30 replies to this topic

[paulrockliffe]

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

I have just put one on eby as it happens:

Item number 120197415384

Might be a bargain there for you.

I expect that the reason the heater was never upgraded was because by the mid 90s people weren't really buying the Mini for anything other than it's cult status etc. Put simply, BMW probably thought that the current heater wasn't losing them any sales, so why bother??

Anyway, I just ran my heater with the engine warm for the first time, loads of hot air, but the windows steamed up very quickly and continued to steam up as I cleared it!!

WHat's that all about??

[M44K TS]

I just ran my heater with the engine warm for the first time, loads of hot air, but the windows steamed up very quickly and continued to steam up as I cleared it!!

WHat's that all about??

have you fitted a new/2nd hand heater? Could be a leaky matrix that's causing the windows to steam up.

My brother once had an Omega that had a leaky matrix, used to cause the windows to steam up when the blowers were on.

Also, i've just been without heat in my van for 6 weeks, my matrix was blocked so i back-flushed it and now it's fine.

As far as uprating the mini heater, you will need some form of resistor pack. For instance, my an (escort) has a 3 speed heater fan. There's 4 terminals on the switch, on wire is the live, then one for each fan speed. The 3 wires for speeds 1, 2 & 3 plug into a resistor block on the top of the heater motor, wouldn't take much to adapt one and use it on a mini, mainly because the live that could feed the fan speed switch is already at the existing motor.

[paulrockliffe]

have you fitted a new/2nd hand heater? Could be a leaky matrix that's causing the windows to steam up.

My brother once had an Omega that had a leaky matrix, used to cause the windows to steam up when the blowers were on.

Also, i've just been without heat in my van for 6 weeks, my matrix was blocked so i back-flushed it and now it's fine.

Is a leaky matrix terminal? It sounds it! How do I check?

It's a whole new car to me, so I don't know the history of the heater, could easily be duff. Probably is, given that I put my spare heater on eBay last night!

Is back-flushing relevant to me? I have loads of heat coming out of the heater.

Cheers.

[Silicon Skum]

As far as uprating the mini heater, you will need some form of resistor pack. For instance, my an (escort) has a 3 speed heater fan. There's 4 terminals on the switch, on wire is the live, then one for each fan speed. The 3 wires for speeds 1, 2 & 3 plug into a resistor block on the top of the heater motor, wouldn't take much to adapt one and use it on a mini, mainly because the live that could feed the fan speed switch is already at the existing motor.

I personally would go for a simple PWM speed controller, mainly because the resistor pack is really iniffecient........and don't tend to last long if they are not cooled properly. Plus you can easily fine tune the motor speeds to your own preference, with a proper controller.

But, thats more or less what I was talking about, just rip the motor and resistor pack (though some newer cars do use PWM controllers) out from the scrapyard donor vehicle - and your all set.


Must admit, I'm really tempted to see what adjustments can be made to the mini heater using cheap parts from scrapyards - I'm sure there enough stuff that could improve the heater AND the warm air distribution! (warm carpets are no use to anyone.......though handy if your mini leaks!...)
Hmmm, might could do something about the long time it takes for the heater to start blowing hot air too!

I smell a project in the making!

SS

[RetroRacer21]

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

mini heaters are never silence
they all make noise, but you never hear, over the engine anyway. (well I never hear mine, cause im having to much fun)

but I tell you what... Glad my heater worked today!!!

[TJenkos]

When I went in Purple Toms, his made a noise and mine never does.. It takes ages to get warm too so wondered if it was mine that was just fubbared

[RetroRacer21]

When I went in Purple Toms, his made a noise and mine never does.. It takes ages to get warm too so wondered if it was mine that was just fubbared

na, all mini's I ever been in, all make noises, and dont get warm till the engine is warm
Mine gets warm fairly quickly with my front, (number plate, covering my grill)

but doesnt overheat... which is good

[paulrockliffe]

I have a heater fan thingy from tescos, was about a tenner. I use it in the car via the mains when I'm working in the car in the cold, is ace.

Anyway, if i get an inverter so it'll run off the car battery, would that work or would 200 watts spank the battery/alternator combo?

I can't help thinking it would be ok, but I don't know!

[M44K TS]

i've got a 3kw fan heater in the back of my van on a timer set between 8:30 & 9am so i don't have to defrost my windows in the morning but that's just lazy.

you sure it's 200watts and not 2kw?

2kw will kill the inverter and you car electrics

Edited by M44K TS, 13 December 2007 - 09:34 PM.

[Silicon Skum]

Yeah, doubt that's a 200W heater - would have the same heating power as two 100w light bulbs!

You CAN get a 2Kw inverter, but you will need one HELL of a battery to power it for more than a few mins. Would knacker the alternator too.
You can get the ceramic type car heaters, think they fairly low power, but might just help take the edge off the cold until the heater matrix get's warm.


Could install a block heater though, that way your engine is allready warm - not really inexpensive / practical to run though.

SS

[paulrockliffe]

Yeah, ok, typo! I thought there might be a reason why it wouldn't work! I did think about getting a heater for my head actually, I think there's one in the Moss catalogue that runs off mains, £47 off the top of my head. I'm guessing a battery powered one would be impractical?

[minili]

My heater hasn't worked since May I didn't realise it was a problem

[Silicon Skum]

Yeah, ok, typo! I thought there might be a reason why it wouldn't work! I did think about getting a heater for my head actually, I think there's one in the Moss catalogue that runs off mains, £47 off the top of my head. I'm guessing a battery powered one would be impractical?

Uhm, yeah..........unless actually starting the car in the morning isn't so important...

The block heaters are either left plugged in over night, or switched on a couple of hours before the car is due to be started - the element is similar to a kettle element, about 1500w - 2Kw. So for the same reasons above, you would need a BIG battery.


Slightly off topic - I remember reading an news article somwhere (prolly New Scientist mag), was about this foam insulation that is sprayed over the whole engine (except for the really hot bits, like exhaust manifold etc.). The idea is to keep the heat inside the engine (bit like the foam insulation used on the space shuttle tank to keep it cold......or the insulation used on immersion heater water tanks for hot water). The idea is to provide more fuel economy by keeping the engine warmer overnight so that the engine comes up to temperature quicker once started the next day. I'm not too sure how well the A series engine would take it though.

You might not need the heater if the engine catches fire though......

SS

Edited by Silicon Skum, 14 December 2007 - 01:54 AM.

[Mini_Magic]

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

If your heater is working properly then yes, the second speed on my MPi is louder than the engine (even with a K&N and Sportex exhaust).

[M44K TS]

so do the mpi heaters actually keep the screen clear when it rains, one problem i always had was the windows would steam up if it was raining.