Aaaaargh ! Heater in a Transit!

[Rodeo]

The Transit m/bus Im converting has aircon and heating as standard. Im not into all this aircon stuff,so not bothered that its apparently broken.I'll just rig up a 12v fan on the dash or summat. But the warm heating side of things doesnt work very well and only throws out very slightly warmed air,even though the heater rad is very hot. So many controls and flaps,I just cant get me head round it! Now ,in the rear of the bus is a very simple heater which has 2 pipes running from engine to a small rad ,with a fan blowing air across it. All contained in a box about 12" cube.It works a treat,but its in the middle of the floor,obviously designed round all the seats that were fitted.I was going to remove it,but due to the poor orig heater Im going to move it to an under the bed position,and deflect it a bit toward the cab area. What a palaver to move it about 12" to one side! Got to find some 18mm pipe to make the bends from ,as dont want to use tight elbows as it may cause air locks and cavitation.The engine rad is coming out next week to do the cambelt,so Ive got to get all this sorted this week to connect up when the rad is out!

 

[whitevanwoman]

Little tip if you have a Mark 6 with bonnet lock which is operated by the key - treat it nicely with lots of oil and grease and check it regularly because they are a poor design and well known for seizing / breaking leaving no way of opening the bonnet without drilling through the lock and using screwdriver to turn the mechanism. And if you have to do that, consider it only as a temp arrangement and get a new lock mechanism for it asap as the screwdriver solution only works for so long until that just starts spinning without turning the mechanism. As I've just discovered today.

A mechanic friend and I have spent several hours today unsuccessfully trying to get my bonnet open after replacing brake pads and calipers so that we could bleed the brakes and I would finally be on the road again after 10 days without transport.

So my transit is still off the road until I can get someone to either drill the lock again with a bigger bore (which may or may not work as with all the messing around today it's probably completed f***ed by now), or grinding through the other part of the lock on the bonnet which may allow some movement, enough to jiggle it open but this means a large diameter grinder through the 1cm gap with bonnet in popped position, or worst case scenario maybe to have to drill through bonnet.

Life is a bit of a nightmare at the moment. Hope the heater relocation goes ok.

 

[Smaug]

WVW, how about a bit of multi-strand s/s or plastic coated galvanised wire with a loop in it hanging where you can pull it to open the bonnet? Just a thought, it could dangle thro the grill, under the bumper or in the cab.

 

[Rodeo]

yep WVW I think that is the answer!
Further to my heater probs have now sorted the dodgy existing heater I think,after a e mail to the guy I bought it from!........long story

 

[whitevanwoman]

Hi Smaug, thanks for the suggestion. Although what is multi-strand s/s?

Once the bonnet is open, that might work in future but its a stupid design, no cable to a pull lever, it's a lock and key mechanism with a right angle hook in the lock mechanism going into a kind of D shaped ring on the slider attached to the bonnet. And there are tamperproof nuts on the slider to stop you from undoing the nuts on the slider through the crack or from underneath.

Apparently because it's right on the front the lock gets full of crap and wet whilst driving and so problems are common and the general solution appears to be to drill the lock and use a screwdriver to turn the mechanism inside. Which is what mine was like when I bought it. The problem is now that whatever the screwdriver turns to release the lock is now not turning and the lock is just spinning round without catching.

The next option is to try to drill the lock again using a bigger bore which might allow me to get at the hook part of the lock mechanism and disengage it from the slider. Have asked for help on the Ford Transit forum so will see what is suggested there.

Rodeo - wanna swop vans?!

 

[Smaug]

Although what is multi-strand s/s?

flexible wire - typically used for garage doors. It gets its flexibility from the multi-strand construction usually laid up from 6 strand of 19 individual wires like these. You should be able to get a short bit as scrap from a garage door installer or buy in a diy shop. Use a bulldog clip to make the loops.

 

[Rodeo]

Ive used an old push bike brake cable in the past.same type of stuff.

 

[whitevanwoman]

I got just the thing - a plastic coated multi strand steel cable about 6ft long, from the pound shop, with clips on end, sold as a dog leash. Like the stuff on a brakeaway cable for a trailer or caravan.

Still got to get the damn thing open first. I'm tempted to just get the tin opener out and cut a hole around it in the bonnet!

 

[Smaug]

Ive used an old push bike brake cable in the past.same type of stuff.

Gear cables are more flexible & thinner but will need something like toggle to pull on so you don't cut your hand. A bit of outer cable around the bit that forms the loop you pull - or fit a bike gear lever under the bumper to pull the cable with?

 

[Rodeo]

Those plasic covered ones are ok,but if theres a corner to go round ,as you pull on it they tend to snag on the plastic. Use it ,but strip off the plastic if its going round anything.Good also to bring it into a loop by coiling it up,then tape up the loop all round so that you dont cut your fingers when you pull on it.

 

[Rodeo]

gret minds 'n' all that smaug!

 

[Smaug]

I'm usually told that fools seldom differ.

 

[Bakedbeans]

And it wont work on a Transit as there is nothing to connect it too.

Dont cut the bonnet, cut the grille. Once your in far enough to reach the latch youll be able to turn it with a screw driver.

Maybe better to orginize a nwe lock before you hack your way in Doesnt have to be the same key as the van.

 

[whitevanwoman]

And it wont work on a Transit as there is nothing to connect it too.

Dont cut the bonnet, cut the grille. Once your in far enough to reach the latch youll be able to turn it with a screw driver.

Maybe better to orginize a nwe lock before you hack your way in Doesnt have to be the same key as the van.

The grill just clips in / out so that wasn't a problem. Can't get to latch with screwdriver, spent 2 hours trying, can't get access to it between grill opening and the radiator, too narrow even for small hands. Got a new lock on watch on ebay and once bonnet is open, I can get old lock off and use cable ties / bungees / steel cable through holes for few days to secure it till new lock arrives, or can then at least get it to a garage. Have never had a key for the bonnet lock, it came with barrel drilled out and screwdriver to open it. Now can't even do that, screwdriver just spinning. Tried wedging in bigger hex bits but nothing worked.

 

[El Veterano]

There's nothing quicker to demist windscreens than full heat with air con on at the same time. So don't dismiss air con completely, but when it starts playing up it can be expensive to get it sorted. I personally wouldn't have a cab with no air con - just my preference.