Got my defender heater to work...there not ****!!!

Seen lots of threads about heaters and had to post this. I kinda excepted the fact that defender heaters are **** having had a new matrix fitted by my local landy guy last year which changed it from really **** to just ****.

Went to the lakes a few weeks back and had ice on the inside of my window all the way so me lass said enough is enough and told me to buy aux heater as i explained landy haeters are crap.

Any how having looked on ebay at £900 heaters I though fook it lets have the defender one to bits.

In essence its a big box with a flap and a fan. Flap one way and it goes through the matrix (hot)....flap the other way and bypass(cold).

I though fook it you never need cold apart from two days a year so i got some heat proof foam and sealed all the gaps and set the flap perminently in the hot position.

Tried it and its fooking boiling....cant believe it!

Just get a drill and drill all the rivets out to take apart and re rivet it back together...peice of **** and come the summer will just turn the fan off and open the bloody numerous air vents and windows!

Now i heard all the 200tdi sits in the middle of the temp as mine does and thats why they are **** but its the flap not fully over....when me temp is in the middle its fooking boiling!

Result that i had to share cause its sorted and cant beleive it....its like a normal car heater now.

So you spent 900 on a heater! Thats more than my defender is worth! And what's wrong with an oil drum full of newspaper?

Another thing on the list! Nice one!

cambolt said:

So you spent 900 on a heater! Thats more than my defender is worth! And what's wrong with an oil drum full of newspaper?

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Im not sure you've read his post properly.

My heater works awesomely. Not messed with it at all. Even now ive changed from a truck cab to csw back its still toasty in there.

They can definitely be made to work okay - my main problem was the thermostat opening too early. In this weather, the engine wasn't getting anywhere near operating temperature. With that sorted, the coolant system (and especially the heater matrix) flushed, it's not half bad.

Nice work twinny.

I've often thought about buying all the bits 2nd hand for a complete heater assembly and building it up so I know how it all works.

alot of the heat issues are down to cables stretched over time thus allowing the cold air input in the box to mix with the warm, creating warm air & not hot

As long as the matrix is up to scratch it shouldn't be a problem, there's not alot of parts to go wrong with it.

Good on ya for doing it anorl

Nice one, nothing wrong with defender heaters, everyone says thier crap, but thier only crap when not set up properly.

cambolt said:

So you spent 900 on a heater! Thats more than my defender is worth! And what's wrong with an oil drum full of newspaper?

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:doh:Nah i did not buy the £900 thingy just fixed the defender one...re read and hope you get the jist.

PaulWilde said:

alot of the heat issues are down to cables stretched over time thus allowing the cold air input in the box to mix with the warm, creating warm air & not hot

As long as the matrix is up to scratch it shouldn't be a problem, there's not alot of parts to go wrong with it.

Good on ya for doing it anorl

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mmmm....checked the cable and it appeared that the flap was fully over...no more movement on the arm...but when a stripped it the flap still had a gap. Your right with the flap even slightly open its letting some cold in and reducing the temp by alot. Butg the arm being fully over does not mean the flap is fully closed.

Been stating this for years.
As long as the heater is set up correctly and the cooling system is in good shape then the standard heater is fine and there is no need for any nonsense like removing the fan or blocking the rad.

I've fitted a little internal / external thermometer to my Ninety. Driving around this afternoon it was 0.5 degrees outside.... and 28.5 degrees inside! I was down to my T-shirt!

instantsquid said:

I've fitted a little internal / external thermometer to my Ninety. Driving around this afternoon it was 0.5 degrees outside.... and 28.5 degrees inside! I was down to my T-shirt!

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Was that defender heater only???

Was hot today myself till me fooking alternator pas bracket snapped....far be it to have everything working at once!!!!

Yep - standard 1988 Ninety heater with a 200tdi engine. I knew the heater worked okay when I had the old engine in, but it was rubbish after the engine swap. Then I fitted a genuine thermostat and hey presto! Back to how it should be. I tested the old thermostat in a pan of water and it was opening at about 50 degrees!

Ah! Tomorrow that's my job strip the heater as mine is crap... found out from the last owner that the heater box and matrix is full of MUD!!! I was wondering why the heater was st1t... I tried everything from new thermostat, back flushing and it was still blowing cold. In the process of fitting new hinges to the drivers door. So when thats done its heater time then the other jobs... its like the Forth Bridge start and one end and keep going and never finish!!! Its a Landy.

Photo guides of folks heater repairs would be greatly appreciated

Mine hasnt worked for two years, and now the switch has seized. Befor it seized, it was connected up to a working heater but still no joy, suggesting it may have been the switch?