Round type heater 'fresh air vent'

[woo]

My '62 De-Luxe Moggie has the lever controlled fresh air vent attached. I have yet to notice any difference whether the control lever under the parcel tray is pulled out or pushed in. I know that one way re-circulates the air within the car and the other way allows fresh air in. Can anybody tell me if they notice any difference with theirs? I hear a light 'clonk' when I pull or push the lever so I believe the vent is operating, I just don't notice any difference.

Thanks

[rayofleamington]

I doubt that you'll notice any difference at this time of year.

[woo]

Ray,

I understand your point about this time of year, but I haven't noticed any difference for 10 years

[rayofleamington]

erm - does that mean you get cold air all year round or hot air all year round?
If you switch it over to recirculate the interior air you should be able to (eventually) warm up the interior.

I did have one of those (also a 62) but as it came with 6 months MOT and a lot of fibreglass in the sills I never got to find out if the flap made much difference in winter.

[Gareth]

Mine doesn't appear to make much difference. You're either taking air from inside the car (which, given how draughty the mog is, could be quite cool) or from inside the box section over the gearbox... Bit pointless, really, which is why they altered the design, I shouldn't wonder...

[woo]

Gareth, Thanks. I have never seen any 'operating instructions' for the fresh air vent so I assume that when the knob is pulled out the vent is open and when pushed in the vent is closed.

[Cam]

Woo,

I have not seen one of those systems before....... I don't suppose you have a picture of the lever do you?

If I'm understanding you correctly, then the lever operates a 'valve' which cuts off/allows fresh air into the car. I have one of these on my MG but I have never seen one in a Moggy! Was it standard equipment or an option? And what years was it available from? I'm intrigued!

[ColinP]

Cam,

If I remember correctly (fom 1964 when I read our 1962 2-door's manual), there is/was a flap which is cable operated to allow fresh air into the car.
I think the flap was just under the battery box, so the "fresh" air came from the engine bay - maybe another use for that large round hole?

As above, it was a long time ago that I read the owner's manual - my 1098cc 1966 2 door has the later heater & owner's book, so that doesn't help. The '62 2 door was 948cc with white/red flashing indicators & the round heater .....

Colin

[Cam]

Colin,

That large round hole is at the back of the battery. Is that the one you mean? or was it another one lower?

[TeHoro]

Colin,

That large round hole is at the back of the battery. Is that the one you mean? or was it another one lower?

I'm not Colin, but...

For that type of heater there is a big slot cut into the firewall that accesses the back side of the crossmember/channel that holds the front shocks. I guess it is open to the outside air somehow, but I never noticed much difference on mine. Eventually the round core sprung a leak and I refitted an NZ-spec (IIRC) "box" heater. I might still have the old one in the junk pile, or not.

The later ducted heater that I have in the Traveller is *much* better, especially after I replace the amazingly blocked-up heater hoses.

Trev.

[woo]

Cam,

If you have the Workshop Manual AKD 530 (14th Edition) -- My CD from ebay is this version -- details of the Fresh Air Conversion Kit Installation are near the back in section SS3. The manual doesn't say where the fresh air is drawn in from. It just talks about removing a blanking plate in the centre of the floor panel.

[Cam]

Ahhh..... right, I get you now. Thanks Trev!

I have the manual, but not here with me. I'll have a gander when I get home at the weekend.

[ColinP]

Trev,

Thanks for that (& greetings from UK - my Dept manager has a picture of the All Blacks on her Office wall - guess where she comes form?)

Cam, I can't remember where the hole was - not now. I was about 15 at the time & much more interested in the possibility of dropping the Rover V8 into a Minor than worrying about heating! All I can remember is that it didn't provide any "ram" effect, so the fan was on almost continually.

Colin

[rayofleamington]

For that type of heater there is a big slot cut into the firewall that accesses the back side of the crossmember/channel that holds the front shocks.

That's the one - maybe the crossmember is open to the chassis legs but it is hardly open into the engine bay. It seemed a wierd idea when I first saw it as you can't always guarantee getting fresho air from a box section near the engine bay !

[newagetraveller]

I thought the hole was just behind the steering rack when you look under the bonnet. Inside the car it was in the floor just to the left of, and slightly higher than, the dip switch.

[rayofleamington]

It definately opens into the box section above the rack - when I took the heater off I was expecting to see through into the engine bay so I certainly remember that I couldn't

[Cam]

Where does the air come from? I can't remember exacly now, but those box-section ends aren't open to the air are they?

[Willie]

The workshop manual has an article which describes fitting this
fresh air inlet to the heater. It describes everything very thoroughly
but doesn't state which position of the control knob is 'open' or
'closed'.

[woo]

Willie,

Thanks, your reading is the same as mine. Presumably if you installed it yourself open and closed would be obvious, but It's a bit odd that nowhere seems to give the answer. I don't particularly want the 'fresh air' but closing it might be useful to stop nasty smells, smoke etc. from getting into the car.