Morris Minor Owners Club

I think it's time to turn it anticlockwise again....
brrr

Maybe this is what's confusing me - with my round heater, you have to turn that clockwise to switch it on... Granted, that's not a valve, but an electrical fitting, but hey - any excuse is a good one!

that's not a valve, but an electrical fitting

Does that mean its a rheostat switch (being non electrically minded)

I suspect there's a bit of confusion rearing it's head here as to which knob or wheel or valve is being referred to. My understanding of the original question was a query about a knob inside the car, a push/pull device which was finally identified as controlling the flow of air into the cabin through a flap. We now seem to have migrated under the bonnet to the small valve on the cylinder cover that controls the supply of water to the heater itself. Or back inside the car, do we mean the rheostat knob that controls the heater fan on the older round heater unit?

Amanda was talking about "twiddling the thingy under the bonnet", which I thought was suitably technical!

Earlier cars have a screw-down valve, later ones have a cable-operated one. Both under the bonnet

Earlier cars also have a rheostat (thanks, Kevin ;) - couldn't remember what it was called - kept thinking of potentiometers ) which controls the heater fan inside the car. Later ones have a proper heater with rocker switches, and sliders &c.

I should've kept my fingers away from the keyboard, methinks...

Sorry I've missed a post somewhere - couldn't work out how things had transfered form air flap control knobs to turning things!
Both my cars have the twiddly thingy under the bonnet but the Traveller has later heater without turny thingy in the car. With apologies to Amanda.

My teacher taught me "righty tighty and lefty loosey"

sorry if offended anyone, but politics never entered my head when talking about a valve! : guess i'm just going to have to tell my father that i didn't learn anything at school after all

Hi Amanda,
So far we have discussed cable and wheel operated heater control valves, the early minor 1000 fresh air flap and also various knobs doing various things :?
I think I'm just confused now!

Are you referring to one on the heater that turns it on and off - as mentioned in Gareths's post?

Maybe this is what's confusing me - with my round heater, you have to turn that clockwise to switch it on...

Quite often the bakelite 'turn' switches have a small metal piece inside that fits the flat side of a D-shaped shaft. If the metal piece gets lost, the knob will either not work, or break. Not 100% sure your knob is designed like that but it may have been.
If so, maybe you can get a replacement know from one of the spares specialists.

If it's one of the other knobs, please enlighten us

It sounds very much like the bakelite knob on the heater body. I should think that an old automotive electrical factors' should have one... Although you could do worse than try to superglue it back together. ;)

If the water tap on the top of the engine is open (clockwise) and there is no output from the heater, even with the fan not running the heater casing should get warm, the water supply through the heater could be airlocked. That's another complication though.
I'm totally confused as to which knobs and thing are now being referred to (see my earlier post!), this all started with the air flap control knob.

If you think you have an airlock in your heater a way to try is start the car and pull off the output side of the heater pipe at the engine and the water will spurt out and put it straight back on, it will be messey so put some old rags in place this generally burps the heater system.

The 'knob on the buiscuit tin' is the heater switch and fan speed control. Turned completly anti*****wise it is off. Turn it a little *****wise (a little click can be felt on a good unit) and the heater will be on full blast. The more you turn it *****wise the more the speed reduces.
A bit of a cockeyed way of arranging the heating but I'm sure there is a good mechanical reason for it.
Hope that helps

Amanda

a black biscuit tin with holes

Yes that sounds just like Gareths Heater

black bakelite knob

Yes that sounds like Gareths Rheostat switch.
It sounds like the inside of the switch has gone US, I wonder if somewon has a repair because I looked on East Sussex Minors Site and the Rheostat Switch is listed HTR 125 but its £36.95 + vat ouch.

Dont worry Amanda we wont get cross its all a learning curve for all of us

I shoudn't think it would be a problem.

I'm amazed that your heater just makes a wooshing / blowing noise... Mine sounds like a bag of chisels being vigorously shaken!!