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Triumph TR6 - Heated air flow problem?

I can't seem to get hot air out of the round air duct vents, I get plenty of air flow and warm air but not hot.
When the heater switch is in defrost mode I get great air flow and toasty hot air out of the windscreen vents, but when I switch to heater mode the air in the round vents go from outside temp to something just slightly warmer.
I know the heater is a bit wimpy, but I'd like to be able to distribute those precious British Thermal Unit's around once in a while.

Is it possible to get hot air out of the round vents? My car is a '70.
Thanks
-Tom
tah Heckenberg

Tom-I don't think you will get heat out of the round ducts unless outside temp is hot or the car is fire. The heater is more than adequate, but the outside vent must be open. What part of Oregon are we talking about?
Berry

Tom,
I just completely dismantled my heater, replaced the burned up blower motor (with one from an MG) and reassembled with new insulation.
Fresh air comes in the scuttle vent and passes across the heater core. If the door at the bottom is full open, the hot air is dumped into the car. If half-closed (flush with the bottom), the heat is forced to go through the defog pipes on the bottom. If the door is fully closed, the air is prevented from passing across the core and is forced out the pipes above the core and to the dash vents.
I guess the fresh air can pick up some heat as it swirls around above the heater core, but not much. The only way to get hot air out of the dash would beto take a "Y" splitter (like the one in the fresh air line) and splice into the defrost pipe.
And no, I don't expect to need the heater here, but I will need the defog capability when a tropical shower hits!

Jeff
'74
Jeff

Tom
At best, the description of wimpy, is an under statement.
With the heater control knob pushed all the way home this is strictly air to the dash and foot area. With it pulled out you get the same but also now the defrost vents included.
(( A point of interst here is that when I pull the knob out for defrost the "flap" passes the back edge of the air box and allows air to blow out the back of the heater box towards the fire wall. I now know not to pull the knob full out if I want defrost)).
The "flap" which is controlled by the knob has (had)a flimsy gasket on it like weather stripping. If original, it has probably deteriorated down to the self adhesive strip and will allow air flow out the box but not necessarily out the defrost vents.
Put your hand at the flap area and see if you feel air coming out...you should not ( with knob pushed in). Also air flow out of the heater system is to say the least better when the 6 is moving down the road at 60MPH. That is why yours and my 6 '71 have an operatable scuttle vent and in '73 a permanently open grille type vent. So keep in mind that the scuttle vent must be open even if the car is sitting still. Tom, you say u have good air flow...the following is worth a moment of your time to look at.... Check that there are no holes/rips in the hoses to all 4 louvres. The passanger side dash louvre is almost impossible to get a hand up there to check to see if the hose is actually attached to the louvre. There is a possibility that, as Don E puts it, bats in the bellfrey. Our vintage of 6 does not have any control to stop say leaves from entering the scuttle and blocking a hose. The hose to the dash and foot vents is easily removed from the heater box and a shop vac set up in the "blow" mode will push a whole bunch of air down the vents and out the disconnected hose. With this hose disconnected you have opportunity to check air flow out of the heater box and the temp of the air. Try putting a piece of say cardboard over the flap and see if air volume and temp increases.
Have fun
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Rick-I always considered the Tr6 heater cutting edge technology compared to the TR3. It seems like the heater&defroster was always at the top of the compaint list in the early road tests, but I think that was because the outside vent wasn't open, in which case the heater was non-existant. My only complaint is that the heat control isn't more progressive-either too hot or too cold. It is still a lot less aggravating than the automated climate control system in a modern car.
Berry

Thanks you guys. Now I know that no heat out of the round ports is a feature not a bug. I'll check the various gaskets and hoses next time I'm under the dash. When it's 45DegF. and I'm running to work in the morning with the top down it's nice to know I'm getting all the heat I can.
Cheers
--Tom
Tom

This thread was discussed between 11/06/2003 and 13/06/2003

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