Heater issues

1396midget

1396midget

Well-Known Member
Hi all!

My heater doesn't seem to be working quite right, and I can't find a useful piece in the haynes book of lies...

The 'ram air' section works OK and is happlily spitting bits in my eyes, but the heater motor doesn't do much, I can only tell it's on after the engine is off as I can hear the small fan noise. Seems to only have one speed available, an asthmatic breathing setting...

looks like there's a switchy bit somewhere by looking at the wiring diagram, can't find it in the car though. Not that it really matters while it's nice and warm, but I'd like to have it working, but only if I don't have to take LOADS of stuff apart - then it can wait till something else more serious needs doing! Wouldn't mind having demisting options though.

Many thanks in advance for helps!
 
The fan control, on the right of the centre console has 4 settings.

1. At the top, off.

2. First stage down opens up the flap and allows air through, (the ram effect as you have put it)

3. Second stage down turns the fan on on slow, the switch is in the back of there.

4. Is the second stage fan (full speed)

Try checking the connections inside the centre console, especially the braided earth wire

Richard
 
I had this exact problem last year, which turned out to be wiring, but don't expect huge improvements. :( I reconnected the fan motor back up properly and got all 3 speeds working, but the amount of 'blow' at top speed is still not enough to clear a misty w/screen quickly.

The fan 'looks' fast enough when viewed through the little inspection panel (behind the washer bottle in 4cyl cars), so I have come to the conclusion that the rubber 'curtain' seals in the ventilation box itself have started to perish, and air is being forced out of every little gap before it gets through to the vents in the cabin. As of yet, I am not sure if there is any easy way around this, but as I am planning a cyl-head refurb in the next few months, I will attack the heater box while it is more accessible.
 
That's fixed it, just a loose connection on the back of the switch. Lots of 1970s wiring in there....

Seems to blow OK now, about the same as driving along at 30ish.

thanks!
 
well, flushed with success on getting air, but it's all cold :(

Is it possible to bleed the matrix if there's an air lock in it? There's plenty of coolant in it...

thanks :)
 
Glad you got the fan sorted.

If you run the car up to operating temperature and check that both the heater hoses are hot then it shouldn't really need bleeding.

If you do feel the need to bleed it then you need to release the pressure on the radiator (Please be very careful) or better still let it cool down, then release the pressure cap. Undo the clip on the upper radiator hose at the heater end and free it up so that it can be pulled off with the engine running. Start the engine then remove the hose and hold it so the coolant (well most of it) comes out of the heater into the hose. It should be a smooth flow.

It may be that your matrix is blocked, the flaps are not working or the foam on them has deteriorated

Richard
 
redrover said:
I had this exact problem last year, which turned out to be wiring, but don't expect huge improvements. :( I reconnected the fan motor back up properly and got all 3 speeds working, but the amount of 'blow' at top speed is still not enough to clear a misty w/screen quickly.

.
Click to expand...

3 speeds :LOL: asthmatic, ailing and R.I.P. Smiths, Lucas all the great names went into P6 construction :LOL:

Graeme
 
And make sure the heater hoses are fitted correctly, the top one on the engine, goes to the bottom one on the heater.
 
1396midget said:
Cheers chaps, i'll get onto that, as well as the complexicated Haynes heater adjustment procedure...
Click to expand...

It's not too bad really. I did mine last weekend with the help of my trusty assistant. Although 6.3mm (0.248" for the imperialists :wink: ) is a bit of an exact figure for the control levers adjustment. (you'll see when you have a look)

Dave
 
well that wasn't tooooo bad... Dave you're right, 6.3mm is silly.

Upshot of this is something's not working on the distribution bit, the left hand lever - I can move the lever about next to the heater (the lowest one) quite a bit and the lever in the car doesn't move, and vice versa. This one was seized, now I've unseized it but suspect something is slipping somewhere else, perhaps behind the heater.... Bah. I'll leave it 'set' on windscreen for now, I'll fix it if I take the heater box out if the matrix is blocked. But not till the weather gets cold. Too busy driving it everywhere at the moment!
 
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