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MG MGA - MGA Heater

Hi guys, what's your thoughts on heaters in MGA !
Do we need them, I drive mostly hood down, does anyone not have a heater in their MGA roadster ?
I'm thinking of removing mine, and using that space for my battery, easy access, instead of under cover behind back seat, daft place for a battery !
What do you think would be the downside ?
Has anyone done this, I did it on my MGBGT a few years ago.
I didn't take out the heater, but I postponed the battery in the corner under the bonnet, no more dismantling covers behind seats, worked a treat.
If I were to do this would it affect the engine cooling system ?
And what do I do about heater control valve on engine ?

Cheers Jack.
Jack New Forest

Hi Jack
Barney has it covered as usual http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/heater/hr102r.htm

I've never used mine, but am a fair weather driver. Seems plenty of heat coming through from engine/exhaust already!

Graham
Graham V

The heater is in place but has been bypassed. No water goes through the core.
R J Brown

If you are just trying to pacify the naviguessor a 12v (4 amp) electric blanket is good option.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Comfy-12V-12-Volt-Heated-Travel-Electric-Blanket-Powered-Warm-Cozy-Throw-/162453359681?_trksid=p2385738.m2548.l4275
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Clearly there is no problem in not having the heater in position as it was an optional extra. Living in the east of Scotland and using my car in March and November I use mine.

I drove across the Rockies from Calgary to Vancouver in a friends B GT in the 70s and that had a second heater fitted!

Paul
Paul Dean

Depends on when and where you drive your car Jack.

If it's mostly on short day runs out when you can pick and choose fine weather, then you probably can do without a heater.

A few of us drove our MGAS the 200 miles from Cardiff in South Wales north to Llandudno a few weeks ago and it was pretty cold with torrential rain for much of the drive.

The heater was nice to have then but also it de-misted the screen which was a must-have feature on that trip.

Don't forget, even if you have a heater fitted, you can always turn the heat off if you don't need it.

My next winters project is to remove the heater so that I can fit a ( hopefully ) more quiet running motor and also fit the more efficient MGB fan impeller inside

Cheers
Colyn
Colyn Firth

If you want to avoid misting up without the heater you can always employ the trick related to me by my late Father-in-Law that they used in the 30s and I tried out successfully in my MGTC on LeJog Dec 96. Cut a raw potato in half and wipe one of the cut sides over the inside of the screen.

I have heard all the jokes before about whether crinkle or straight cut chips, mashed potato, etc will also work!

Steve
Steve Gyles

Great feedback as usual boys, you never disappoint !
I'll show you all the finished result when I get it done.

Cheers Jack.
Jack New Forest

I forgot the other really important reason for having a heater, SWMBO probably wouldn't even get in the car if I told her that I had taken the heater out.

Mmmm, now there's a thought! :-)


An even better way of preventing your screen from misting up Steve is to rub a bar of soap over the inside of the screen and then polish it to a shine.
You then can't get the screen to mist up even if you breathe on it.

Helps get rid of that raw potato smell too! :-)

Colyn
Colyn Firth

One year, driving our MGA in Italy, we used the heater as an auxiliary radiator. We got very hot feet, but the engine ran at a better temperature.
Dan Smithers

I use mine regularly during the winter. I almost never put the top up but I leave the tonneau cover on the passenger side and the heater helps during cold mornings. I do not winterize the car and drive it year around. The defroster is fairly pathetic, however, in my opinion.
Bill Haglan

In North Carolina, my club runs year-round. There are plenty of times I took a tour with the TD (no heater) while the A was on stands. and froze. Now that the A is finished it's the go-to car on 35* mornings.

At 60, I like my creature comforts.
MAndrus

Having been in a car where exactly this modification had been done, I heartily recommend against doing it.

1. The fresh air flow is definitely a benefit when it is hot
2. The battery servicing isn't significantly easier - how often too you need to access the battery anyway
3. Charging the battery can be done by attaching one clip to the fusebox where the large brown wire connects and the other to anything earthed (ground polarity to earth)
4. When you do need to put the hood up when you get that unexpected shower, you won't have any way to demist the inside of the screen
5. You still need to connect the copper pipe along the head to use the heater valve to maintain coolant flow around the back of the head when it is getting really hot.

Disclosure: I have a working heater, improved hamster wheel, and heater pads fitted into the original seats. And I use the car in all weathers!
Dominic Clancy

I have fitted a small red top battery in a custom built cage next to the heater for a customer who got fed up with the standard location.

Although tiny, these batteries have the power to spin over a tuned 1950 cc motor!
Chris at Octarine Services

Improved Hamster wheel? I love it Dominic!
I have often wondered where that irritating squeaking noise from under the bonnet came from 😊.
I am planning to fit the more efficient impeller to my heater unit but I wondered if there is a better option- fitting a bilge blower or similar, for example.
Cheers
Colyn
Colyn Firth

Somewhere I have a heater / air con unit from another car that uses two hamster power fans - maybe that is the way to go with a modern fan assy in a bespoke housing?
Chris at Octarine Services

Chris at octane m do you have any pics of the small battery or are they easily purchased ?

Cheers Jack.
Jack New Forest

Colyn

I run the bilge fan in the heater duct. Noticeable increase in airflow.

Steve
Steve Gyles

This thread was discussed between 26/04/2017 and 27/04/2017

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