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Heater Box Rebuild

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Bill Redd

Bill Redd

Jedi Hopeful
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I recall that when taking the heater box apart to check the coil, there was some foam around the bottom air vent, and some sort of "tape" or something that kept the coil from rattling in the heater box.

What have you folks utilized in rebuilding these units? I don't want to have to take the whole thing apart again too soon!
 
I am doing the same thing, Bill, and have some plasticky foam, but no way to cut it thin enough. I may end up just squashing it down, but I would like to get the right stuff.
Simon.
 
Hi Bill & Simon,

Go to your local hardware store and ask for closed-cell foam. It's available in various thicknesses, usually is black and better hardware stores sell it off a roll, by the inch or foot. It's identical to the original stuff that was in my TR4's heater, which I am pretty certain is the same as the heater in your car.

Cut the shape you want with scissors or razor knife and glue it in place with contact cement or 3M weatherstrip adhesive... done.

Don't use any sort of "open cell" foam. This is the stuff often used as weather stripping, to seal camper shells, etc. and comes in various colors, widths and thicknesses, usually a roll that's pre-glued (peel and stick). This stuff acts like a sponge and absorbs water. It promotes rust like mad!

I had my car's heater box powder coated satin black while it was apart... looks great! I do wish I'd pressure tested the core, though, before reassembling. On my car it should be able to handle a min. of 7 psi. I think later TR6 went as high as 12 psi in the coolant system. (BTW, TR2/3 were 4 psi, largely due to limitations of the heater core). Let your radiator cap be your guide.

Cheers!
 
Alan, Simon, thanks!

Alan, I'm assuming you are speaking about the foam on the vent door.

Is there also something that is wrapped around the ends of the Coil, where it contacts, or "sits" within the heater box?

While it's been a year since I took it out, I seem to recall the coil being a "loose fit" in the heater box, and thought there should be some way to absorb any rattles, etc.
 
Bill,
As Alan said, stick with the closed-cell foam. I just bought a bunch from a rubber and gasket specialty store, got three different thicknesses, and about a total of 20 square feet - gave the guy 5 bucks, it was all scrap to them. I think I used the 1/4" foam cut into strips and 3M-yellow-glued it into place. Rather than put all those little screws back in after I blasted and repainted the box, I just used aluminum pop rivets to reassemble the whole thing. Worked well. A concours judge may not like it but it works. Beware the little resistor/speed control dumaflatchi. Mine worked on the bench but was not good upon reinstalling the heater. Had to bypass the blasted speed control. If you re rebuilding completely, consider acquiring one of these devices. May have to go over to the UK, Rimmer perhaps.

Bill
 
Thank you very much!

Now, "dumaflatchi" does not sound like a word the British would use... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
I think the Brits would say "Thigamajig", actually. Correct me if I am wrong, Piman.

Bill
 
[ QUOTE ]
Alan, I'm assuming you are speaking about the foam on the vent door.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, that's the foam I'm refering to. Same stuff might work inside as well. Although, with direct contact to the hot coil, it might deteriorate pretty quickly and there might be something else you could use.

[ QUOTE ]
Is there also something that is wrapped around the ends of the Coil, where it contacts, or "sits" within the heater box?

While it's been a year since I took it out, I seem to recall the coil being a "loose fit" in the heater box, and thought there should be some way to absorb any rattles, etc.

[/ QUOTE ]

My TR4's heater didn't have any foam or anything else inside, and I'm fairly sure it never had anything and was never removed from the car and disassembled before. The core was a tight fit, ain't no way it could ever rattle. Might be different from the heater in your car in some ways.

Incidentally, my heater never had either the antifreeze warning label or the Smith's model/serial number label plates. There aren't even any drilled holes for the rivets that hold them onto the heater, so I suspect the two plates were never installed.

This heater itself was probably installed at the factory, according to the BMIHT certificate. I suppose it's possible it could have been replaced some time between the original 1964 sale of the car and when I bought it in 1977... heater (and the stuff inside it) didn't look like it, though.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
On the 6 the decals are just that,decals.

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey, maybe they were on my TR4, too, and just disappeared somewhere along the way. That might explain it.

Cheers!
 
On behalf of Alan and myself, thanks everyone!

Yes they are just decals, I masked them when I resprayed the heater; no idea why when its out of sight completely!

Bill, I didn't find anything round the coil when I took mine apart, but I did ron CLR through it to clean it out.
Fortunately I have a spare I can use if I mess up trying to put it back together!
Simon.
 
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