Heater tap yes or no ?
Discussion
As my heating system keeps supplying hot air even with the heater valve closed I am considering to mount the heating tap as shown in the Bertram Hill pages.
However, the bypass loop (via the heater matrix) will be closed. Could this do any harm to the engine, especially when warming up the thermostat is closed? I think not because the heater valve should block the flow in the same way ?
Thanks, Ronald
However, the bypass loop (via the heater matrix) will be closed. Could this do any harm to the engine, especially when warming up the thermostat is closed? I think not because the heater valve should block the flow in the same way ?
Thanks, Ronald
I would never recommend just fitting a tap to stop the flow through the matrix, in theory it should do no harm but it is a little unknown.
The better way, and the way all modern car manufacturers do it, is to fit a bypass valve. So that when the flow is off, it merely directs the the flow straight to the return and keeps the flow of water through the pipes and not the matrix. With a little bit of knowledge you can actually have it done automatically.
If you buy an electric solenoid bypass valve for a ford fiesta (about £15), you just cut the two pipes going to the matrix and splice this in the middle. You can then have a small microswitch so that it activates when the demand is on full cold and this shuts off the flow and bypasses automatically.
Done this a few times at the shop!
J
The better way, and the way all modern car manufacturers do it, is to fit a bypass valve. So that when the flow is off, it merely directs the the flow straight to the return and keeps the flow of water through the pipes and not the matrix. With a little bit of knowledge you can actually have it done automatically.
If you buy an electric solenoid bypass valve for a ford fiesta (about £15), you just cut the two pipes going to the matrix and splice this in the middle. You can then have a small microswitch so that it activates when the demand is on full cold and this shuts off the flow and bypasses automatically.
Done this a few times at the shop!
J
ronspeedsix said:
As my heating system keeps supplying hot air even with the heater valve closed I am considering to mount the heating tap as shown in the Bertram Hill pages.
However, the bypass loop (via the heater matrix) will be closed. Could this do any harm to the engine, especially when warming up the thermostat is closed? I think not because the heater valve should block the flow in the same way ?
Your Japanese 1997 Griffith 400 sounds interesting, does it have A/C and a heater by-pass loop? Is it serpentine with the later heater controls and heater valve??? It would be interesting to see some pictures.However, the bypass loop (via the heater matrix) will be closed. Could this do any harm to the engine, especially when warming up the thermostat is closed? I think not because the heater valve should block the flow in the same way ?
tofts said:
I would never recommend just fitting a tap to stop the flow through the matrix, in theory it should do no harm but it is a little unknown.
Precat’s by design have a flow control/shut off valve AFTER a by-pass and therefore it's safe to replace the TVR unreliable valve with a shut off valve.Can someone please confirm if serpentine engines have the by-pass loop like Precats, if they don’t then I totally agree a shut off valve is dangerous as the coolant will not circulate around the engine before the thermostat opens, unless someone can explain otherwise.
tofts said:
The better way, and the way all modern car manufacturers do it, is to fit a bypass valve. So that when the flow is off, it merely directs the the flow straight to the return and keeps the flow of water through the pipes and not the matrix. With a little bit of knowledge you can actually have it done automatically.
If you buy an electric solenoid bypass valve for a ford fiesta (about £15), you just cut the two pipes going to the matrix and splice this in the middle. You can then have a small microswitch so that it activates when the demand is on full cold and this shuts off the flow and bypasses automatically.
The Ford KA/Fiesta shutoff / by-pass all in one is a great idea and even has the correct size hose fittings so I actually bought one, but after reading how unreliable they were at the time combined with a colleagues Fiesta valve actually leaking I decided against fitting it as it would be directly above the ECU. If you buy an electric solenoid bypass valve for a ford fiesta (about £15), you just cut the two pipes going to the matrix and splice this in the middle. You can then have a small microswitch so that it activates when the demand is on full cold and this shuts off the flow and bypasses automatically.
Instead I decided to replace the TVR effort (valve) that’s after the by-pass loop in Precats with an industrial 12v operated brass valve and wired it to the stand dash heater rocker switch via a latching relay.
For further details see
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Hi,
I have a 1995 griffith 500 and the same hot cabin syndrom. Had a thought about it and looking at all the options presented, it seems there is one that hasn't been explored.
Hot air in the cabin is due to the heater valve failing to shut the water inlet but also to the fact that there is no way to prevent air getting in from the cabin trough the heater.
Instead of stopping hot water to go through the heater, isn't it not simpler to stop the air flowing through the heater? I am no expert but it seems that air is taken from the very front of the car ahead of the radiator intake. Wouldn't a simple masking plate in front of the air intake prevent hot temperatures in the cabin? Has anyone tried this? is there anything cooled in the front left inner wing apart from the front lamp?
Any tip?
regards
I have a 1995 griffith 500 and the same hot cabin syndrom. Had a thought about it and looking at all the options presented, it seems there is one that hasn't been explored.
Hot air in the cabin is due to the heater valve failing to shut the water inlet but also to the fact that there is no way to prevent air getting in from the cabin trough the heater.
Instead of stopping hot water to go through the heater, isn't it not simpler to stop the air flowing through the heater? I am no expert but it seems that air is taken from the very front of the car ahead of the radiator intake. Wouldn't a simple masking plate in front of the air intake prevent hot temperatures in the cabin? Has anyone tried this? is there anything cooled in the front left inner wing apart from the front lamp?
Any tip?
regards
Steve,
It does have a/c, it does have the later controls (pic!), it's a serpentine, but I don't think it has a bypass, where did TVR put the bypass ?
The idea on a bypass valve is great, I was thinking there must be three way valves available ? This gives the possibility to route the coolant through the bypass or the heater valve, all in one valve.
But still : what if I just shut the loop ? The original TVR way was shutting the loop either (if it was working..)?
Regards Ronald
It does have a/c, it does have the later controls (pic!), it's a serpentine, but I don't think it has a bypass, where did TVR put the bypass ?
The idea on a bypass valve is great, I was thinking there must be three way valves available ? This gives the possibility to route the coolant through the bypass or the heater valve, all in one valve.
But still : what if I just shut the loop ? The original TVR way was shutting the loop either (if it was working..)?
Regards Ronald
Edited by ronspeedsix on Friday 24th June 14:01
ronspeedsix said:
I was thinking there must be three way valves available ? This gives the possibility to route the coolant through the bypass or the heater valve, all in one valve.
Yes, The Ford Ka valve is either full open or full loop by-pass but nothing in-between. It would still be suitable for summer use when you want it completely off.
ronspeedsix said:
where did TVR put the bypass
Precats have the bypass in the passenger footwell but I'm not sure 500s have the bypass.Edited by stevesprint on Monday 27th June 21:49
How do you close the air inlet from inside?
Do you mean just on the vents?
I have just bought a 1996 500, Serpentine etc.
I'm going to check the heater controls, but it's unbearably hot, and nothing seems to stop the hot air coming from vents etc.
So I plan to fit a valve like this and turn it off for summer:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16mm-5-8-Manual-Water-He...
I know the cabin is always going to suffer from heat soak, but if I can't get this sorted it's going to really spoil my enjoyment of the car.
Everyone else still getting on well with the shutoff valve fitted??
Are there other things I can do to manage the cabin heat soak?
Do you mean just on the vents?
I have just bought a 1996 500, Serpentine etc.
I'm going to check the heater controls, but it's unbearably hot, and nothing seems to stop the hot air coming from vents etc.
So I plan to fit a valve like this and turn it off for summer:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/16mm-5-8-Manual-Water-He...
I know the cabin is always going to suffer from heat soak, but if I can't get this sorted it's going to really spoil my enjoyment of the car.
Everyone else still getting on well with the shutoff valve fitted??
Are there other things I can do to manage the cabin heat soak?
Edited by urquattroGus on Thursday 29th June 22:01
I have just done two 500 mile journeys with the heater valve closed, no problems experienced with a 96 Serpentine 500. In fact since fitting some 10? years ago it has never caused any problems.
There still remains some heat soak but this is tolerable.
Shut off Valve not recommended for a non Serpentine block though as the cooling system is different.
There still remains some heat soak but this is tolerable.
Shut off Valve not recommended for a non Serpentine block though as the cooling system is different.
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