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Heater and fan control replacement - any advice?

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SteveHall64Healey

Jedi Trainee
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The switch on my heater control/fan switch assembly has failed and I have a replacement part ready to go in. Before I begin, has anyone replaced this before and do you have any advice on how best to approach this? Access to the old part does not look easy ....
 
If you have a Bj8 you should remove the consul. The heater and wires get in the way so good luck. Take your time and mark all the wires. Its not rocket science. If i were to do it again, I would take cell phone photos of wires in case you dislodge any.
 
SteveHall64Healey said:
Yes, it is a BI8. So you are recommending removal of the console and coming at it from underneath?
Click to expand...

"It's the only way to be sure."

The hard(est) part is getting the coolant hoses re/connected; you might consider replacing them while you're at it (I think Moss has molded ones, but you can make normal heater hose work; don't remember for sure but I think it's 5/8").
 
Never worked on a BJ8 so don't know what removing the console involves, but agree it would need to be out of the way. I think once you get behind the console, all 100-6 and 3000 heater control panels are the same.

If you are only changing the fan motor switch, you should not have to remove the heater itself.

Remove the 'fan boost' knob (has a set screw going up thru the bottom that you need to remove to take the knob off). The control panel is bolted to the dash with two bolts passing up thru the control assembly and some spacers with nuts on the top (inside the dash panel). There are two spacers on each bolt, so note the locations as you take it apart. Once you have the two bolts removed, the whole assembly will hang down a bit and you can see where things are attached & how to access the water cable & other details.

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You will have to disconnect the water valve cable at the control lever and unplug the wires from bullet connectors and remove the lever and switch from the Bakelite panel. Not certain but I think you should be able to leave the air control cables connected and the control panel hanging loose in the car.

If you bought a 'lever and switch assembly', putting it back together is simply reverse of disassembly. If you only bought the switch, it is riveted onto the lever assembly and the wires may be soldered so, you will need to drill out the rivets and replace - then reassemble. Make sure you adjust the water control valve cable to be sure it fully shuts off water flow when closed.

It's a PITA but doable.
Dave
 
Thanks Bob. Hoses are all new as I rebuilt the heater assembly two years ago. Wish I had replaced this at the time but the part was original and still worked....
 
If you need to remove the cold air and heat knobs. you need to remember they come off by pushing the spring loaded pin at the bottom of each knob.
 
Glad I didn't try to replace mine! Make life easy. Buy a toggle switch and hide it under the dash somewhere or even mount it on the dash. All you need to do then is disconnect the wires from the old switch and reconnect them to the new switch. It's not as if the fan deos much anyway!

AJ
 
That was the first thing that crossed my mind too, AJ. If replacement proves too difficult, that will be my plan B. I do find the booster fan does make a difference and it extends the driving season at both ends by a week or so.
steve
 
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