Remove Heater Matrix & HCV In Track Car?

[Nas]

I've got a question...

I've currently completed stripped out the dash board and most of the heating/cooling system from the car but I can't decide whether to go all the way and remove the heater matrix too? If I did I would completely remove all the associated plumbing back to the block where I could just loop the inlet and outlet together or fit blanks.

The car is purely for the track, even has a manual steering rack now, so its going to be mainly dry (warm) days and might even be trailered there and back depending how the MOT goes. If its cold I'll wear a hat, if it hot I'll open the window.

So I can save some weight, clean up interior, simplify the cooling system and remove possible leak paths but would the engine run noticable hotter due to having less coolant and a smaller volume?

Has any one done this?

Dash board removed

• Nas
• Mar 17, 2013

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Ziggy]

Simple loop inlet and outlet on the block using shortest suitable hose.
Don't waste any money on cheap 12v "heaters" - utter waste of time. Either rely on heated front screen or get bilge extractor fan like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Boat-Marine-Blower-Fan-Bilge-Blower-12v-4-41841-/271164664376" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;?

 

[Nas]

Cheers guys, decision made, its all coming out!!! Hopefully it won't get to cold but I like that bilge extractor fan, I might get one of those for my landy as it fecking freezing in this weather!

 

[Nas]

Removed everything...

Heater matrix removed

• Nas
• Mar 19, 2013

Do you think one of these could be modified to use as an oil cooler?

Air Con & Heater Matrix

• Nas
• Mar 19, 2013

 

[Nas]

Yeah your probably right but I like the idea of recycling the old matrix and making it work, bit of an engineering challenge but not alot of point if its heavier and not as efficient.

 

[jacko]

You need one of my spare for rally prep manuals, got s1400 and s1600

in both it says NOT to remove the hcv as the car will suffer from unexplained over heating. A problem i have had before when the HCV starts playing up.

 

[Nas]

Thats interesting about heating problems if the HCV is not there. I did think that it might run slightly hotter as there is less volume of coolant in the system if you loop the hoses. I figured I could improve the cooling it might negate this problem; I've got vents to remove the heat and an air duct on the bonnet to get lots of cold air to the filter/engine.

If you don't have the heating turned on in the car will the HCV never open to allow warm coolant into the heater matrix, instead it just returns back to the block? If that is the case, then in theory you could plug the two outlets to the matrix and just unplug the electrical connector? I could maintain the same length of hose to ensure the same cooling is achieved and almost the same volume of coolant. This is effecively the same as never using the heating, ie summer and the car doesn't overheat.

 

[Nas]

Sounds good to me...I'm just going to join both ends together and see how I get on. If all is well I'll try shortening the hose between the inlet and outlet to tidy it up a bit.

Cheers.

 

[jacko]

if it works, it works! good to know cos id love to get rid of mine hence looking it up in the build manual! want to put a little electric kit car one in for when i need some heat.

 

[Nas]

I used the hose joiner from a power steering hose...

Hose Joint

• Nas
• Mar 22, 2013

Its a perfect fit, just left it full length for the time being. Also removed the pollen filter assembly too, don't need that any more!

 

[Nas]

Yip its in the back.

 

[Nas]

Cool I'll have a look at that, always good to remove some excess weight. Did you replace the induction hose with an after market one? I've got a K&N Filter but looking for a straight run into the manifold, don't need the bends in it, what have you done?

Cheers

 

[Nas]

I am conserving replacing the door glass with plastic then possibly the bonnet and boot lid, but I'll get everything else finished first. I want to have a straight run into the the but not sure what to do about air flow to it. I might use some of the heating ducting to feed air from the bumper as well as a feed from the bonnet. I'll probably make a box of some sort to contain/direct the air.

 

[Nas]

Nice one mate, I'll give you a shout when I get to that point.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[jacko]

Youd both love a copy of the ford motorsport rally build manual!!!!

Keep me up to speed about the plastic rear windows....want some eventually. (got to get the damn thing running first!!)

 

[Nas]

Sounds like a good idea, where do you get it from?

 

[jacko]

they're original ford copies from when they were clearing out apparently, got a few of each;

s1400 is kinda like a track day special cos it uses mainly standard parts, about 100 pages £15
s1600 is all singing with ali suspension, racing brakes, independent rear suspension etc, about 160 pages £25
plus £5 postage

both come from ford as photocopies so images can need a little figuring out! easy enough tho

 

[Nas]

Cool, I'll have a think and let you know.

Cheers.