About to take dash assembly out of an S1 - any tips?

[AxemanS]

Hi All,
I need to replace the heater / fan unit, the heater valve operating cable and renew some wiring behind the dash of my S1 and so need to remove the dashboard unit.
I will remove the seats, steering wheel and drop the steering column down to make access easier, but has anyone done this before that might be able to give me a few pointers - it looks like it could be a bit of a pain as it is, as far as I can tell, one piece with the centre consol.
Does anyone know what the fan/heater unit was from and if they are still available.

Thanks,
Dave

[phillpot]

AxemanS said:

Does anyone know what the fan/heater unit was from and if they are still available.

If it's the same as later cars it is a bespoke unit made by (or for) TVR.

What is wrong with yours? The matrix can be repaired if leaking and the fan motor oiled if it's squeaking




Is this any help ?

[arhTVR]

Recently sorted my heater unit out as well. Once the unit is out I cut open the plastic case (presumably a standard one but modified by TVR by the look of it) then had the matrix re corred. The heater Motor did not work at all so I checked round eBay and got one from a Corsa C just using the photo as a guide! The motor itself is spot on but I needed to swap over the fans as they turned out to be different sizes. I used a glue gun to fasten the casing back together once the heater is re assembled. My car is still way off being back on the road so not tested yet!
Tony.

[Barry S1]

Not to bad to do, give me ring on
07866849087 and I'll talk you it

[AxemanS]

Thanks Mike and Tony,
It's good to know it can be repaired - the cage fan has actually started to break up on mine and the matrix does leak a bit.

Is there a right and wrong way to take the dash out ? Haven't actually worked out how it's fixed yet.

[Barry S1]

[AxemanS]

Thank very much Barry,

What days and times would it be best to call you - am likely to tackle it next weekend but might make a start one evening this week

Cheers,
Dave

[Barry S1]

[Barry S1]

Any time after 5 is good with me, tonight is fine

[Barry S1]

Barry S1 said:

Not to bad to do, give me ring on
07866849087 and I'll talk you through it

[Bobhon]

I did a whole post on here on how to remove and replace the dash and heater in my old S2 (same dash). Might be worth a search.

It also got picked up onto someone's S website. Can anyone remember it?

Easy enough to do, but do label every electrical connector you remove or reassembly will be a nightmare. Roof off, back down gets the dash swung out of the car easier.

Pm me if you want my phone number.

Bobp

[phillpot]

Bobhon said:

I did a whole post on here on how to remove and replace the dash and heater in my old S2 (same dash). Might be worth a search.

Hi Bobp, think that's the post I tried to link to in my reply but it's not working for some reason?

[v8s4me]

Barry; didn't you do a mod to change the air flow and better ventilation?

[Bobhon]

Try this link.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

I can't do the Phillpot tricky stuff. Hope it works. If not then let me know and I will try to PDF it and email it to you.

Interesting read after all those years.

Bob

[Barry S1]

Yes I did Joe, nice warm hands easy to do
with the dash out

[AxemanS]

Hi Barry ( and Bob ) - thanks for your useful tips.

Got the dash out eventually - the fact my car has roll over hoop didn't help mind.

I have taken some photos of the heater ( see below ) as it doesn't look much like the other in the photographs posted earlier in this tread.
The unit can either push air up to the windscreen vents or out at the lower sides ( at the side of your leg ) and nothing to the eyeball vents ( these only went to the engine bay where they were taped off ).

The heater valve control is very stiff and the operating bar rocks in the body of the heater which can't help. The fans odd noise now appears to be some of the blades which have split catching on the fan casing.

Was this version of heater only fitted to S1's or does this appear to be a 'one off' ? - Glennrobbo what do you have in yours ?





Now I have the dash out, it would appears getting the heater to work correctly is the least of my worries - the electrical wiring is a right mess and several cables and connectors show signs of melting!

Dave.

[Bobhon]

Heater flap orientation sounds to be right. The bulls eyes only ever put fresh air out, where they are blanked out in the engine bay there used to be flexible hoses connected to air scoops behind the front grill. Ram air effect, so you only get air out when you are moving.

The 'hot' side of the heater pulls it's air in through that tube that you can see pointing into the car. So it permanently recirculates with no fresh air coming in. Makes demisting hard as you are recycling the moist air.

Stiff flap I guess that the spindle just runs in the polypropylene casing, so may be worn. Look to lubricate all of the moving parts to see if that helps. The flap itself does the screen or car control, but it usually doesn't seal very well. Might be worth while sticking some sponge rubber onto it to try to improve the seal.

Sounds as if someone (Barry) has coupled up the bulls eye vents up to the hot/cold feed using a T piece in the flexible pipe. Guess he will be able to tell you more about that.

In your photo there looks to be an online resistor? This probably does the low speed fan control. The original resistor usually burns out by this age, leaving you with only the fast speed.

HTH

Bob

Edited by Bobhon on Monday 18th January 21:49

[AxemanS]

Hi Bob,

Will look inside the heater and look at the flap seal as you suggest.

Not sure what that big white resistor is for yet - will have to trace the wiring but it doesn't appear to go to the fan switch as I labelled those cables before I pull the dash fully out.

Dave

[Barry S1]

A bit of plumbing connected the pipe
on the left to the eyelet and the other end
what down for your feet, worked well

[Barry S1]

This was the resistor on mine