Heater upgrade
Heater upgrade
Author
Discussion

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

218 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
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Has any one done this to there Cerb yet?

After Chatsworth i got talking to a few of you who all came to the same conclusion that the heater is crap, I thought at first it was just my car but trying to de-mist the windows in weather like last weekend while being wet is a joke.
I am going to have a close look at the heater set up and think about how i can improve on it ( I am sure it must be from a classic mini due to how crap it really is) So if it will fit i might look at the System out of a BMW mini Cooper S like my daily driver as it is first class and being a small car it will be compact even if i can use the heater box with a new matrix and blower it has to be better than what i have.

Will have a good think and once i get the old one out keep you up to date.

FUBAR

17,065 posts

262 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
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Sounds good to me. Just sticking a thread marker down smile

Dave 500

7,735 posts

266 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
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I just turn the air con on at a low setting which clears the windows really quickly.

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

218 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
quotequote all
Dave 500 said:
I just turn the air con on at a low setting which clears the windows really quickly.
My cold blower does not go on to the windscreen so it had no effect on clearing the windows, it just made me icy cold and wet. hehe A better system is out there no reason these cars should have a poor system and the chim/griffs set up is really good, There is plenty of heat to be had from the AJP.

Gray_101

1,118 posts

214 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
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ive often wondered about this... but never looked into it, as i dont really use my Cerb that much.

But to me there seems to be plenty of heat / air con , but not enough power to blow it with any real force into the cabin.

I know you can buy an uprated fan kits for old MG s and Land Rover Defenders.... and probably minis.

Id be intrested in upgrading both fans, if an upgrade could be found.

Tanguero

4,535 posts

225 months

Saturday 5th May 2012
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My hot fan seized up completely just after I got the Cerb. When I took it apart, I found that the inner wing was full of dead leaves - about 2 carrier bags full. There is nothing to protect the fan from sucking in whatever rubbish has found its way in there.

Stripping and cleaning the fan motor and oiling the thing absolutely transformed it. However although it blows strongly now its still crap at clearing the windscreen especially on the drivers side. I think the design of the vents means that there is little or no air pressure by the time it gets across from the passenger wing.

The cure for misting up was to fit a heated windscreen when my original one cracked.

Mad Mark

2,345 posts

256 months

Sunday 6th May 2012
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You can probably improve it a lot just but sealing up the joins in the pipework under the dashboard. I used to get more air leaking out under there than actually came out the vents.
It's worth putting the blowers on full and feeling around especially around the steering column area.

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

218 months

Sunday 6th May 2012
quotequote all
I had the whole box and matrix on the bench last night.The matrix is rotton but the size of the motor for that blower is tiny unlike the cold one that has much more power.

I have refitted the alloy box on it's own for now with out the matrix so i can use the car until i find something more modern that will fit. I will be adding a valve as well so it only heats up when i want it to unlike the current open loop circut as standard. (cooks you alive in summer or europe)

PoleDriver

29,369 posts

218 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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Does anyone know if This would fit?

Mr Cerbera

5,148 posts

254 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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All I can say is upgrade to whtever they put in the 2001 4.5s.

Mine is like an oven whenever I want and demists in seconds.

Sorry !

spongy

2,236 posts

185 months

Monday 7th May 2012
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good man scotty mine needs doing so will follow this with interest.wifeys side gets warmer than my side as she was nice and toasty on the way home from chatsworth,did demist faster on passengers side which is mental.

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

218 months

Monday 7th May 2012
quotequote all
PoleDriver said:
Does anyone know if This would fit?
The motor looks much like the one in the Cerb just now i would have to modify the original alloy box or make a new duct to divert the air flow to the vents but it could work. Size i will go measure it up and see later in the week.

Mags

1,196 posts

303 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
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I don’t have any problems with the lack of heat being produced, the screen vents push out a decent amount of hot air, the vents in the footwell seem pretty feeble and the draughts in the footwell seem to cancel out what they produce. Was there a thread from years ago about where to look for draughts in the footwell?

pmessling

2,313 posts

227 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
Mr Cerbera said:
All I can say is upgrade to whtever they put in the 2001 4.5s.

Mine is like an oven whenever I want and demists in seconds.

Sorry !
Have to agree, my 2004 car is fine, aircon is better than my ZT when i had it, heater is good, and demist is fine, a clean windscreen always helps speed things up.

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

218 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
Check your door seals they make it feel like air is coming in through the foot wells but the seals could just be tiered.

robsco

7,875 posts

200 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
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Mags said:
I don’t have any problems with the lack of heat being produced, the screen vents push out a decent amount of hot air, the vents in the footwell seem pretty feeble and the draughts in the footwell seem to cancel out what they produce. Was there a thread from years ago about where to look for draughts in the footwell?
Tennis ball in the driver's side air intake?

Mags

1,196 posts

303 months

Wednesday 9th May 2012
quotequote all
robsco said:
Tennis ball in the driver's side air intake?
Where is this, in the wheel well?

scotty_d

Original Poster:

6,795 posts

218 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
This one looks like a good option bit bigger than the one above and the option with the plenum to run more ducting else where and as well as 5.2kw of heat cloud9

http://www.cbsonline.co.uk/product/5.2Kw_Car_Heate...

Will it fit? not sure need to pull my foot well to bits again to measure up so might just leave it till next time i am home so i can just use the car the way it stands just now for my last week at home.
I am mid way through a LPG conversion on my dads car so it is taking my time up just now.

I have been thinking about a trip to the scrap yard but the problem with that is

A. Finding a good heater that will fit.

B. Having to rip apart a cars Dash to find it wont fit lol.

Edited by scotty_d on Thursday 10th May 10:18

robsco

7,875 posts

200 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
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Mags said:
Where is this, in the wheel well?
Below the indicator lens on the outside of the car.

GT6k

948 posts

186 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
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Proper tennis ball position

Mine is quite capable of keeping the footwells and screen hot with the ball in place