Morris Minor Owners Club

Having just got my convertible back from the garage with a new clutch, I cant seem to turn the heater from blowing hot to cold.

Ive checked that the cable and it seems (from the outside at least) that the valve is opening / closing. but whatever position its in its just hot air that comes through.

Is the valve kapput?, are they repairable ?, or is the simple answer to replace it?.

Im hoping that its easily / cheaply repairable as its just cost me £508 (parts £172, labour £261 and VAT £75) for 12k mile service plus new clutch, front brake cylinders and and crankshaft spigot bush!.

Thanks for any advice
Mike Shipman - Sway - New Forest - Hampshire.

Had a similar problem a couple of years ago. It WAS the valve. Didn't attempt a repair, fitted replacement. About £20?

Sounds like the old valve is stuck 'on' due to corrosion or scale. You might be able to free it off. Yes, it's a simple job once you've drained a bit of coolant from the radiator. From memory you undo two small recessed bolts holding the cable and the valve itself requires removing two slightly larger bolts. Make sure you get & use the small 50p gasket - re-using the old one may cause leaking.

Hi
Look in "Spares for sale" I am selling Valve (New) and badges for £20.
inc. Post. Cost £38.
...............Ivor.......................

Hi to all of ye !!

My 56 spitscreen the heater does not work at all, smyths of course,
how much is a new one ?? are they easy to repiar.,.there is a small cirvular thing in the middle ,,and it appears very loose I presume this is used for switching from hot to cold!
I am not being very stupid and ignoring some switch..PS
where are the switch for it ?? is it the circulur switch in the middle of heater??

ALl this was fine of course a few weeks ago ,lovely weather,, comdensation getting the better of me.

Mike Shipman wrote:Having just got my convertible back from the garage with a new clutch, I cant seem to turn the heater from blowing hot to cold.

Ive checked that the cable and it seems (from the outside at least) that the valve is opening / closing. but whatever position its in its just hot air that comes through.

Is the valve kapput?, are they repairable ?, or is the simple answer to replace it?.

Im hoping that its easily / cheaply repairable as its just cost me £508 (parts £172, labour £261 and VAT £75) for 12k mile service plus new clutch, front brake cylinders and and crankshaft spigot bush!.

Thanks for any advice
Mike Shipman - Sway - New Forest - Hampshire.

Hello there!

56_Split:
The switch in the centre of the heater, is a rheostat, and switches the fan on. Turning it slightly will switch the fan on at full speed, and turning it further by degrees will slow the motor down to a relaxed chug.

That's of course, if it works... If not, then have a look at the fuses - there's only two, so chances are there's something else not working... Or, you might want to look over the electrical connections, for poor earths and bad bullets. If it's the rheaostat, you can buy new switches, but I'm not sure that they will fit properly. Sorry.

Okay, now assuming all that works, you may have hit upon a problem. You have lots of cold air, but no warm, or (saints be praised) hot.

Well, to allow hot water from the engine through to the heater unit you will have to have a poke about in the engine bay; so pop the bonnet, and we'll have a look.

Standing facing the car (you get more done that way...) at the back of the engine, there should be a water pipe heading from the block to the bulkhead. At the back of the engine there will be some sort of a valve. It might be the later "butterfly" valve, in which case you need to move the arm to the "open" position. Assuming it's in the "closed" to start with.

You might have the screw down valve, which would be correct for your car. If you screw it down, no water is sent to the heater. If you screw it up (anticlockwise) then water will flow through the heater.

Try it and see... You might be pleasantly surprised.

If this doesn't work, then the valve is probably unservicable and needs replacing. New valves of both types can be bought from Minor parts places. The later valve should have a control cable to operate from inside the car, but should be no different in price to the earlier brass handwheel valve. Replacement is fairly easy, although you will lose a couple of pints of coolant on the drive... no mater how much you try not to! Best thing to do is to drain the radiator, and give the whole system a flush.

If the whole thing is kaput (eeek! ), then I think new ones can be bought, although they're not cheap. I think the traditional recirculatory Smiths heater (the round ones) are still available, but most Minor suppliers may try to steer you in the direction of the later-type fresh air heater, or even an uprated one made from bits cannibalised from a Mini.

Mike:
If it worked before you took the car into the garage, go back to them and have them on toast! Often, cack-handed engine removal (which is sometimes required in a clutch change) means the heater tap gets bashed against the bulkhead. This could be the cause of any damage - especially if it was working before... That said, replacing it is only a half-hour job, and the parts won't cost you more than £25 - do fit it the right way around, though... or you could end up doing it again. I didn't do that, of course . Well, we live and learn!!

Sorry, if this is a bit (a lot!) waffly! Well, why use ten words, when forty will do just as well?

Good luck all!

Hi Mike
I have sent"E" re.Valve.
I suspect your system has an Air Lock. If it worked before but not after disconnection this is most likely. They just undo valve leaving cable on, so providing its not maladjusted should be fine.
Cure------ Drain Engine and radiator (below level of heater tap). save Anti-freeze if clean. Make sure heater tap is OPEN(HOT position), fill with about Quart (dates me!) start engine run untill warm. SLOWLY fill with another Quart. ( SLOWLY is because the Thermostat maybe not open yet). When engine/radiator is hot fill to recommended level.
Run engine till you feel heater hose is hot and stable.
Minors were prone to Air Locks due to the heater radiator design and location.
Try this before buying my valve!..................Ivor..................
WARNING---------DO NOT REMOVE PRESSURE CAP WHEN HOT!!!!!!!!

Thanks Poached Egg to the rescue again..

I will check this out, she is a circular smyths. and that thing in the middle does appear very loose.

I gave her a wax on tuesday evening,Turtle Wax.turned out very nice .
Must get that heater going allright,,god its getting cold !!

Gareth wrote:Hello there!

56_Split:
The switch in the centre of the heater, is a rheostat, and switches the fan on. Turning it slightly will switch the fan on at full speed, and turning it further by degrees will slow the motor down to a relaxed chug.

That's of course, if it works... If not, then have a look at the fuses - there's only two, so chances are there's something else not working... Or, you might want to look over the electrical connections, for poor earths and bad bullets. If it's the rheaostat, you can buy new switches, but I'm not sure that they will fit properly. Sorry.

Okay, now assuming all that works, you may have hit upon a problem. You have lots of cold air, but no warm, or (saints be praised) hot.

Well, to allow hot water from the engine through to the heater unit you will have to have a poke about in the engine bay; so pop the bonnet, and we'll have a look.

Standing facing the car (you get more done that way...) at the back of the engine, there should be a water pipe heading from the block to the bulkhead. At the back of the engine there will be some sort of a valve. It might be the later "butterfly" valve, in which case you need to move the arm to the "open" position. Assuming it's in the "closed" to start with.

You might have the screw down valve, which would be correct for your car. If you screw it down, no water is sent to the heater. If you screw it up (anticlockwise) then water will flow through the heater.

Try it and see... You might be pleasantly surprised.

If this doesn't work, then the valve is probably unservicable and needs replacing. New valves of both types can be bought from Minor parts places. The later valve should have a control cable to operate from inside the car, but should be no different in price to the earlier brass handwheel valve. Replacement is fairly easy, although you will lose a couple of pints of coolant on the drive... no mater how much you try not to! Best thing to do is to drain the radiator, and give the whole system a flush.

If the whole thing is kaput (eeek! ), then I think new ones can be bought, although they're not cheap. I think the traditional recirculatory Smiths heater (the round ones) are still available, but most Minor suppliers may try to steer you in the direction of the later-type fresh air heater, or even an uprated one made from bits cannibalised from a Mini.

Mike:
If it worked before you took the car into the garage, go back to them and have them on toast! Often, cack-handed engine removal (which is sometimes required in a clutch change) means the heater tap gets bashed against the bulkhead. This could be the cause of any damage - especially if it was working before... That said, replacing it is only a half-hour job, and the parts won't cost you more than £25 - do fit it the right way around, though... or you could end up doing it again. I didn't do that, of course . Well, we live and learn!!

Sorry, if this is a bit (a lot!) waffly! Well, why use ten words, when forty will do just as well?

Good luck all!

Hi Ivor, I just e-mailed you to say that I'd buy your valve and have just seen your note on the message board.
I will indeed check out to see if its an air lock, if its not, I will buy your valve. Thanks for the advice!.


Thanks to all the rest of you guys too for your responses.


Regards,
Mike Shipman

Hi Mike
It will not be an air lock because when this happens you will only get cold air because the air lock stops the water circulating through the heater matrix and as you have hot air this is not the problem. As suggested by Gareth I would suspect the valve has been damaged .

Hi Kevin,
thanks for those words of wisdom, I hadnt had time so far to check out the airlock suggestion but wont bother now.

Ivor - I'll send you the cheque for the valve, I'll e-mail you directly to confirm.

Many thanks to everyone for comments and suggestions.

Regards,

Mike Shipman.

Thanks Gareth..

I got it fixed well, My brother did it for me, it was the
rheostat, faulty wiring,she is now cooking my feet a toastie flavour of
pure warmth..lovely heat out of it and by goddin its appreciated.

Kind Rgds.

Gareth wrote:Hello there!

56_Split:
The switch in the centre of the heater, is a rheostat, and switches the fan on. Turning it slightly will switch the fan on at full speed, and turning it further by degrees will slow the motor down to a relaxed chug.

That's of course, if it works... If not, then have a look at the fuses - there's only two, so chances are there's something else not working... Or, you might want to look over the electrical connections, for poor earths and bad bullets. If it's the rheaostat, you can buy new switches, but I'm not sure that they will fit properly. Sorry.

Okay, now assuming all that works, you may have hit upon a problem. You have lots of cold air, but no warm, or (saints be praised) hot.

Well, to allow hot water from the engine through to the heater unit you will have to have a poke about in the engine bay; so pop the bonnet, and we'll have a look.

Standing facing the car (you get more done that way...) at the back of the engine, there should be a water pipe heading from the block to the bulkhead. At the back of the engine there will be some sort of a valve. It might be the later "butterfly" valve, in which case you need to move the arm to the "open" position. Assuming it's in the "closed" to start with.

You might have the screw down valve, which would be correct for your car. If you screw it down, no water is sent to the heater. If you screw it up (anticlockwise) then water will flow through the heater.

Try it and see... You might be pleasantly surprised.

If this doesn't work, then the valve is probably unservicable and needs replacing. New valves of both types can be bought from Minor parts places. The later valve should have a control cable to operate from inside the car, but should be no different in price to the earlier brass handwheel valve. Replacement is fairly easy, although you will lose a couple of pints of coolant on the drive... no mater how much you try not to! Best thing to do is to drain the radiator, and give the whole system a flush.

If the whole thing is kaput (eeek! ), then I think new ones can be bought, although they're not cheap. I think the traditional recirculatory Smiths heater (the round ones) are still available, but most Minor suppliers may try to steer you in the direction of the later-type fresh air heater, or even an uprated one made from bits cannibalised from a Mini.

Mike:
If it worked before you took the car into the garage, go back to them and have them on toast! Often, cack-handed engine removal (which is sometimes required in a clutch change) means the heater tap gets bashed against the bulkhead. This could be the cause of any damage - especially if it was working before... That said, replacing it is only a half-hour job, and the parts won't cost you more than £25 - do fit it the right way around, though... or you could end up doing it again. I didn't do that, of course . Well, we live and learn!!

Sorry, if this is a bit (a lot!) waffly! Well, why use ten words, when forty will do just as well?

Good luck all!

( Hi Ivor - many thanks for sending through the heater valve, it arrived yesterday).

It looks like I need a gasket to connect the heater valve, can anyone tell me if I can make one or do I need to purchase a specific one?. If make one - what material should I use?.

Thanks.

Mike Shipman.

Hello there!

Gaskets are 50p, I think.

I bought a new valve not long ago, and had a new gasket with it, but it looked a bit like a piece of waxed cardboard. You could probably try making one out of a cornflakes packet!!

I know that works for oil filter housings &c, but it might not on the water system.

That said, the one I fitted looked just like a piece of waxed paper... If it leaks, try some sealant around it - but not too much so that it closes the waterways!



All the best

I think that most motor factors carry waxed gasket paper.

I have come across two types, thick & thin.

If you tell them what it is for, then they should give you the right stuff.

It is probably better to go to the smaller motor factors other than Halfords etc. as they carry a wider selection of bits for older cars.

Cam.