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MG MGB Technical - MGB heater removal

I’m trying to remove my mgb unit but it appears the “tube connectors” are the problem - the Dempster elbows are fairly well tight in the body and difficult to extract from the openings given the fairly tight fit of the connectors. I’v released the relative cables, so that’s not the problem. I actually installed this unit some 18 yrs ago and ,given age (me, not the car) I really can’t recall it being that difficult. So, would appreciate your comment/s on removal - are there any real alternatives to giving it “all“ to pulling out those rubber Dempster elbows.?
Many thanks in anticipation,
TomO
Tom

Have a look at Paul Hunt's excellent mgb-stuff site and the Gaydon cut away photos on it may also help.

http://www.mgbimages.uk.gridhosted.co.uk/cutaway/images/lheater.jpg

http://www.mgbimages.uk.gridhosted.co.uk/cutaway/images/rheater.jpg

http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/hammertext.htm
Nigel Atkins

I removed & refurbished my heater box last winter.Even though it has the later tube fittings, when they were removed i still had to prise up the box bit by bit using a wide chisel & screwdriver . I also had to destroy the old thick rubber seal that was glued to the back of the heater box where the round demister holes are (using an old screwdriver etc.through the footwell vents akin to key hole surgery ) as this prevented the box from lifting at all.
Cheers, Charles
Charles9

State of box when eventually extracted from the car.

Charles9

If you have the elbows then you shouldn't have the rubber block which is the major problem. The elbows and tubes are part of an assembly that screws to the inner bulkhead, with those removed (the assembly unscrews, the tubes pull out) it should then just be a case of removing all the heater to shelf screws round the edge of the heater, and then lifting out. With the rubber block you probably will have to lever it out.

This shows the assembly http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/screenvent.htm#1b

The picture above that shows the bulkheads and the heater once the assembly and the tubes have been removed.

Full story here http://www.mgb-stuff.org.uk/heatertext.htm#remove

The early arrangement really needs the cable to be attached after the heater unit has been fitted, as the egg-shaped hole kinks the cable as the heater is pushed down.
paulh4

Whilst its out, cleaning, flushing and reverse flushing the inside of the matrix tubes is a good idea plus giving the fins a gentle bush out.

Replacing any seals, such as the foam seal around the matrix, is also very advisable.

I done all this on my BGT (and I might have added an uprated matrix and fan but those might have been to a different car) and noticed an improvement to heat into the cabin - until winter when the draughts must have defeated the improvements. :)
Nigel Atkins

This thread was discussed between 01/09/2018 and 02/09/2018

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