heater hoses

[midget]

Nearing the finish of my van restoration and now fitting new heater hoses.
Probably not crucially important, but which way is the most efficient order of connection..ie top inlet or bottom inlet on heater from head or bottom hose? I am thinking that the warmer coolant would "rise" through the (mini) heater more quickly?

Despite having 2 other examples to copy they have both options!

I have just discovered that fitting a Mini heater does mean that you have to lose the parcel shelf which may be of use to others contemplating this.

[philthehill]

John
It does not really matter which way the pipes are connected as the water is pumped through the heater from the back of the head via the heater tap/valve.
When the heater tap/valve is open water flows - when the heater tap/valve is closed water does not flow. It does not reverse flow from the bottom hose - though the Mini wksp manual I have does show the pipe from the heater tap/valve on the back of the head attached to the lower inlet of the heater matrix.
Phil

[IslipMinor]

I have fitted a Mini heater box, but adapted it to use the Minor controls, as the Mini ones are very different. The whole assembly is in a 1958 car, complete with the later type parcel tray.

From a thermal efficiency perspective, this is a pumped system, with very little height change, so the direction of flow through the heater matrix is immaterial.

Looking at the BMC Workshop Manual, it looks like whichever hose goes through the top hole through the bulkhead, goes to the top connection on the heater, and likewise for the bottom hole. This means on earlier cars where the heater return hose goes into the bottom of the radiator, the hose from the back of the head will go to the top of the heater matrix, but on later cars (shown in the picture below) it will be the return hose that goes to the top heater connection. Please see the extract from the manual below.

Heater Upgrade Fixing Pt 1.jpg (857.46 KiB) Viewed 777 times

Heater Upgrade Fixing Pt 2.jpg (1.39 MiB) Viewed 777 times

[midget]

Thanks to both for confirming that it is immaterial.

As for the heater position, I have tried to re position the shelf but this will limit the already limited legroom available with the 4 door/van cabin so will learn to live without it. My original heater will require a lot of time to be usable but will bear this in mind for later.

[midget]

Thanks to both for confirming that it is immaterial.

As for the heater position, I have tried to re position the shelf but this will limit the already limited legroom available with the 4 door/van cabin so will learn to live without it. My original heater will require a lot of time to be usable but will bear this in mind for later.