beanbagdaz
3 posts
Joined: 28/03/2005 11:17:56
Location: Sittingbourne United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
heater stuck on
Dose anyone know whether a mini heater works all the time even tho the cable is pushed in, or do I have a problem with my in line heater valve?
I have checked the valve but am not sure which direction is cold.
I would be grateful for any help
thanks
Posted: Aug 06, 2006 10:42 PM
James
161 posts
Joined: 28/06/2006 11:39:53
Location: Downham Market United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Funnily enough, we have just encountered that problem this weekend! Im led to believe that the heater valves are prone to failing, after all, they are only made of plastic.... As you look into the engine bay from the front, then the valve should be over to the right, for heater off.... ours makes no odds which position it is in, its still hot! More bloody expense! :-) James
Posted: Aug 06, 2006 11:30 PM
paul
21 posts
Joined: 04/11/2005 17:08:07
Location: newcastle upon tyne United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Hi my `86 heater valve is mounted on a bracket off the coil, if you take off the pipe on the right hand side of the valve you will see the slider inside so it is easy to work out which is off. If your heater valve is mounted on the block (like most) I dont know!
good luck
Posted: Aug 12, 2006 09:14 PM
r. sweeting
41 posts
Joined: 27/11/2006 11:13:38
Location: leeds United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Mini Heater Wanted
I am after a heater for my 93 mini sprite. I have bought one off ebay already but when it arrived i had made the school boy error of buying one that was different to mine. The one I need has the two pipes for the water on the bottom left hand side as you look at it from the drivers seat and the one I bought is different. If anyone has one on an old mini or is breaking one down let me know. Mine works at the moment but is really noisey, think the bearings have gone in fan motor.
Posted: Feb 20, 2007 04:22 PM
taffy1967
1783 posts
Joined: 27/09/2006 18:58:07
Location: Rhondda-Cynon-Taff United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Why don't you just strip down the new one you bought and swap the blower motor over to you're old casing?
You only have to undo a few screws and you're away!
Posted: Feb 22, 2007 01:47 AM
Do you think i could do this without removing the Heater and draining all the coolent?
Posted: Feb 24, 2007 11:45 AM
Tim
1849 posts
Joined: 18/10/2004 09:40:59
Location: Bournemouth United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Impossible. You'll have to drain it down and remove the whole unit to be able to dismantle it. It's not a big job, just awkward getting at the mounting screws.
Posted: Feb 24, 2007 02:49 PM
Have you tested the spare heater fan motor to make sure it's working correctly? If it's in first class shape and feel confident then here's a rough guide I recently gave someone on a different Mini Forum:-
Removing isn't that difficult but it helps if you follow the Haynes manual as you have to undo 2 screws securing the heater at the front and slacken off a nut securing it on to a mounting bracket at the back, then pull away the 2 plastic tubing pipes from each side of the heater unit & carefully lower the heater. You should cover the carpet to protect it against water/antifreeze and put a bowl under the pipes/heater and don't forget to turn off the heater control tap, but I doubt you'll get much water/anti-freeze leak out (other than whats in the matrix) since it's not under pressure. Then undo the 2 hose-clips and pull off the hoses. Oh and you'll have to undo the large air-intake vent on the rear/side too!
The only other thing you have to do is then disconnect the spade connector from the rear of the heater fan/switch and disconnect the bullet connector which you'll see once the heaters lowered. I generally use a small screwdriver to prise it apart. Okay it's then just a case of undoing all the little posi-screws and lifting one side off, then you'll have access to the internal gubbins and you can remove the motor. Whilst it's apart it might be worth giving the inside a bit of a clean and remove any dead leaves, flies, dust etc! The matrix foam packing may be in a bit of a state though, so if you're able to replace it with fresh foam, now would be the best time.
Then as the Haynes manual says, refitting is the reverse of removing or whatever but I find it's easier to refit the large air-intake vent at the back of the heater before re-mounting the unit because it's a fiddly potch to get it back on when the heater's back in place. So once that's done and your hoses are all back ship shape check your raditor level and top up as necessary after running your engine with the heater tap open so the antifreeze/water mix can circulate around you're heater.
Hope that helps!
Posted: Feb 25, 2007 05:18 PM
heater hose needed
Most minis use standard half-inch heater hose - available from any car spares shop. It shouldn't be 6 inches long though. There are two hoses attached to the heater that go up through the bulkhead - one goes to the takeoff on the radiator bottom hose and the other should go to the tap on the cylinder head. You'll need about 2 metres in total to replace both hoses, and I'd receommend replacing both if they are in the least suspect (which yours obviously are!)
Posted: Mar 19, 2007 02:06 PM
Ben
105 posts
Joined: 28/12/2006 11:44:23
Location: Worcester United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
i am in need of the top hose connector, which pushes on to the heater at one end and connects to the two meter hose's you said at the other, does anyone know which part number this is for a 93 cooper because i have seen it differs from models thanks.
here's a picture of what i want
Posted: Mar 19, 2007 07:34 PM
BIG KEV
Joined: 16/07/2005 08:35:42
Location: Cheshunt United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Heater unit leaks!?
Hello all! hope you can help me!!
I was out on a long trip the other day, and towards the end of my journey, felt a burning sensation in my foot, which seemed to be getting worse! on inspection low and behold there was water flowing down the left and right side of the heater unit, hot water straight onto my foot!
I've since been out twice and it only leaked again once for about 5 mins on startup then stopped. Since the problem, it always seems to be blowing steam (the windscreen mists up partially). Is my heater unit dead or is this simply a leaking water pipe somewhere?
any help would be very much appreciated!
Posted: Aug 23, 2007 03:18 PM
mark
397 posts
Joined: 18/08/2005 14:01:28
Location: Hitchin United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
There are several types of heater matrix used, my 1990 one leaked, but i took it apart, and placed silicone around the 2 orings and it was and still is fine.
Posted: Aug 23, 2007 03:37 PM
i had a similar problem which turned out to be the hoses running from the radiator to the heater had split which also ended up with my feet getting wr!
ben
Posted: Aug 23, 2007 06:33 PM
When I had a leaking problem I just replaced the heater matrix for a brand new replacement and it's been fine ever since.
What year/model Mini do you own buddy, because there are a few different heater matrix's to choose from.
Changing it is pretty easy, but if you own a pre 1993? model, then you will have to remove and open the whole heater casing to get at it.
Posted: Aug 24, 2007 01:51 PM
my minis a k reg 92 spi
just thinking if its coming out from both sides it must be the heater right? or are the pipes in a location that could if split, run water down both sides of the heater?
dont want to get under there to change one thing and find i need to change two! plus is it a case of draining the cooling system to change the heater, or can the pipes just be blocked temporarily?
Posted: Aug 24, 2007 04:02 PM
Remove the hoses from the engine end first - you'll lose a little coolant but hopefully not much.
Before tackling the heater ends remove the carpet!
Put a large bowl or something similar under the hose ends, and undo the clips. You'll find a lot more coolant comes out. If you're lucky, it's just the hoses cracked where they fit over the pipes (I personally think the heater inlet and outlet pipes are actually slightly too big for the hose, and that tends to make things worse) but it's difficult to know what state the heater matrix is in without removing it and pressure testing it.
Posted: Aug 24, 2007 06:50 PM
Just turn off the heater temperature tap to prevent any circulation (shouldn't be any with the engine off anyway). And place some tarpaulin beneath the heater to protect the carpet and a bowl directly beneath the heater and hoses.
As it's a later model, you're matrix can be removed without having to remove and completely dismantle the heater unit, because you just need to remove the screws on the opposite side which holds the matrix in place and the screws on the hosed side after you've removed both hoses.
However you probably should remove the heater unit to clean out the leaked coolant and any dead flies and leaves whilst you're at it. Don't worry though, because it's quite an easy job and it's fully covered in the Haynes Mini manual.
If you want to be walked through the process just ask because I've done the job a few times myself and if I can do it successfully, then anyone can.
Posted: Aug 24, 2007 11:37 PM
LH
18 posts
Joined: 19/07/2007 18:59:21
Location: Chard United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
Like mark said, before you buy a replacement , check that its not the o-rings behind the pipe flange on matrii . Its held on by 4 screws. I did this yesterday, replacing the o-rings with new, as i had a selection box handy.
The easiest way to find the leak is to look for staining left by the water, in my case dark rusty brown. Or you can presure test the matrix by cutting an old bicycle innertube 4 inches each side of the valve, connect and fasten the ends to the matrix pipes and use a bicycle pump to presurise it. Place the matrix in a bowl of water or cover it in washing-up liquid /water and watch for bubbles.
Posted: Aug 24, 2007 11:53 PM
Rob
28 posts
Joined: 24/11/2007 19:39:13
Location: fraddon United Kingdom (Excluding channel Islands)
MY HEATER ONLY BLOWS COLD
Hi there, I have just got myself my first mini after ages looking for one I can afford, it is a 998cc Austin 1000 from 1980 and is not the best looking mini in the world but its mine and I want to make it nice again!!!!
There are a few problems with it at the mo but the one im looking at is the heating, I have looked through all the posts on here trying to see what everyone else have done but not found the answer to my problem.
Now then, what I have done is to run water through the heating system to try and clear out all the air and dirt that could be in there, and it ran through ok, but after putting all the hoses back it still did not work, I have looked at the heater valve and it is fine and the coolant levels are fine too, so I decided to try and run water through the whole system, was not to sure if this was a good idea but went and did it anyway from the hose that comes out of the heater valve and goes off to the heater all the way through to coming back out the heater valve (engine block), at first the water came but it was really dirty (but it was coming through) and it cleared up, then I changed the hoses round and ran it the other way, the water was coming through ok, did this a few times and then put it back together and ran the engine but the heater still did not work, I tried to run the car with the heater valve taken off but no water came out of the engine block, this to me would show that the water pump was not working but the engine is not overheating so it also seems that the pump is working, the heat gauge sits at normal when im driving but when the car is running but still it goes to between norm and high so it seems to be ok!!!!!
Please can someone help with this, any replies would be good as this is doing my head in now, seems so simple but I just can not get it working!!!
Thanks to all
Posted: Dec 03, 2007 05:55 PM