removing / replacing / upgrading heater fan box?
Discussion
i think barn mice have got into the nearside front innerwing cardboard airbox adjacent to fuse panel
how is this removed? - Is there a recognised upgrade, as airflow with fan on max has always been poor (even before unwanted guests no doubt set up house within)- hoses attached ok to vents and fan speed alters with switch position)
Is the ventilation inlet a known problem for rodent ingress? - Where best / easiest to fit a protective wire mesh? - Any other known areas where mice can get into cabin (yes I do put the top up!..and it seems ok)
how is this removed? - Is there a recognised upgrade, as airflow with fan on max has always been poor (even before unwanted guests no doubt set up house within)- hoses attached ok to vents and fan speed alters with switch position)
Is the ventilation inlet a known problem for rodent ingress? - Where best / easiest to fit a protective wire mesh? - Any other known areas where mice can get into cabin (yes I do put the top up!..and it seems ok)
Count Vampirski said:
nobody upgraded hopeless std ventilation system?
Yes, but sadly its not an easy fix, this thread explains all and you are welcome to copy or ask any further questions.http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=126...
Good Luck
Steve
Only got bad news for you with this I'm afraid.
To get the heater box out you need to remove the dash.
To get to the heater motor, and probably the cause of the lack of air coming through your vents you need to remove the NS headlight pod
There are modifications you can do. It depends on how far you want to go.
If you get the dash out you can put a hose from the heater motor directly to the airbox. This has been documented somewhere and is supposed to produce hurricane-like air at the vents.
If you just remove the headlight pod and find the motor is visible then the divider apron has probably rotted away. You could replace this but here is the kit I used to do away with the daft apron separator under the headlight pod and which improved ventilation in my car massively.
If you want details of this modification, or are trying to understand how the motor feeds air in a standard setup I can help.
To get the heater box out you need to remove the dash.
To get to the heater motor, and probably the cause of the lack of air coming through your vents you need to remove the NS headlight pod
There are modifications you can do. It depends on how far you want to go.
If you get the dash out you can put a hose from the heater motor directly to the airbox. This has been documented somewhere and is supposed to produce hurricane-like air at the vents.
If you just remove the headlight pod and find the motor is visible then the divider apron has probably rotted away. You could replace this but here is the kit I used to do away with the daft apron separator under the headlight pod and which improved ventilation in my car massively.
If you want details of this modification, or are trying to understand how the motor feeds air in a standard setup I can help.
...wow, you guys are resourceful fellas with a lot of get up and go! - you guesses, my get up...has gone - so I shall be opening the window!
which reminds me, how do you stop exhaust being sucked in with top up and windows ajar?
My heating system provides full flow to floorvents but little to screen or central eye levels (hoses inplace)
An easier solution for me would be to fit model 'elec turbo fan' units to supply hoses and find a cool air source perhaps - 2 separate motors feeding eye level and screen should suffice
I have significant mice ingress into cabin, are they likely to be using ventilation system as entry, if so where would be easiest places to fit wire mesh to prevent it - any other places to protect?
Hood up and rear hood vents blocked off (yes windows are up!)
thx for all the help
which reminds me, how do you stop exhaust being sucked in with top up and windows ajar?
My heating system provides full flow to floorvents but little to screen or central eye levels (hoses inplace)
An easier solution for me would be to fit model 'elec turbo fan' units to supply hoses and find a cool air source perhaps - 2 separate motors feeding eye level and screen should suffice
I have significant mice ingress into cabin, are they likely to be using ventilation system as entry, if so where would be easiest places to fit wire mesh to prevent it - any other places to protect?
Hood up and rear hood vents blocked off (yes windows are up!)
thx for all the help
If you stick your head down in the passenger footwell you will find a hose pushed into the left sidewall which feeds the dash vents. This hose would make a good place to put some kind of mesh.
One quick mod is to put a short piece of pipe into the end of the one which goes into the car body, which has been cut off at 45degrees. This effectively grabs the air as it comes down over the wheelarch and channels it into the pipe. Its a small change but every little helps.
Try sticking your finger into the hole to make sure its clear of obstructions too, I found a bit of delaminated GRP half covering the hole.
Your lack of ventilation out of the dash vents could be a hose has come off behind the dash. If you take out the glovebox you can get your arm quite a way into the dash. Try feeling around to check the hoses are still connected.
One quick mod is to put a short piece of pipe into the end of the one which goes into the car body, which has been cut off at 45degrees. This effectively grabs the air as it comes down over the wheelarch and channels it into the pipe. Its a small change but every little helps.
Try sticking your finger into the hole to make sure its clear of obstructions too, I found a bit of delaminated GRP half covering the hole.
Your lack of ventilation out of the dash vents could be a hose has come off behind the dash. If you take out the glovebox you can get your arm quite a way into the dash. Try feeling around to check the hoses are still connected.
Baretti, face vents have hoses in place
the hose into n/s front qrt - is that an output from heater / blowerbox or a fresh feed from front wing?
Not sure where the external 'front door' is that they are using - is it internal from under nose mesh - can it be accessed from there? - I dont really want to disturb light shroud if there is an easier way to install the portcullis - I do have to find the source though, cos every winter they make a meal of my mint interior - I really would appreciate definitive advice from one and all how to eliminate their point of entry - those meeces are drivin me to peeces!
That pipe you show into qrt panel - any good fitting an electric impeller there? - what if anything would be boosted
I have ample hot air (resist it!) with good 3 speed ram to footwell
My fundamental goal in this dept is:
1)absolutely stop future mice ingress by fitting wire gauze into or down the line from point of entry at easiest access point (with no weak interim points eg plastic or cardboard that would allow cabin access if breached before gauze)
2) increase fresh air flow to face vents
I dont use the car in wintry conditions so low flow of heat to face or screen vents is unimportant, however hi flow of cold air to ideally both would be good, cos the cabin is unbearable (I would treat exhaust if I could afford it)
the hose into n/s front qrt - is that an output from heater / blowerbox or a fresh feed from front wing?
Not sure where the external 'front door' is that they are using - is it internal from under nose mesh - can it be accessed from there? - I dont really want to disturb light shroud if there is an easier way to install the portcullis - I do have to find the source though, cos every winter they make a meal of my mint interior - I really would appreciate definitive advice from one and all how to eliminate their point of entry - those meeces are drivin me to peeces!
That pipe you show into qrt panel - any good fitting an electric impeller there? - what if anything would be boosted
I have ample hot air (resist it!) with good 3 speed ram to footwell
My fundamental goal in this dept is:
1)absolutely stop future mice ingress by fitting wire gauze into or down the line from point of entry at easiest access point (with no weak interim points eg plastic or cardboard that would allow cabin access if breached before gauze)
2) increase fresh air flow to face vents
I dont use the car in wintry conditions so low flow of heat to face or screen vents is unimportant, however hi flow of cold air to ideally both would be good, cos the cabin is unbearable (I would treat exhaust if I could afford it)
There is an important thing to know, if your pre-cat is standard at any rate.
There is nothing joining your heater motor to your heater box.
It's difficult to explain, and a pita having to 2 finger type on the iPad which wants to substitute every other word for something completely odd, here goes
Air is sucked in by a motor under the NS headlight pod.
You'll see a rough hole about as big as your fist if you look up through the mesh at the front.
The "front door" as you call it is possibly here.
The space under the headlight pod is cut in half horizontally by a piece of leatherette just level with the top of the motor.
Air is pushed out of the top of the motor to pressurise the top space and the only way it can escape is in the cavity over the wheel arch and down towards the back of the car through the cavity which is created by the double skin for the sill.
The air is directed to the face vents by the hose in the passenger side which I showed in the photo earlier.
I don't believe the face vents are connected to the heater.
If you have good air at your feet and nothing at your face it sounds like the motor is working - which believe me is a godsend - and the pressure system is working too. Great so far then.
check the hole on the passenger quarter panel. It can't be coming out of there or the hose which plugs into it is blocked. You need to know which and what is causing it.
There is nothing joining your heater motor to your heater box.
It's difficult to explain, and a pita having to 2 finger type on the iPad which wants to substitute every other word for something completely odd, here goes
Air is sucked in by a motor under the NS headlight pod.
You'll see a rough hole about as big as your fist if you look up through the mesh at the front.
The "front door" as you call it is possibly here.
The space under the headlight pod is cut in half horizontally by a piece of leatherette just level with the top of the motor.
Air is pushed out of the top of the motor to pressurise the top space and the only way it can escape is in the cavity over the wheel arch and down towards the back of the car through the cavity which is created by the double skin for the sill.
The air is directed to the face vents by the hose in the passenger side which I showed in the photo earlier.
I don't believe the face vents are connected to the heater.
If you have good air at your feet and nothing at your face it sounds like the motor is working - which believe me is a godsend - and the pressure system is working too. Great so far then.
check the hole on the passenger quarter panel. It can't be coming out of there or the hose which plugs into it is blocked. You need to know which and what is causing it.
Edited by Barreti on Friday 17th April 21:10
thx Barreti for your assistance
soo you appear to be saying that the heater box (above fuses and battery), has a different supply from the remote fan than by ns wing cavity?
Incidentally the drivers side face level takes hot and cold feeds somehow
n/s face cold only and screen again mixed..
Will gladly remove inner A pillar hose to determine if blocked with mouse debris and to check ram effect when fan maxed - i should be expecting pos pressure hairdryer effect (cold) from inner wing when removed?
If there is no protective mesh to intake under headlight then this would seem the 'front door' and the ns wing must be a huge mouse nest!
What I dont understand is where they are getting into cab
First mouse was found in glove box so perhaps they wander up 'the hose' to cardboard (??!!) heater box and have eaten out through that somewhere
confusion:if 'the hose' only feeds the face vents, where is he other fan boosted supply - as i will need to fit portcullis to that too? - another way of asking, - will fitting gauze to 'front door' under headlight above lower (wide holed grill) close all entrances?
Hard to imagine how / why they would leap up to lower nose grille and squeeze through tiny holes
There are many mice each year somehow making their way in and I really have to get to the bottom of it!
soo you appear to be saying that the heater box (above fuses and battery), has a different supply from the remote fan than by ns wing cavity?
Incidentally the drivers side face level takes hot and cold feeds somehow
n/s face cold only and screen again mixed..
Will gladly remove inner A pillar hose to determine if blocked with mouse debris and to check ram effect when fan maxed - i should be expecting pos pressure hairdryer effect (cold) from inner wing when removed?
If there is no protective mesh to intake under headlight then this would seem the 'front door' and the ns wing must be a huge mouse nest!
What I dont understand is where they are getting into cab
First mouse was found in glove box so perhaps they wander up 'the hose' to cardboard (??!!) heater box and have eaten out through that somewhere
confusion:if 'the hose' only feeds the face vents, where is he other fan boosted supply - as i will need to fit portcullis to that too? - another way of asking, - will fitting gauze to 'front door' under headlight above lower (wide holed grill) close all entrances?
Hard to imagine how / why they would leap up to lower nose grille and squeeze through tiny holes
There are many mice each year somehow making their way in and I really have to get to the bottom of it!
at the mo just had a chance to set eyes on gaping hole with fan impeller visible behind - can easily fit fine mesh here, though still concerned that so many mice would leap up to std nose grill and squeeze through to make epic journey into cab...
I did notice a vulnerable thin material air hose running behind engine - perhaps from back of heater to driver footwell?
I did notice a vulnerable thin material air hose running behind engine - perhaps from back of heater to driver footwell?
Count Vampirski said:
Hi Doc - unfortunately I cannot get access to that
Weird, link works for me.Its supposed to send you to an archived copy of thegriffithpages.com - an excellent resource with some great contributions from Baretti and others on here.
If you google wayback machine, get onto there and search www.thegriffithpages.com you should find it.
ETA - just saw your other post re alternative parts list and 'other' griff forums.... Persevere with the search for archived copy of thegriffithpages - it'll be worth it!
Edited by Doc Toad on Wednesday 22 April 14:21
Upgraded mine using a small diy heater matrix kit from one of the kit car sites, basically a matrix and an ABS enclosure you can modify to suit. Done the route the flexible hose from the fan down the inner wing thing. Completely removed the old heater box and matrix and attached my new one directly over the inlet to the screen demist channel. Loads of room released in the foot well as the new heater is tiny in comparison and allowed me to tidy up the wiring and ECU and also make the plumbing very simple.Now I get whistling noises out of the demist vents on fan speed 3 and a clear mist free screen all the time.
Down sides, well I kept it real simple so it only blows on the screen and no where else and I have to shut off the heater valve manually if I want to turn the heat off. If you wanted to you could obviously design it to suit your requirements but after living with the old system I thought KISS. No pictures sorry as I'm in Azerbaijan at the moment but hope this helps.
Down sides, well I kept it real simple so it only blows on the screen and no where else and I have to shut off the heater valve manually if I want to turn the heat off. If you wanted to you could obviously design it to suit your requirements but after living with the old system I thought KISS. No pictures sorry as I'm in Azerbaijan at the moment but hope this helps.
Ex-forces Count, out here working with the oil & gas industry. Used a kit from Car Builder Solutions http://www.carbuildersolutions.com/uk/abs-heater-m... and the matching matrix. Cost all in was about £100 plus a lot of swearing.............but worth it to have a system that keeps the screen clear.
bubblehead said:
Upgraded mine using a small diy heater matrix kit from one of the kit car sites, basically a matrix and an ABS enclosure you can modify to suit. Done the route the flexible hose from the fan down the inner wing thing. Completely removed the old heater box and matrix and attached my new one directly over the inlet to the screen demist channel. Loads of room released in the foot well as the new heater is tiny in comparison and allowed me to tidy up the wiring and ECU and also make the plumbing very simple.Now I get whistling noises out of the demist vents on fan speed 3 and a clear mist free screen all the time.
Down sides, well I kept it real simple so it only blows on the screen and no where else and I have to shut off the heater valve manually if I want to turn the heat off. If you wanted to you could obviously design it to suit your requirements but after living with the old system I thought KISS. No pictures sorry as I'm in Azerbaijan at the moment but hope this helps.
I found a kit car heater matrix on Fleabay a while back and pondered if it could be used just for the screen.Down sides, well I kept it real simple so it only blows on the screen and no where else and I have to shut off the heater valve manually if I want to turn the heat off. If you wanted to you could obviously design it to suit your requirements but after living with the old system I thought KISS. No pictures sorry as I'm in Azerbaijan at the moment but hope this helps.
My Precat has the standard non functioning heater. I did have a chat with Mr Barretti about the heater at the Growl a couple of years back but decided to live with it.
It appears that only a Wookie or Ian can understand the warp core in the wing.
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