Water in foot well- any advice please

Water in foot well- any advice please

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welchdc

Original Poster:

21 posts

166 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
quotequote all
Guys
I am after some advice, following from finding water in foot-well in my garaged 1989 S2 and none in the cooling system. I've checked all pipes and connections and all looks ok. The only part I cant check without dismantling the dash is the heater and its matrix, but I think that's the problem.
I am guessing the heater matrix is shot, and hence leaking. I know to change this requires a complete dash removal, but before I start doing this can I ask the following -

1) Can I get a new heater/ repair the heater matrix , if so where from and approx cost?
2)I only use my S2 in summer, hence no need for a operational heater, therefore is there a quick/ easy way to bypass heater without causing any engine over heating problems and removal of the dash?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Dan

Alan461

853 posts

130 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
quotequote all
Bypassing the matrix or stopping off either end wouldn't cause much difference to the warm up time or running temperature as the system has an isolator valve controlled by the slider thing on the dash anyway.
If you did choose to run without a heater a load of pipe would be redundant and so could be removed
I bet you could make a weight saving of at least 1kgsmile


v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
quotequote all
You should be able to by-pass the heater by finding where the two pipes go into the bulkhead and simply cutting and joining them. I only use mine in the summer but a heater is still useful to de-mist the screen if it rains.

I'm only guessing here, but I'd have thought a radiator re-coring firm should be able to re-core a heater matrix. After all it's just a small radiator. It may be best just to bite the bullet and remove the dash and do the job properly. You'll find lots of other little jobs to do behind there while it's off laugh

DamianS3

1,803 posts

181 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
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I assume the water found had antifreeze in ? Ie confirming it actually is coolent?

Just a thought.

Damian S3

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
quotequote all


Before writing off the heater matrix (which, as suggested, can be repaired) I'd drop out the steering column, crawl under the dash torch in hand and check the hoses behind the bulkhead that go to the heater. At 20+ years old they may have seen better days!

robinlarry

113 posts

111 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
quotequote all
One option would be to bypass the heater coil and install a 12 volt electric heater. Saves weight and provides instant hot air.

v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Tuesday 27th January 2015
quotequote all
robinlarry said:
... install a 12 volt electric heater. Saves weight and provides instant hot air.
Would you need a larger output alternator and bigger battery for this mod?

robinlarry

113 posts

111 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
quotequote all
bypass the heater CORE ...

Not really...just a heavy gage wire from the battery. This is used by racers who need to clear windshields but don't want the added weight of the heating system.

I would recommend D.C. Thermal, Inc. in Crocket, Texas (USA) Try DCThermal.com

v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
quotequote all
robinlarry said:
........Try DCThermal.com....
Hum..scratchchin On the face of it this seems like a very sensible mod, especially for cars which only come out in the summer months. It would also do away with a lot of pipe-work and cut down little leaks making the cooling system more efficient.

Thoughts? Pros/cons?

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
quotequote all
v8s4me said:
Thoughts? Pros/cons?
At 50 amps current it would need some serious cabling and switching!




........... and you wouldn't want too leave it on for long without the engine running wink

greymrj

3,316 posts

203 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
quotequote all
Bit of info on 12v car heaters;
http://portablecarheaterworld.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CHQ6IgIn0E

Some on Amazon have pretty poor reviews. No experience myself.

phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
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anything that plugs into the cigar lighter is going to be about as much use as a chocolate teapot!

......... imho wink

Barry S1

1,709 posts

188 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
quotequote all
I didn't have a heater for the first year or so and it was a pain it's not that hard to get the dash out and fix the problem

Alan Whitaker

2,054 posts

181 months

Wednesday 28th January 2015
quotequote all
Hi
I did have a old heater box kicking about, motor went US but it might have the matrix still in. It's from a S1 1988, will look in the morning

Alan

v8s4me

7,234 posts

218 months

Thursday 29th January 2015
quotequote all
phillpot said:
...At 50A current it would need some serious cabling and switching!.........
this is the cable shown on the website. So about the same gauge as starter motor cable? Running that from a front mounted battery to behind the dash shouldn't be too much of a problem. You'd need a relay to switch it obviously but from an electrical perspective this should be quite easy.

phillpot said:
..... and you wouldn't want too leave it on for long without the engine running...
Or with the engine running... you might melt the dash! laugh

Alan Whitaker

2,054 posts

181 months

Thursday 29th January 2015
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Hi All
This the one




Alan



Top Gear TVR

2,244 posts

153 months

Thursday 29th January 2015
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This was one of my 1st TVR tasks.

As ever some bits are easy (whip the radio out, remove steering wheel & cowl, find the fixings for the dash and undo, pull forward....then get the heater box out and hey presto......you'll need to cut the box to extract the matrix.

my matrix was a rare weirdo from an air-con development trial?!?!?! but most are either re-core-able by local radiator repair types or can be purchased from tvr spares people:

In the short term a bypass is easy... just link the two pipes going through the bulkhead with a connector.

welchdc

Original Poster:

21 posts

166 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all
Guys, thanks so very much for your reply's and thoughts, I think following your advice I will bite the bullet and take the dash out and try to repair properly, as I know if I bodge it, I will not be happy.... thanks again, will let you know what I find!!!


phillpot

17,105 posts

182 months

Sunday 1st February 2015
quotequote all


Before you rip it all apart how about finding the two heater hoses in the engine bay, disconnect from engine and attached garden hose to one and blank the other (close heater valve)..... turn on hose and look for drips, or torrential downpour, under dash?