[Healeys] 100 Heater motor or switch problem

[Michael Oritt]

Larry/Roland

Thanks for the suggestions and I neglected to say in my earlier post that I
plan to pull new hot and ground leads to the heater and establish a new
ground.  Though the fuse to the heater has never blown t is very possible
that one or both of the leads has deteriorated, etc and intermittently goes
open.  Moss wants $150+ for a new switch and I am hopeful that a good dose
of Electric Clean will dissolve any interior corrosion that may exist.

Meanwhile, I went to the local Ace and Lowes in search of black crackle
paint but no luck and will have to get it online.  I did find some 1-1`/2"
crutch tips that will fit nicely over the outlets to the windscreen
demister which I plan to blank off in order to increase airflow.

Best--Michael Oritt  .

On Fri, Oct 26, 2018 at 2:16 PM Larry Wendland <bighealey3k at aim.com> wrote:

> Well keep trying to fix it till it is good and broke. Some times those
> rheostats just need a little disturbance to get them to work properly. They
> get old and rub the winding in one place and need to be disturbed to get
> the wiper to rub on the winding in a different place on the winding. If it
> quiets again, shoot the money cannon and replace it. It may have more life
> in it still.
>
> Larry
> '67 BJ8
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Oritt <michael.oritt at gmail.com>
> To: Austin Healey <healeys at autox.team.net>
> Sent: Fri, Oct 26, 2018 11:53 am
> Subject: [Healeys] 100 Heater motor or switch problem
>
>
>
> About an hour ago I popped the spring clips off of the heater face-plate
> which gave me access to the back of the rheostat switch. I first verified
> that there was power to the switch and then jumped across the two posts
> with a screwdriver. The heater motor came on full blast, telling me that
> the problem was in the switch, which had felt a bit odd when I initially
> encountered the problem a few days ago as the "detent-like feel" when
> turning the fan on was missing. Though I assumed I had identified the
> problem as being in the switch I nevertheless turned the control knob just
> to see how it felt and--wonder of wonders--the fan motor immediately came
> on. What's more it responded perfectly to the rheostat, going from full
> blast to low just as it always had.
>
>
> I am 100% certain that I had the ignition switch on and the heater power
> lead connected with an intact fuse and I can only say that this is a
> typical Healey deal, and now that the car has my attention I am sure that
> should I simply close the heater up the switch will probably act up at some
> point in the future. I'm going to investigate whether I can source a
> replacement switch, either Lucas or not. I'll also take the opportunity to
> repaint the front plate in black crackle and I am going to close off the
> top opening that supplies heated air to the two vents in back of the
> windshield, which seems like a waste of hot air.
>
> Thanks all for your patience and advise and I hope this gives some of you
> who have experienced similar situations a laugh.
>
>
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