Heater options

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Obi_110

Active Member
Posts
69
I've just pulled the heater out of my defender to put in a new heater matrix, and it's all a bit crappy, and most of the vents in the cab are shot.

Before I sink time into restoring all of it, are there any better alternatives you've all retrofitted into a defender, or is the original heater the best?

Thanks
 
I flushed mine out with clean water and there was an impressive amount of crap that came out. With that, plus sealing up the gaps so it actually directs warm air into the cab and not the engine bay, it was quite good in the end.
 
With a new matrix and tidy heater box with a good seal to bulkhead it will be pretty good in the front at least.
Which engine?
 
tottot said:
With a new matrix and tidy heater box with a good seal to bulkhead it will be pretty good in the front at least.
Which engine?
Click to expand...
Disco 200tdi, newly rebuilt.

Any idea where I can source new flap cables? All mine are shot
 
Obi_110 said:
Disco 200tdi, newly rebuilt.

Any idea where I can source new flap cables? All mine are shot
Click to expand...
You can buy the cables form paddocks, have just ordered on for mine (link) (this is only one of them, the one i ordered, believe the other is a different part number.)

I have just rebuilt my heater box fitted to my 200tdi 110. as mentioned above once sealed properly and flushed out it does put out good heat. the issue is most are now in a poor state of repair which is why they get a bad name.
 
On the same topic are the 200tdi/300tdi matrix the same? Mine is now a complete rust tin and looking to get a new one.. OP where did you find the cheapest one from?
 
They are not quite the same, the inlet/outlet pipes on the 200 bend for down but this does not matter either will fit. Have a 300 matrix in my 200.
When it comes to warmth in the winter [ 200's run quite cool with a good nick rad] I blank off the lower half of the rad with a section of Correx [for sale sign stuff] Also have aftermarket temp gauge that reads in number/degrees, can see when thermostat opens when engine comes up to temp.
 
RustyDefender said:
On the same topic are the 200tdi/300tdi matrix the same? Mine is now a complete rust tin and looking to get a new one.. OP where did you find the cheapest one from?
Click to expand...
Ebay mate, about 30 quid - just check what yours is, I found out the hard way there are two types of matrix for the 200tdi anyway
 
i'm thinking about supplementing my heater with a chinese diesel heater from Amazon. i like the thought of being able to preheat the interior remotely and hopefully defrost the windows etc. before coming into the car to start it up.
I've also heard that you can get radiator covers for the front grill in order to block airflow to get the heater warming quicker.
 
The grill radiator covers are not much good, air just goes around underneath them. Blank as in my post above. Mine goes direct on the lower face of the rad and held in place by a springy bit of plastic between it and the grill.
 
tottot said:
The grill radiator covers are not much good, air just goes around underneath them. Blank as in my post above. Mine goes direct on the lower face of the rad and held in place by a springy bit of plastic between it and the grill.
Click to expand...
great idea, and cheap too!! i like it.
 
Bolting onto the end of this thread with a heater question.
110 hicap 200tdi no air blowing from heater, but heat is there (I can keep a mouse warm for 2 seconds!)
I've been thinking about diesel heaters for cab, but I dont want to lose the middle seat (for the dog).
Arent there any decent electric fan heaters that could do the job? Or is it fix the heater or diesel heater?
 
lpm said:
Bolting onto the end of this thread with a heater question.
110 hicap 200tdi no air blowing from heater, but heat is there (I can keep a mouse warm for 2 seconds!)
I've been thinking about diesel heaters for cab, but I dont want to lose the middle seat (for the dog).
Arent there any decent electric fan heaters that could do the job? Or is it fix the heater or diesel heater?
Click to expand...
repair the one you have, in good order they provide plenty of heat and are more than capable of getting a 110 hardtop toasty and warm let alone a truck cab. I fully stripped mine and resealed everything with a new matrix etc but then had to replace the fan motor at a later date as although bench tested as working was very lazy. A new to me S/H fan motor remedied that problem and and I was back to a fully working heater.
 
tottot said:
They are not quite the same, the inlet/outlet pipes on the 200 bend for down but this does not matter either will fit. Have a 300 matrix in my 200.
When it comes to warmth in the winter [ 200's run quite cool with a good nick rad] I blank off the lower half of the rad with a section of Correx [for sale sign stuff] Also have aftermarket temp gauge that reads in number/degrees, can see when thermostat opens when engine comes up to temp.
Click to expand...
I also have done the same thing on the 200tdi, although I remove the grille and just screw in in place with the grille. Covers the complete rad, although I have drilled some holes in the sign for air flow to the intercooler. Works well and warms up quicker.
 
lpm said:
Bolting onto the end of this thread with a heater question.
110 hicap 200tdi no air blowing from heater, but heat is there (I can keep a mouse warm for 2 seconds!)
I've been thinking about diesel heaters for cab, but I dont want to lose the middle seat (for the dog).
Arent there any decent electric fan heaters that could do the job? Or is it fix the heater or diesel heater?
Click to expand...
Truck cab should easily be warm enough if the heater is working correctly along with a working thermostat.
 
Just to add, the hardest part was getting the heater box out of the engine bay, once it was out, it was quite straightforward to replace the heater matrix and give the whole thing a general service.

For a days faff and 30 quid on the new matrix, it's worth a punt to see if the OG heater can meet your needs
 
lpm said:
Bolting onto the end of this thread with a heater question.
110 hicap 200tdi no air blowing from heater, but heat is there (I can keep a mouse warm for 2 seconds!)
I've been thinking about diesel heaters for cab, but I dont want to lose the middle seat (for the dog).
Arent there any decent electric fan heaters that could do the job? Or is it fix the heater or diesel heater?
Click to expand...
I called in on a mate of mine who is building his latest custom/rod (admittedly NOT a Land rover before I get shouted at!) & commented on how clean & tidy the firewall he'd installed was looking. "No heater hoses?" I asked. "Nope." he replied. With the advances in thermal tech these days driven (excuse the pun) by the Lecky car industry who need to heat the interior of their cars without using the excess heat generated by a combustion engine, use super efficient electric heater matrixes. "Easy peasy," he said, "Ebay. No hoses, instant heat." Instant heat from start up sounds good to me & without the heat losses from the often lengthy heater hoses & the heater matrix which is of course another radiator robbing precious hot water from the engine on a cold start means the engine should reach efficient running temp much sooner. Sounds like a win-win to me. Also, no need to sacrifice vital space fitting a diesel heater which uses precious diesel which is not cheap these days - if of course your Landy is a diesel. I have yet to investigate this further & when satisfied intend to shoehorn one into my 9O's heater box somehow.
 
rubix101 said:
I called in on a mate of mine who is building his latest custom/rod (admittedly NOT a Land rover before I get shouted at!) & commented on how clean & tidy the firewall he'd installed was looking. "No heater hoses?" I asked. "Nope." he replied. With the advances in thermal tech these days driven (excuse the pun) by the Lecky car industry who need to heat the interior of their cars without using the excess heat generated by a combustion engine, use super efficient electric heater matrixes. "Easy peasy," he said, "Ebay. No hoses, instant heat." Instant heat from start up sounds good to me & without the heat losses from the often lengthy heater hoses & the heater matrix which is of course another radiator robbing precious hot water from the engine on a cold start means the engine should reach efficient running temp much sooner. Sounds like a win-win to me. Also, no need to sacrifice vital space fitting a diesel heater which uses precious diesel which is not cheap these days - if of course your Landy is a diesel. I have yet to investigate this further & when satisfied intend to shoehorn one into my 9O's heater box somehow.
Click to expand...
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T7Design 600w 12v Lightweight Electric Race Car Heater (Waterless) | Rival Motorsport | Rival Motorsport

Buy T7Design 600w 12v Lightweight Electric Race Car Heater (Waterless) from Rival Motorsport the UK's leading aftermarket car part specialist. Lowest prices and fantastic customer support.
www.rivalmotorsport.co.uk
Be easier and cheaper to fix what you have I should think.
Round heater in the Series 2a got a truck cab nice and toasty, until it sprang a leak.
Replaced it with a water one of the above, worked well but not quite as good, it was nowhere near that price.
 
Anaconda said:
www.rivalmotorsport.co.uk

T7Design 600w 12v Lightweight Electric Race Car Heater (Waterless) | Rival Motorsport | Rival Motorsport

Buy T7Design 600w 12v Lightweight Electric Race Car Heater (Waterless) from Rival Motorsport the UK's leading aftermarket car part specialist. Lowest prices and fantastic customer support.
www.rivalmotorsport.co.uk
Be easier and cheaper to fix what you have I should think.
Round heater in the Series 2a got a truck cab nice and toasty, until it sprang a leak.
Replaced it with a water one of the above, worked well but not quite as good, it was nowhere near that price.
Click to expand...
definitely cheaper to repair the current matrix, I also do not know what the current draw on an electric heater is but OP may end up running into battery/alternator issues needing to upgrade if wanting to be running high output electrical items. Standard defender is only a 45amp alternator I believe.
 
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