30 replies to this topic

[tr03bor]

Sounds like the fan in my heater is broken

Where can i get a new heater???

I've Heard MPI units are good too? anyone got one handy i can buy?

1993 SPI 1.3 MINI

Edited by tr03bor, 13 December 2007 - 12:00 PM.

[Big_Adam]

You want a MPi unit?

Expect to pay £50-100 for it then. They be silly expensive.

[Mini_Magic]

You want a MPi unit?

Expect to pay £50-100 for it then. They be silly expensive.

Due to it being a two speed heater, bloody brilliant in the winter!

[Silicon Skum]

You know, this had me thinking - What about simply REPLACING the fan motor in a standard heater box, with a fan motor from another car (scrap yard trip) and the associated speed controls (typically 3 or 4 speeds). Most fan motors are of a similar size (just need to reuse the mini fan assembly), and all the speed control gubbins are allready there in a scrap car.........so?


Now I realize that it's not a straight forward swap, BUT should only require a small ammount of modification to the heater box, and it'll give you a stronger heater fan, which should be a lot cheaper than an MPI unit. Seem like a good idea?

I might have a trip up to the scrap yard and see if I can recover a mini heater box - plus a few parts from other cars - and see if this is doable.

SS

[mike.]

Sounds like a great idea to me!

[Mini_Magic]

You know, this had me thinking - What about simply REPLACING the fan motor in a standard heater box, with a fan motor from another car (scrap yard trip) and the associated speed controls (typically 3 or 4 speeds). Most fan motors are of a similar size (just need to reuse the mini fan assembly), and all the speed control gubbins are allready there in a scrap car.........so?


Now I realize that it's not a straight forward swap, BUT should only require a small ammount of modification to the heater box, and it'll give you a stronger heater fan, which should be a lot cheaper than an MPI unit. Seem like a good idea?

I might have a trip up to the scrap yard and see if I can recover a mini heater box - plus a few parts from other cars - and see if this is doable.

SS

Don't you think BMW would have knicked a heater from a Rover model, like they did with the MGF steering wheel, insted of converting the normal heater to a two speed? There must be a reason why BMW couldn't just stick a Rover heater into a Mini in 1996.

Edited by Mini_Magic, 13 December 2007 - 01:44 PM.

[tr03bor]

Dont really want to mess about just need a new one ASAP!

[Mini_Magic]

Dont really want to mess about just need a new one ASAP!

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...1QQcmdZViewItem

[Silicon Skum]

Don't you think BMW would have knicked a heater from a Rover model, like they did with the MGF steering wheel, insted of converting the normal heater to a two speed? There must be a reason why BMW couldn't just stick a Rover heater into a Mini in 1996.

Well, the mini heater box is pretty specific to the mini - most other cars have the heater box as part of the dash. Apart from that, it would have come down to cost, the simple two speed heater in the mini is just a higher rated motor (prolly from the rover stock bins) and a simple and cheap wire resistor for speed control. This would have require only minimal changes to the heater design. If it was cheap, Rover used it.

If you think about how much the car industry spends on designing, developing and testing car parts, it would make sense for Rover to just simply adjust what they allready had.


As long as the motor will actually fit inside the case of the heater, and still leave enough room for the fan to attach and spin freely.......then I don't see any reason why it cant be done. There is another possibility that would also work for ANY standard heater - over volt the motor! It's not as bad as it sounds, electric motors can take a wide range of voltages and 12V fan motors have been run at 24V and powered electric scooters and bikes without a problem!
To increase the voltage to the fan, the quickest route would be to use a 12V converter to increase the standard battery voltage. A fairly simple and cheap switch mode inverter could be knocked together in no time.....might allready be something available for trucks, buses etc, as these tend to use a lot of voltage converters allready.


Hmm, this could be a fun little project......if anyone is interested in it, I'll post up any results / plans.

Anyone got any pics of the insides of an MPI heater box? I'm curious about any design changes they made.

SS

[ginger_monkey]

I was thinking about putting a variable resistor/rheostat onto the fan so I can adjust the speed. Now it wouldn't be faster than normal but you could slow it down to just a trickle blowing on your screen like the No1 setting on modern cars.

Me being totally pap at electrics am I talking out my butt or would this be possible

[Silicon Skum]

I was thinking about putting a variable resistor/rheostat onto the fan so I can adjust the speed. Now it wouldn't be faster than normal but you could slow it down to just a trickle blowing on your screen like the No1 setting on modern cars.

Me being totally pap at electrics am I talking out my butt or would this be possible

Yeah, it'll work, but you will need a rheostat that is rated to handle the current the fan pulls. Not sure what that is off-hand, but it'll be several Amps. Anyhow, if you don't require FULL variable speed control, then forget the rheostat, and just wire a 2 position switch - with position one connected to a high current resistor (like something similar to the brass resistor used on the headlight dim / dip system) and position 2 is full voltage. It'll give you a high / low setting.

SS

[taffy1967]

Dont really want to mess about just need a new one ASAP!

I once bought a replacement heater motor/fan for my sisters 1992 Mini British Open Classic LE from Selective Mini Spares of Barry, South Wales. It was a second hand/salvaged part and it worked fine and was pretty cheap.

Only trouble was a few months later that started to make a horrible rattling noise too, so sometimes second hand isn't always best when it comes these things.

[tr03bor]

anyone got one then? can someone move this to the wanted section please?

[TJenkos]

Can I just ask, when you guys turn your heaters on does the heater make any noise?

[yorkshirechris]

Dont really want to mess about just need a new one ASAP!

You big girl!

My heaters broken too and I have to say it's a hell of a lot colder today hopefully getting mine sorted on saturday though!