Colin Posted November 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 Excellent suggestions - thanks both. I can see from the exploded parts view of the heater there is supposed to be a plenum - can't say I've ever seen it in 35 years of ownership! There are wires through that too, are there? Hmmm. Time for some more dismantling says I. Thanks to All once more 🙂 Best, C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 Look down through the slots in front of the windscreen... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 HI The Bulge forward of the Firewall is the "plenum", the heater casing et-al bolts in front of it (item 18 on the Front Body panels diagram). Has a large hole in the bottom front with a rubber flap on it to let water out Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 Ah! Thanks Both. I DO like a photo of dismantled items. Most things become clear accordingly! "To let water out . . ." Because of condensation build up, presumably?? Cheers, Both Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 2 minutes ago, Colin said: "To let water out . . ." Because of condensation build up, presumably?? Cheers, Both No, to let the water out that comes in through the grille on the top... early ones have a pipe and a nice little rubber boot on the end, later ones just got a slot. They do tend to rust through regardless; Chic Doig used to make replacement panels: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteH Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 18 minutes ago, Colin said: I DO like a photo of dismantled items. Most things become clear accordingly! The work comes having to put it all back, especially when you have forgotten what goes where!. Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 2 hours ago, PeteH said: The work comes having to put it all back, especially when you have forgotten what goes where!. Pete Yes and you end up with a left over nut or bolt or screw . . . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 4, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 Begs even more questions:- one would have thought the engine bay would've been capable of supplying air enough for the heater. Is the bonnet grille then a device to introduce a modicum of fresh air rather than the fumes which typically emanate from a 70's engine??! 🤔😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NonMember Posted November 4, 2021 Report Share Posted November 4, 2021 You really don't want to be breathing under-bonnet air! My GT6 is prone to giving its occupants a taste of it and it's most unpleasant. I believe Minis had a long duct hose from the front of the car to the cabin ventilation, to get fresh air with a bit of ram effect. The Triumph solution of putting a grill under the windscreen works because the aerodynamics of an upright screen like the Herald's create a significant high pressure area just where that intake sits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 5, 2021 Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 one reason why there is a good seal to bonnet across the front of the heater plenum to keep engine fumes out Pete 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 Good thoughts! 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted November 5, 2021 Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 6 hours ago, Pete Lewis said: one reason why there is a good seal to bonnet across the front of the heater plenum to keep engine fumes out I've spent ages putting grommets in the bulkhead and sealing up the tunnel but my wife still says I smell of old car exhaust fumes after I've gone for a drive. So.....if the bonnet seal isn't quite sealing can fumes wind there way into the interior via the vents? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Lindsay Posted November 5, 2021 Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 Probably coming in round the gearbox tunnel cover... that's a major culprit in many cars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 Chaps:- my comments were mere conjecture. I have a new bonnet to deck seal and a new and well sealed gearbox cover (Club issue). BUT . . . I have just noticed from actually bothering to read one of my workshop manuals, my previously posted pics of the heater and direction of flow to cabin or Screen vents were completely the opposite of what happens!! Just thought I'd better mention it . . In reality; 1) Control knob in - heat goes to cabin 2) Control knob middled - heat to screen vents and cabin 3) Control knob out - heat to screen vents for demisting. But then you already knew this (as did I actually!!). Great weekend everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted November 5, 2021 Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 I've sealed it as best as I can and put duct tape over the joints. It's much better, putting rubber washers under the rocker cover nuts really stopped a lot of fumes escaping out of the engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 Iain T - YES! I know what you mean! Rubber washers might help (I've often found the cork gasket leaks) but I think the breather cap is a big fume output issue! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iain T Posted November 5, 2021 Report Share Posted November 5, 2021 My rocker cover nut seal was so bad there would be oil pools around the studs! Not anymore. I havent checked the cap, I will now! Iain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wagger Posted November 12, 2021 Report Share Posted November 12, 2021 I know that this is a long thread, but how successful was the soda in making the heater actually produce warm air? Also, how many leaks were caused afterwards? My old 1963 Vitesse never produced enough heat in the Winters of 1972 to 76. The gearbox cover was compressed hardboard with wadding stapled to it. This did not insulate the interior in the Summers either. My Vitesse that I own now has a skinny plastic cover and that is likely to heat the car more than the heater does now especially if I remove the carpet. I cannot remember which car had it, but one of mine had an intake that could be diverted to 'Suck' through the top of the radiator and had a bi metal operated version for the engine air cleaner box. That was clever! I believe that it was my 6volt 1967 BMW 1800. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 Hi Wagger 😊 'Twas me who has been questioning all aspects of the (lack of heat) emanating from the heater in my 1147 1970 Herald saloon. Did I use the crystals? No. I just used a proprietary product. I DID drain everything (block drain too), ALL pipes off; at the rad., and heater. 'Stat housing opened up. Pretty much as full a flush as I could achieve with everything in situ.. I was concerned about using soda crystals as I've not used them ever before. But I know white vinegar boils up a treat and loosens limescale etc.. I back-flushed everything I could with the hose - sure enough, the heater matrix shoved some nasty brown stuff out. Now - for me - using the crystals, the thing would be how much expansion space would need to be left - Pete says refill the rad half full once the crystal solution is in:- I can't see into the rad sufficiently to know where half way is (I know, I could have figured it out at one point during the ondoing pipe/reconnecting pipe processes). He runs the car 2-3 times over the next few days leaving the solution in. What if a half rad-fill is insufficient to cool the car at temperature - I'd be concerned about it overheating. Anyway - I might try it at some future point. My next conundrum IS (because I've left off doing anything), a really hard to operate heater cable. I am yet to disconnect, lube and refit. It sticks halfway in pulling it out (to the dash vent demisting setting I really want). Now, if left in cabin heat setting, the carpet becomes warm - so there IS some heat being generated in the matrix. Having fettled the box to dash vent pipes, with blower on, I got 50 years of dust out of one vent - but not the other! I too only recently changed the cardboard g'box tunnel for a Club plastic one - hugely heat reflective proofed on the exhaust underside and covered in thinnish sound proof adhesive panels cabin side. New carpet. All that seem to leave little air passage to the cabin even if I wanted it to the cabin. So when (in this thread), our friend wuth a soft-top says he's plenty warm enough in Winter, top down I am firmly of the opinion my matrix is NOT doing as it should. It has still to be gunged up! You can tellI have never in 35 years done more dismantling to this system than described above (was a daily car for years - so no time for off the road experimentation). My thing now is, even if I can get the cable working, I may buy an old D-G heater box, dismantle and find a matrix builder to renew its old one. Then swop old for refurbed. As far as I know, I didn't suffer any air locks in the reconnection process. How can you tell? I renewed the top heater hose and couldn't shift it once on sufficiently to minimally disconnect and wait for new anti freeze to show itself such that I knew no air was in the system! I'm such a rank amateur!! Best, C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Lewis Posted November 14, 2021 Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 re the filling just half fill then add the soda and top up to complete the job ie need to leave enough room to add the soda mix then fill to the brim Pete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted November 14, 2021 Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 51 minutes ago, Colin said: I'm such a rank amateur!! Even the most enlightened on the forum started out as 'enlisted' amateurs, at least you have progressed to the 'ranks'. 👍 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 OK Pete - thanks. What is your considered opinion as to whether crystals will potentially shift any heater matrix blockages (crusted old anti-freeze, further sludge deposits) not shifted by the rad flush I initially used? Probably a hypothetical question I guess . . . ? 😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 Hi Chris A. I will admit to having done a single-handed clutch and starter flywheel ring gear change from inside the car; the cylinder head to a Kipping supplied hardened valve seat unit to accommodate unleaded when it changed all those years ago; several lots of prop and half shaft U/J joints; Trunnion changes; front upgraded springs and probably the hardest was a completely assembled half shaft assembly - the worst bit being trying to lever the leaf spring to accommodate the eye bolt plus all other joint alignments whilst doing all this single-handedly! Eventually achieved - but 2 pairs of hands would have been much much easier!! Pretty much everything but any matrix/ heater box work (low priority!!). 😊 Have a great weekend All. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris A Posted November 14, 2021 Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 34 minutes ago, Colin said: Hi Chris A. I will admit to having done a single-handed clutch and starter flywheel ring gear change from inside the car; the cylinder head to a Kipping supplied hardened valve seat unit to accommodate unleaded when it changed all those years ago; several lots of prop and half shaft U/J joints; Trunnion changes; front upgraded springs and probably the hardest was a completely assembled half shaft assembly - the worst bit being trying to lever the leaf spring to accommodate the eye bolt plus all other joint alignments whilst doing all this single-handedly! Eventually achieved - but 2 pairs of hands would have been much much easier!! Pretty much everything but any matrix/ heater box work (low priority!!). 😊 Have a great weekend All. C. Wow! That isn't amateur . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin Posted November 14, 2021 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2021 That's kind of you to say. Always been a 'needs must' scenario! I'm sure plenty of owners are or have been in.that situation! 😉😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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