Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Plus Four, Supersport & Plus Six (CX & CXV Generation Vehicles) CX Heater

Took my 2023 Plus Four out the garage for a bit of a warm up today and noticed the heater does not work until the temp is up to normal temp. Presumably thats when some valve opens to the heater. What I have however noticed before and today is that the button on the dash to divert heat to the foot wells does not seem to do anything switched on or off. Am I missing something or do other CXs actually do something when the button is actuated?

It is just the same on my plus four...

Cx heaters do not seem to work as well as my GDI did.

I do not have a CX hence not familiar with the vents but is there any chance the vents in the footwell and closed? I find in my trad I at time knock it closed without knowing it due to it's placement. Does manually closing the dash vents help? Perhaps hitting the button only diverts some air to the footwell along with the dash vents. Just a thought.

Good luck!

Perry - there are no closable flaps as on the trad cars. A small amount of air comes out but the dash button does not seem to do anything different. If you close the two on the front of the gear tunnel not much in the footwell. Will have to reread the handbook!!

The button does add some air down to the foot well via the vent - I think...its pretty hard to tell the difference though...I think I can feel it....maybe? It's a Morgan...

The valve is the thermostat. As for the floor vents, that is something else. Have you checked them for airflow?

Generally, current automobile Laws force cars to be brought up to their now VERY tight temperature operating range as soon as possible. There are actually more emissions (and wear) for an engine to run under it's ideal range as it is for the engine to run over that ideal. The lower limit is set by the thermostat and the upper limit is set by the fan function and/or speed.

Newer engines are more paranoid about this (due to more stringent emissions limits than older cars must meet). Therefore, with these newer engines, the thermostat are more brutal and strict. No coolant flow to the engine or cabin heater matrix (it needs hot coolant to warm you) until the entire engine is at ideal operating temp. Additionally, even when the thermostat is opened, thusly allowing flow to a cabin heater core that has no coolant flow shutoff, the heat is further delayed until that cold coolant is circulated and also warmed. Lastly, remember the matrix/core also acts as a second, smaller radiator. In my simpler system, opening the shutoff valve to the matrix instantly lowers my coolant temperature from 5-10C instantly and takes 5 minutes for it to return to the earlier temp.

Allow your Morgans to heat up a bit, rather than dashing right off. Your engines will thank you for it.

gmg

The early CX cars had no heater duct to the footwell, some hot air might have dribbled down there by luck. Later some ducting was 3D printed, that made a very slight improvement. By 2022 the amount of hot air ducted to the footwell was still pathetic, closing the dash vents helps a little but not much. I'm afraid it's another foible (design fault) and cold feet are inevitable especially when you add in the cold drafts from back to front into the footwell when the hood is up. I've bought a rug!

Yes, all very tragic, but well explained above. Thank you. Our new saloon car heater heats us up very quickly. What about new BMW saloons? Do they heat up more quickly?