Heater

[Geoff Butcher]

I was grovelling under the dash trying to stop a rattle, which is actually the air inlet duct tapping when I go over a bump. I found there seems to be no positive connection between the duct and the fan assembly, in fact there is a gap of more than half an inch round the front and neaside edges. Is this how it was meant to be? No wonder not much air comes out of the vents. A previous owner has tried to stick duct tape round it at some time. The fit is so bad I can't believe it was designed like that originally.

[mikeeskriett]

Hi,

There should be a square foam rubber gasket inbetween the heater and the bodywork ro fill the gap. they are the same from mk1 to Rover Metro so a scrappy visit may be in order.

Cheers,

Mike

[manifold]

......or for an airtight fit use a 6" piece of a wheel barrow innertube covering both interfaces.

[paulr]

been working on ours today - drove back from a wedding late last night and daughter under 2 blankets so heater not good at present - h ave flushed through heater and it is flowing fine and fan works but not dramatic air and no noticeable warmth - suspect "manifold" cure is next to try - just to clarify first - the fan motor and assembly on ours is under the bonnet and in side the heater has a rectangular duct with rounded corners that seems to push into the outlet of the fan where it comes through the top of the footwell center - is it there that the innertube trick is applied? does anyones heater work - ie blows hot air?

thanks

[Hans Efde]

Mine can be blistering hot when all air is out. But my expansion bottle is sitting too low, or the heater hose is too high, causing air to be trapped in that hose and than the heater doesn't do anything. I'll have to fix that.
Another thing I recall is that it's possible to have the fan connected the other way around, so it runs in the opposite direction. This will generate a small draft, but not very efficiently.
Also on the coupees, it helps to have the sunroof slightly opened. This creates suction and improves the heater flow.
Obviously it should be physically possible for the cabin air to flow to the vents besides the tail lights. So there should be vent holes in the back board and behind that holes in the side panels.

[paulr]

hi all - the battle of the heater continues and I am losing !

have had heater out and flushed the heater matrix and it seems fine - have (not having got instrument pack back from expensive service) put dash back in and refilled cooling system by vacuum method in hope that would get rid of any air locks - drove at weekend and still not a jot of warmth from heater - have done the inner tube trick as suggested and there is airflow out of the screen vents but no warmth - logic (oh dear) says to me has to be an airlock in the heater system but how to clear it - do other midas with a series engines have working heaters ? can't see any reason why it shouldn't work - how do you bleed yours ???

any helpful ideas gratefully received as it is cold out there!

thanks

Paul

[mikeeskriett]

Hi,

I normally just crack the jubilee clip on the joint in the return pipe of the heater (but leave the pipe connected) with the engine running and try and get that as high as possible to bring the air to the joint that normally sorts it out. The other thing that will tell you is if there is water flow there and that someone hasn't bolted the take off onto the cylinder head without drilling the hole out for the water flow or that the hole has been drilled too small.

Cheers,

Mike

[mikeeskriett]

Hi,

Just had another thought, which heater do you have? The Mk1 metro or mk2...one with the cigarette lighter in the middle and control either side or the small controller by the steering column or instrument pack. What could be happening is that either the cables in the case of the mk2 or rods in the case of the mk1 are not moving the baffles in the heater giving you heat control. You'll need to look down the side of the heater while operating the heat control and make sure you're getting full travel on the baffles.

Cheers,

Mike

[paulr]

thanks guys will have a go this weekend and post afterwards

[Geoff Butcher]

So which heater have I got?