Dodgy heating

[dermotbell]

I know this is not strictly speaking an electrics problem but is seemed the best place to put the Q.

I have started work on my Excel now that my dear old Elite has been sold. The first problem I am tackling is the heating system (non air-con 84 model):

1. The fan switch does nothing in either of the speed 1 slots but does in speed 2.

2. I think the heat control is working but difficult to tell as so little air comes out any vent. I have taken off the centre panel wood veneer thing and both rotary dials move the cable. I have removed some other bits of trim to see the contral plate on the RHS of the heater unit but altho' I can see the water pipes and the switch thingy I still can't see the control plate. So I am guessing that I will have to remove the entire front fascia to get access?

3. I did originally find that the inlet manifold pipe was disconnected and I have rectified this which sorted some rough running at idle (just as it did on my M100), so there is an air feed to the reservoir. Now assuming that if I can see the cables working at the rotary switch and they are still connected at the control plate it seemed that a vacuum issue was the most likely cause (i.e. one of the internal reservoirs or switches) but as the footwell/windscreen is mechanical I have gone back to a mechanical cable issue as the likely cause.

Any thoughts??

Thanks

Dermot

[johnthebass]

Hi Dermot
This may or may not be relevent to your problems with the heater but whilst my engine was being re-built some attention was given to the heating system which essentially didn't work. Firstly it was discovered that the water control valve had seized. The replacement comes from a toyota celica which you then have to "marry" with parts from the existing one to make it fit &work. Also if your car hasn't done too many miles recently it can be that the heater matrix is blocked and will require flushing out. Mine was full of "Radseal". Some previous owner had obviously tried to seal a leak in the cooling system and blocked it up! In passing "Radseal" is NOT good for alluminium engines!
Regards
John The Bass

[ttedj]

Ah Mr Bell,
Forgot to say whilst I was speaking to you at lunch today, I have the servcie notes if you haven't. May be of some help...
Can bring them into work on Fri if you want?

Ted

[dermotbell]

Ted

Thanks

I have the service notes as well, unfortunately not quite a workshop manual like I had with the Elite.

I have spoken to Mike Taylor and to get the drivers side fan out you need to remove the pedal box which is apparently a git of a job, esp the re-fitting of.

John
As I can feel heat or cold depending on temp selected I believe this control is working, what I couldn't fathom is why with one fan running I could barely feel any air flow at all.

Dermot