Air conditioning

[dickymint]

The Rev has mentioned that he has to get his air-con fixed so i was wondering where/how/how much it would be as a retro-fit?
I have been looking for a unit that delivers hot and cold air but have drawn a blank.
There is no way that i am gonna have another winter without heat. So far i have opted for an Eberspacher heater in the boot plumbed through the rear bulkhead at a cost of £900 fitted (small price to pay so as not to be scraping ice off the inside). But would much rather have air/con as well. Any suggestions warmly welcomed.

[rev-erend]

Why not get the heater fixed .. and make sure the pipes
are connected and are not crushed / broken .. this is my little winter project too.

Martin (Redcar) has recommended Screwfix direct - as a good source of silver duct tape - I'm going to use it on pipes and the heater matrix.

The Air con on the SEAC does intrude on the footwells - I don't think anyone would retro fit one (expensive)..

[dickymint]

rev-erend said:

Why not get the heater fixed .. and make sure the pipes are connected and are not crushed / broken .. this is my little winter project too. Martin (Redcar) has recommended Screwfix direct - as a good source of silver duct tape - I'm going to use it on pipes and the heater matrix. The Air con on the SEAC does intrude on the footwells - I don't think anyone would retro fit one (expensive)..

Rev, I did mean to check out other peoples heaters at BBWF cos i am convinced that they just dont work well enough to defrost let alone heat the cockpit (my 350 is crap although a tad better than the SEAC)
My first option was an Eberspacher Hydrophonic which heats the engine coolant system (excellent for cold starting)as well as switching the heater on automatically, even get a remote control with it! But am thinking whats the point if it can be only as good as the existing heater! Ok i am a wuss and getting old but i aint going through another cold winter and i certainly cant see me driving a metro to work!!!

PS how do you get at the matrix? Do you have to cut into the plastic box?

>> Edited by dickymint on Thursday 5th August 17:47

[redcar]

dickymint said:

rev-erend said: Why not get the heater fixed .. and make sure the pipes are connected and are not crushed / broken .. this is my little winter project too. Martin (Redcar) has recommended Screwfix direct - as a good source of silver duct tape - I'm going to use it on pipes and the heater matrix. The Air con on the SEAC does intrude on the footwells - I don't think anyone would retro fit one (expensive).. Rev, I did mean to check out other peoples heaters at BBWF cos i am convinced that they just dont work well enough to defrost let alone heat the cockpit (my 350 is crap although a tad better than the SEAC) My first option was an Eberspacher Hydrophonic which heats the engine coolant system (excellent for cold starting)as well as switching the heater on automatically, even get a remote control with it! But am thinking whats the point if it can be only as good as the existing heater! Ok i am a wuss and getting old but i aint going through another cold winter and i certainly cant see me driving a metro to work!!! PS how do you get at the matrix? Do you have to cut into the plastic box? >> Edited by dickymint on Thursday 5th August 17:47

The heater in my 450SE gets very warm even in the winter and so did my previous 390SE. Regarding air conditioning, I own a Air Cond company, retro fit AC does not usualy operate satisfactory and to get a reverse cycle heat pump to offer heating is a nono in a car.
Are you sure the battery water battery is not blocked on the water side and the fins clogged with sh-t, that is the normal problem.
Redcar

[SLB]

I thought the heater worked ok ( for a TVR ). It was as good as the S I used to have, it's the all the draughts that are the problem. The cold draught down your right leg is great in the Summer when you can't stop the vents from pouring hot air out, but would probably play havoc with your arthritis in the winter.

Even when severely steamed-up, the blower/heater used to succesfully keep most of the screen clear. You could try changing the door seals and wearing a hat and driving gloves. Roof down on a sunny cold winters day - lovely.

[seamus]

Last time I had the dash taken out for work the guys closed all the gaps in the system, when I turned the fan on the difference was incredible.. still has a problem blowing cold (tends to be luke warm - doesn't every wedge) but the screen clears well.. my Dad had a retro fit a/c done on a MkII Jaguar in the Middlesex area - quite intrusive into the passenger footwell but worked well nevertheless.

[19560]

redcar said:

I own a Air Cond company, retro fit AC does not usualy operate satisfactory

Would you care to expand on that? My first 350i had A/C and I don't see why there would be a problem to retro fit it.

Jonathan (yes, before you ask, I know very little about A/C)

[redcar]

19560 said:

redcar said: I own a Air Cond company, retro fit AC does not usualy operate satisfactory Would you care to expand on that? My first 350i had A/C and I don't see why there would be a problem to retro fit it. Jonathan (yes, before you ask, I know very little about A/C)

Jonathan.
Unless you are going to pay very top money for the install it can be troublesome and untidy, I had it fitted to my orginal 390SE (factory fit from new) and it work fine, used to shoot ice out the vents which was good for the whicky & coke. Some retro-fits are good some are not.
Over 30 yrs experience in trade tells me personnally not to have retro-fitted, but I'm in industrial AC, so will get slaughter by car AC trade.:

[rev-erend]

I'd agree with Martin & others earlier posts that TVR's can and do have great heaters.

My first 400SE had a heater that was so hot it would melt rubber soled shoes..

The fact is that you car has probably had 2 or 3 main radiatiors in it's life but still had the original furred up heater matrix ..

There may well be a way to flush it out !

[AM400]

After seeing other 400's at BBWF mine seems to have two much larger vents on top of the dash at either side and one regular type in the center, always clears the screen no problem, the downside is I cant get those nice ally ones to replace them !

Any other models have these fitted? I forgot to check them out on the 350's etc.

[streaky]

My problem is too much heat in the cockpit (ooh, er Missus!)! Clearly something stops the heater valve from being turned off ... but I can live with it!

Regarding de-misting/de-icing (in this weather?), check the RHS of the heater box. Mine had an outlet that led nowhere. I plugged it with some foam and ... more hot air to the windscreen. The exhaust/engine/gearbox keep my legs warm (well the left one anyway!).

Streaky

[rev-erend]

Dicky to flush it :

There is a water pipe in and out (rear top of engine)

You would need to disconnect these - flush the
heater with a medium flow garden hose (on one side)

The put in some flushing fluid (funnel) for a few hours (pipes would need to be held higher than the matrix)

Then flush again with a garden hose.

I would recommend 'pre filling' heater matrix with water / anti freeze before reconnecting to engine.

When you run engine - switch on heater fans and see if it makes a difference..

Plus you need to check on the air pipes..