TR6 TR6 Heater function

[RomanH]

Hello Everyone!
First I just wanted to let everyone know how helpfull this forum has been for solving many of my car troubles. Thanks! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
Well its getting chilly up here in Chicago now and I don't want to put away my TR6 just yet! I have been taking it out in the cold and the other night I decided it was a bit too cold with the top down. I decided to turn on the heater since I didn't want to put the top up! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I figured I could at least keep my feet warm.
This is the problem, I got very little heat out of it.
The blower motor works fine and the air flow seems adequate. I also checked the heater valve and it was opened and the hoses to and from the heater core was almost too hot to touch!
I am thinking that because the car sat so much with the POs that the box might be filled with debris and the air is not passing through it but around it. I don't think its the core itself since both hoses are hot.
I thought that before I remove the heater box from the car I would see if anyone had any other ideas as to what this might be or is the heat from the TR6 always weak.
Thanks
RomanH

 

[pa297pass]

Hi Roman:

I can't tell you what might be wrong with your TR6 heater.

I can tell you that my stock '74 TR6 heater will bake you out of the car with the top down on a cool evening. I live just west of Detroit, so I would think we might have similar weather.

Matt

 

[trboost]

Hi Roman,
Matt's right about a properly working heater, it puts out more than enough heat.
I can't think of any way to clean out debris with out removing the heater box. Even with the flap open , the area you need to access is above the core. This may be a stretch, but you can try opening the flap & using a high pressure air gun to blow up through the flap to dislodge soft debris build up. Hey it's worth a try .
Removing the box requires much of the dash & interior removed & partialy drain the cooling system. The center cosole must come out & if I recall correctly , the trany cover. The more you remove , the easier it is to work. As on most cars , this is buried deep under the dash.
It's not as bad as it sounds, probably a couple of hours of awkward bending & a few asprin.

 

[ROADSTR6]

The heater in my '74 6 will literally melt your shoes. Problem is that's all that really ever gets warm, your feet! I guess that's better than nothing though! If only we had hand warming heat.

 

[danmas]

What year is your TR6? If it's an earlier model with the vent flap over the ait intake on the cowl, you won't get heat unless the flap is open. The TR6 heater doesn't recirculate the air, it only heats the air coming in through the outside vent.

 

[AltaKnight]

My 73TR6 heater works almost too well.
I took mine out last year because the fan wasn't working.
You don't have to remove the centre console support or gearbox cover.
You do have to access some bolts that can only be removed through the holes where the speedo or tachometer sit.
The glove box has to come out so you can slide the heater box sideways to the right as you remove it.
I think all the control knobs/cables came out.
I did not drain the system too much, just enough to get the hoses off on the engine side of the firewall.
The hoses and core dribble on your interior so catch as much as you can in a container and line the righthand footwell with plastic to catch the rest.
Good luck

 

[Brosky]

Is there any way to sneak the heater motor out without doing all of that work? Mine is definitely seized and I have a replacement, but need to find the best way to R&R it.

 

[RomanH]

Thanks for all of your input! I truely appreciate it!
I should have stated that I have a '74 if that will help.
I had been planning on removeing my dash so that I could take care of a couple of minor electrical issues (PO cut out the courtesy lights and made a small mess)and to clean all of the lenses of the gauges, so I suppose removing the heater box will now be added to the growing list of things to do! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Guest]

My heater on my 73 works adequately well but I do want to rebuild it. Fan is weak. I have all the components from TRF - new motor, new core, waiting for the new fan blades to be manufactured. I hope it never comes in. That's how much I am looking forward to pulling my heater. It is the very last thing on the car that has not been redone. It is not a job to look forward to. Like standing on your head and stacking BB's.

Bill

 

[AltaKnight]

Sorry /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif no way to get at the motor without removing the whole heater box.
Really not too difficult a task, the writeup in the Bentley manual is pretty good.
If I did it again I think I could get to the upper securng bolts without removing the dash panel, just try removing the speedo and tachometer, might be able to sneak a wrench in there
Good luck.

 

[Brosky]

Somehow, deep down inside, I knew that you were going to say that.

Thanks,

 

[ALLAN]

I have not tried it, but I have read several articles that you can get to the top bolt through the ash tray hole (ash tray removed). I have a 71 with the flap that opens can someone confirm--danmas-- comment that the flap needs to be open to get the heat through?

 

[Alan_Myers]

Hi all,

The TR4 has the flap just like the early TR6. Yes, it needs to be open to get a good flow of air through the heater. Close the fresh air vents at either side of the dash, too, in order to direct all the incoming air to the heater.

BTW, those "eyeball" vents are fresh air only, not heated. Heat is routed to the floor and/or to the windshield de-misters only.

I rebuilt my heater, although it's not getting re-installed any time soon. Hate to mention it, but we hardly need one here in Calif. Used it *a lot* during the 10 years I drove the car in Colorado. But, I was much younger then and we didn't put the top up except during the worst blizzards or thunder storms.

While rebuilding the heater, I found a lot of stuff inside, but it still worked pretty well. Also the flap that directs air either up to the de-misters or down to the floor was bent and jammed in place. While the heater is out, you might want to check that the scuttle area above it is also clear and there are no rusted out holes near the ends. Any holes in the scuttle would let the incoming air out into either the footwells or possibly even out behind the front fenders. Leaves and such get in there, too, can block the air flow to the heater and lead to rust problems. Oh, and on either side of the heater you will find two rectangular covers that give access to the wiper gears, and also to more of the inside of the scuttle.

I had the heater case and flap powdercoated satin black, inside and out and along with the demister vents, before reassembling it. It is a "thing of beauty" even if it never gets re-installed!

Dunno about the ashtray trick, the TR4's is in between the gauges on the dash fascia and on my car will likely will be replaced with a gauge during the resto-mod.