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Heater + Blower


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#1 ChrisDrew09

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Posted 18 November 2020 - 07:34 PM

Hi. I’m close to getting my mini back on the road and I’ll be starting the inside soon. The heater fan is bloody dreadful in mine. (I assume they are in all of them as it’s just an old car) mines a 1992 mini sprite. It’s just irritating as when it was on the road it never really cleared the screen properly. Or you sit there for AGES. Can you upgrade the fan? I assume it’s running at max capacity but they just aren’t any good? Does everyone’s fan take ages to clear the screen, if at all?

#2 MiniMadRacer

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Posted 18 November 2020 - 07:43 PM

I am not sure on the later (90's) minis, but the old 70s ones had a plastic upside down funnel held with two screws on the top dash rail to get the hot air to the screen. These were pretty much stapled together and warp and fall apart....Worth checking all the hose delivery to the screen before thinking of changing the blower, a mate of mine back in the day turned his plastic vents to ally (by maching ally sheets) with no splits in them.... (I hope the above makes sone sense)



#3 MiniMadRacer

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Posted 18 November 2020 - 07:47 PM

https://www.bing.com...PRST&ajaxhist=0

 

 

The offending articles



#4 mini-mad-mark

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Posted 18 November 2020 - 10:14 PM

I found a very slight improvement by gaffer taping up the sides of the plastic vents to seal them (and taping the hoses to the vents) but I think a lot of the loss is in the heater box itself as when the flap is in the Screen position there is still quite a gap all round the outside to what would go into the car - I tried to add some soft foam to one heater (whilst I was changing the matrix) to better seal it in the screen position but it didn't seem to do much except make it harder to move from Screen to Car position.... O_O 

 

As mentioned the original fan doesn't push much air (never felt a 2-speed are they any better in "top" ?) and the heater is surprisingly cool in the winter (and hot in the summer!) even though the temp gauge stays very similar (just below N in the winter and just above in the summer)

 

To be honest I find cracking the window an inch clears the screen quickly and more permanently and unless its tonking down with rain nothing much comes in - if it is pouring I only crack it open half an inch!!! As long as its not absolutely freezing just keeping the heat in the car keeps it warm enough but rarely too hot 

 

Compare it to the daily (Audi) 12 speed fan (yeah I know they will be so close it makes no difference between each step) - I use it on 4-ish to keep a constant temp once the temp is right and 8-ish when its cold (or hot) and only use 12 to clear the screen mainly because on 12 its way loud. It gets so hot that on 12 speed, max heat and through the face vents it feels like its actually burning your face and literally does make your eyes dry up. Now how to transfer that to a mini....



#5 ChrisDrew09

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 10:13 AM

I’ll have a look to make sure they’re intact still. However I do find when I move the lever to ‘screen’ it’s still blowing straight out the blower a bit still, not sure if that’s supposed to happen though?

#6 ChrisDrew09

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 10:16 AM

I found a very slight improvement by gaffer taping up the sides of the plastic vents to seal them (and taping the hoses to the vents) but I think a lot of the loss is in the heater box itself as when the flap is in the Screen position there is still quite a gap all round the outside to what would go into the car - I tried to add some soft foam to one heater (whilst I was changing the matrix) to better seal it in the screen position but it didn't seem to do much except make it harder to move from Screen to Car position.... O_O

As mentioned the original fan doesn't push much air (never felt a 2-speed are they any better in "top" ?) and the heater is surprisingly cool in the winter (and hot in the summer!) even though the temp gauge stays very similar (just below N in the winter and just above in the summer)

To be honest I find cracking the window an inch clears the screen quickly and more permanently and unless its tonking down with rain nothing much comes in - if it is pouring I only crack it open half an inch!!! As long as its not absolutely freezing just keeping the heat in the car keeps it warm enough but rarely too hot

Compare it to the daily (Audi) 12 speed fan (yeah I know they will be so close it makes no difference between each step) - I use it on 4-ish to keep a constant temp once the temp is right and 8-ish when its cold (or hot) and only use 12 to clear the screen mainly because on 12 its way loud. It gets so hot that on 12 speed, max heat and through the face vents it feels like its actually burning your face and literally does make your eyes dry up. Now how to transfer that to a mini....


That’s the issue I have with it coming out of the blower as it doesn’t seal properly when you switch it to ‘screen’ will try and seal the pipes etc a little better! Cheers

#7 kit352

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 11:17 AM

There are a couple things you can to improve the demist function.
Make sure your heater box is sealed well.
Use zip ties or tape on the the hose joints if you are keeping the stock corrogated hose.
Switch to a smooth bore hose thats git a thicker side wall. I used spare silicone heater hose for mine with proper clamps.
Take the plastic dash vents snd make sure they are sealed together still as mentioned. Ive used tape, fiberglass, plastic welding etc to seal it before. All worked about the same.
Obviously nake sure your heat exchange is flowing pretty good and that you have good hot air to begin with.

#8 goudoogje

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 01:59 PM

I use a later type SPI heather and dash vents (they are bigger and more robust then the old ones).

 

The old ones are smaller, and the part blowing on the screen will most of the time disform due to its age. The later type does not have this problem. 

 

On my car it works verry wel. 



#9 goudoogje

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 02:35 PM

just to add:

 

the old type:

 

https://www.ebay.co....yIAAOSwXE5fnpAB

 

the new type:

 

https://www.ebay.co....agAAOSw31JfpZCE

 

Not my add's, just for the pictures :-) 



#10 ChrisDrew09

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Posted 19 November 2020 - 10:22 PM

just to add:

the old type:

https://www.ebay.co....yIAAOSwXE5fnpAB

the new type:

https://www.ebay.co....agAAOSw31JfpZCE

Not my add's, just for the pictures :-)


Thanks I will give that a try with the new type and try to seal it all the best I can.

#11 unburntfuelinthemorning

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Posted 03 December 2020 - 05:56 PM

Although not as powerful as heaters in modern cars the Mini heater should still clear a good part of the screen if working correctly.  You should feel a reasonable amount of air coming out the demister vents if all is well.  Cleaning the inside of the windscreen regularly with a good glass cleaner is important as clean screens clear faster - particularly important to do often if you smoke in the car.  Also a small leak in the heater matrix will stop the screen clearing properly.



#12 eric67

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Posted 03 December 2020 - 08:14 PM

The Works Minis had a perspex deflector fitted to the top dash rail to direct air onto the windscreen. Maybe worth trying if all else fails.



#13 MikeRotherham

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Posted 04 December 2020 - 05:18 PM

On my 94 the heater works very well

 

That said I was lucky enough to buy a new mini in 1978, ran the car as a daily driver for years and found the heater more than adequate.

 

I think as others have said all the bits need to be performing at their best to get the best out of the setup.



#14 jaysmini1983

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Posted 05 December 2020 - 10:45 AM

I use a later type SPI heather and dash vents (they are bigger and more robust then the old ones).

 

The old ones are smaller, and the part blowing on the screen will most of the time disform due to its age. The later type does not have this problem. 

 

On my car it works verry wel. 

 

i did the same for mine. they seem much better and mines the single speed. however you could spalsh out for the twin speed if you wanted, i dont think they run faster but you can run them slower and leave it on the screen, also check the flap seal as they do work when closing correctly.



#15 unburntfuelinthemorning

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Posted 06 December 2020 - 07:42 PM

 Also a small leak in the heater matrix will stop the screen clearing properly.

Water leaks in general don't help.  If you have damp carpets the interior will steam up badly and be difficult to clear.






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