9 replies to this topic

[MBrownAXA]

I am getting rid of the heater in my 1994 rover 35 because I live in the topics.

The two hoses that go through to the heater, do I just connect those two together?

Regards
MB

[MacGyver]

You can, yes. 😁

[PoolGuy]

Does it cause any cooling issues if you feed the hot water from the end of the head back into the block without being cooled? I’d heard that you should feed it back into the thermostat housing/top hose?

[Ethel]

Not sure it'd flow much if you did that.

 

The radiator will have a particular capacity to dump heat, feeding in hotter water to the water that's already been through it won't alter that. In fact if you could get the flow high enough so the water leaving the radiator is as hot as the water entering it, that would give you the maximum potential to transfer heat in to the air going through the radiator core.

 

You could link the redundant hose ends with a length of copper pipe with a valve in it if you really wanted to experiment to find the optimum flow. 

[Tds76]

I went the opposite way as my mini originally had no heater. There was no connection on the bottom hose and a blanking plate instead of the heater valve.

The bottom hose can still be bought and the blank could be easily made from approx 2 to 3 mm plate.

Edit: the plate can be bought for £3.50 inc gasket.
https://www.ebay.com...tm/381700844362

Edited by Tds76, 29 December 2021 - 11:30 PM.

[nicklouse]

I would leave the heater connected as the extra water volume will help you in the hotter climate. 
 

but as to connecting the hoses sure it is no different to what Rover did on the MPi for when you turned off the heat.

 

people will say you should plumb the hose into the top hose rather than the bottom hose  so that it gets cooled. But it is being added to the cooled water and it is a closed system I don’t see the issue.  One point I have seen is people talk about putting a restriction in the hose so that not too much coolant can pass that way.

[MBrownAXA]

I would leave the heater if it was a serious component to keeping her cooled but In terms of style etc I have my heart set on removing it!
Is there anything I can do to counter act the hot into cold. Mind you I’m brand new to fixing my own mini and I’m leaning on the go on an island that doesn’t even know what I’m driving!

[mab01uk]

There are many times in all the years I have had various Minis where it has been necessary to put the heater on to increase engine cooling on a hot day in traffic in the UK (with all the windows opened!). Be sure this won't be an issue in your climate before discarding the heater matrix which is effectively a small additional radiator. Maybe fit an additional electric fan under the wheel arch as on later Minis if you don't already have one.

Edited by mab01uk, 30 December 2021 - 11:25 AM.

[Ethel]

Why noy experiment before removing it.

 

The heater matrix doesn't make a good external radiator, the vanes are very fine & easily blocked or bent. You could find a bike radiator or oil cooler instead, but overheating is usually down to insufficient airflow at low speeds, so an extra electric fan is likely to be more use.

[Steam]

Remove the heater and pull the hoses into the engine bay. Fit a small rad or a heater core at the front onto the subframe and replumb as an aux rad. Will help with cooling and will also give across the head water flow with water at No4 cyl end.
Win Win.

Edited by Steam, 01 January 2022 - 04:35 AM.