Motoring Discussion > Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak Miscellaneous
Thread Author: martin aston Replies: 10

 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - martin aston
My son's car (Pug 206) has lost a lot of coolant and I suspect its the heater matrix as the footwell is soaking with coolant. I think the anti-freeze was up to strength but it may not have been and so might have frozen in the extreme cold as he didn't notice it was losing water when he last used it before Christmas and its now very low ( the bottom hose doesn't even feel full). Its booked into local garage later in the week that is about two miles/5 minutes away. I intend to top up with fresh water as we set off and, even if it runs out quite fast, I assume I it will be OK for such a short trip even if its empty by the time we get to the garage? I assume I should set the heater controls to "cool" to partially isolate the matrix and reduce leakage. Any tips welcome but is my basic assumption that a short trip in this cold weather will be OK?
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - jc2
Run a hose from the heater oulet pipe on the engine to the return connection and you could run it forever(coolant topped up,of course)-just no heater.
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - Bellboy
get it recovered
a £35 tow in fee is better than a head gasket, skim ,new belts etc etc et ceterrarrrrrrrrrr
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - -
Disconnect the heater hoses at a convenient point where they pass through the bulkhead, if there are no connections at the bulkhead trace back till you find a joint that will do.

Then simply join the two heater hoses together, a short piece of copper pipe and jubillee clips will do the job admirably.

Edit jc2 explained it so much better.

If you do this anyway, then the heater matrix is out of the equation and you can get the carpets out, washed rinsed and drying and put a fan heater in the car to start the drying process out whilst the car is sat over the holiday.
Last edited by: gordonbennet on Sat 1 Jan 11 at 13:45
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - RattleandSmoke
You cant my mate blew his head gasket last night by driving his 206 with leaking radiator.
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - madf
Add Radweld... and you could drive for years...
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - martin aston
Thanks for advice to date. I will have a look in the daylight and see if I can isolate as suggested.
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - Netsur
An engine can run for longer without oil than it can without water.
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - Bigtee
No oil and it grinds to a halt, no water and it cooks and cracks.

Would not like to test either way but guess it's the oil first.
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - swiss tony
>> An engine can run for longer without oil than it can without water.
>>
I can think of many engines that will run without water with no issues.*
There isn't many engines that will last more than minutes without oil.
















* Anything aircooled for a start...
 Peugeot 206 hatchback - how far can I drive with heater matrix leak - Dave_
My old Nissan Bluebird lost all its water 120 miles away from home one freezing winter's night through a burst radiator. I drove it back somewhere north of 70mph with the temperature gauge hovering around normal. Every time I slowed down the gauge crept up; when I sped up it dropped again.

I parked it up when I got back, and fitted a new radiator and refilled the antifreeze the next day. No ill effects and many many more miles covered afterwards :)
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