Heater rebuild

[mikealdren]

Robbie, Keith etc,
I've spent some time looking for a suitable foam for sealing the flaps. I'd be surprised if any have survived without replacement, they all seem to disintegrate to dust. Typical of Lotus to find a biodegadable solution!

I've looked for a foam that is the right thickness (about 3mm), closed cell, likely to survive well and ideally, in sheet form rather than strip. Domestic door sealing strips look good and can be self adhesive but they fail my last test.

I've eventually found a foam sheet that is used under wooden floors but B&Q only sell it in rolls of several square metres at about ?40. I eventually found a local supplier who sell it by the metre so I have a rather large piece. I'm happy to share some of my spare stock with other UK owners.

Mike

[carrierdave]

Hi Robbie,
Not sure if you have been able to remove the blades yet but the actuating arm is just a push fit onto a spline. You should be able to lever them off with a screw driver.

As for the correct way up for the control lever I?m not so sure. I will check to see what cable links to what slider.

Dave

[Robbie693]

Thanks Dave,

Yes I got them off with a tap from a punch.

If you could let me know how your control levers are orientated I'd be grateful

Cheers

Robbie

[john.p.clegg]

Robbie
Your levers look corect to me,with the beldon cable outers clamped on the left,try for smooth bends as possible,makes operation easier...

John

[Robbie693]

Thanks John,

I thought they were. Seems like the detent is there for when the heater was fitted to another make of car..

It would be nice to re-orientate it somehow but space is lacking.

[Robbie693]

Forgot to ask -

What's the concensus on what to use to replace the rubber lip seals on the bottom flap?

[john.p.clegg]

Mine was done with some sheet neoprene cut into strips picked up at Newark autojumble (next one is only two weeks away).....

John

[carrierdave]

Hi Robbie,
The cables are connected on the right hand side - so the opposite way to that shown in your photo.
The cables come up from the left hand side of the heater box, across the top of the heater box and then down to the right side of the slider.

Dave

[carrierdave]

Robbie,
Here are a couple of pictures to help you.

Dave

[handi_andi]

Thought my control levers had been installed the wrong way round ever since I brought my car and this confirms it.
Thanks
Andrew

[Robbie693]

Hmm - the plot thickens..

Thanks very much Dave, I'll see if I can squeeze mine in the same way.

Regarding the flap seals, I found this stuff which is a bit thicker at 1.5mm but may be ok?:

http://www.sealsdirect.co.uk/bbCMS/shop ... rtmentId=2

[mikealdren]

A couple of points gleaned from PMs that probably fit here.

I've not fitted my new foam yet, I'm waiting for better weather before respraying the metalwork of the heater. I will try and impact adhesive first (Evostik). Sometimes this attacks and disolves foam, if this happens, I'll try a spray adhesive. Double sided tape is a possiblity. As usual with the heater, I'm looking for a long term solution so I'd look for something like a carpet fitting tape.

I've still not got a solution for the flap rubbers. Rubber (inner tubes etc) doesn't last long enough for me (think cracked tyres) and I suspect that it was probably the original material. I'm looking for a synthetic rubber material of a suitable stiffness and thickness. Any suggestions?

Mike

[carrierdave]

Hi All,
I used closed cell foam of about 3mm thick. This was fixed to the plates using the new environmentally friendly Evo stick ? Takes a month of Sunday?s to go off; however it doesn?t attack the foam.

As for the edge seal ? the only positive pressure it comes under is when it is in the up position and closing off the heater coil. IMHO I think any substance could be used as long as it has an element of rigidity and flexibility. If you can find some rubber of about 2mm thick ? this would be ideal.

Dave

[Robbie693]

If you can find some rubber of about 2mm thick ? this would be ideal.

Bugger! - I just ordered some rubber strip from woolies but it's 1mm thick.. Oh well, it's about the same as the original stuff so hopefully will be ok.

As far as attaching the foam - My Dad has some double sided tape that is used on the outside of Industrial paint drying ovens (car industry), so should be up to the task of my heater.

I thought I'd try and do something about the big gaps around the fresh air outlets for the side vents. The original plastic tube holders are no longer round and don't fill the holes in the heater sides properly (see pic).

I found a spigot connector for household rainwater systems that is of a suitable diameter for the vent hose to attach to (pushing over the outside, rather than the inside as the original hoses do).

I removed the rubber sealing end which left a flange to bear on the inside of the heater side plates. Then I inserted the connector into the hole with some window draught excluder foam to seal it.

The new outlet pipe can then be drilled for the rivets to attach. I am going to use bolts as there is a gap between the rivet lugs and the new outlet pipe which I'll space out with washers or a nut.

This is now a tight and leak free area and will hopefully mean I get more air up onto the screen, rather than leaking out the side vent outlets before it gets there..

Hopefully this makes sense, but I'll post a picture when I've got it together.

[tower of strength]

i used the rubber from a bicycle inner tube for my heaters flap seals, as for sealing around the eyeball vent holes in the casing, i used black gaffer tape! Whilst you've got the heater in bits it maybe worth letting in an inset panel into the front to allow you room in the dash for a modern din stereo...... just a thought,if you want some pics, let me know as I've done this.

Mark