Dash Removal (screw locations)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaT4m-3_S4Q
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Remove Instrument Cluster (including partial removal of steering shroud under steering column)
https://youtu.be/cYZHROXLXiA'si=r0-p1zLrkULoW4sv
Remove Instrument Cluster (B) 15:35 to 19:25 (no need to remove the whole indicator assembly thing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlnxKchapbQ
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Dash removal (Auto Maxx)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlnxKchapbQ&t=418s
Dash removal (Handley Rebuilds)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLkrbOAkiN0&t=991s
Dash Removal (screw locations)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaT4m-3_S4Q
Thanks. Is the summary to only consider joining the old pipes at the new matrix?
It’s easy to see why flushing the matrix has limited success. Almost needs an inline filter in the engine bay.
A worthy post for inclusion on the D3/4 videos sticky I think?
Quote:
Originally Posted by PerthDisco
A filter would be a very good idea.
And yes, it was a pretty wild day. I was determined to get the whole pipes and matrix assembly out and the new assembly back in because I was worried I'd end up with a leak chopping and joining the pipes or uncrimping and re-crimping as I ended up doing. But I got defeated by the damn quick connectors in the engine bay! I just could not get them off without removing 1/2 the engine to get my hand in there in any useful way. Man, I wish I started there before pulling everything else apart.
I'd say the summary would be - if you're going to try to remove the pipes and matrix as one, start by removing the hoses from the pipes poking through the fire wall first! That might determine how you proceed with the rest of the job!! [thumbsupbig]
