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Build Query - Heater Cable Length


CtrMint

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Hi All,

Another build query.

I've installed my heater into my car (S3 420).  The install of the heater has gone well apart from the fact the cable appears to be excessively long.  The length causes the cable to bulge badly against the pedal box.  I've seen pics of other cars and the curve of the heater cable in those cars suggest the their cables are no where near as long.

I've checked Caterham's parts website and there seems to be numerous cables types, so I'm wondering if I've got the wrong cable.  Does anyone know the difference in the various cables, may be the lengths,

 

Thanks

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Cradle clip or cable clip?  If it is the latter, the heater cable outer is retained by a sandwich plate that comes already fitted as part of the heater valve body, and is the inboard-most part of the installed valve assembly. Perhaps the small hex nut that holds the sandwich plate in place has come adrift before shipping?

There are no other clips to hold the cable. With the battery in position and the cable routed behind it, does it still look you have excess cable length?

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Mark, I have checked my S3 installation and hopefully the following is helpful:

The length of the metal spigot from the engine side face of the firewall is 85 mm.  The black coated outer cable from the end of the spigot is 590 mm long

I suspect the hole you see in the heater plenum when looking down is a water drain hole.  My car has one on each side.

I recall that I did not fit the retaining clip that you mentioned, principally as I did not think it necessary once I had the heater valve in place, and I was also not keen to pop a rivet into the fairly brittle heater casing.  My cable routes very much like your photo.  The cable outer curves to touch the pedal box and routes between the brake master cylinder and it's lower fixing stud.  It then follows a direct path behind the battery and into the heater valve clip.

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Things have clearly changed over the years. The heater cable on my 2008 S3 is routed like this:

Heatercableroute_20181021_1_0.thumb.jpg.a3970ffe4b4f3d150ef2e81c9cc5647f.jpg Heatercableroute_20181021_2_0.thumb.jpg.45dedd4519476371ad050f914fb6453c.jpg

My Assembly Guide made no mention of an extra clip on the front of the heater box, and I never fitted one.  

A later AG shows this:

Heatercableroute_latest_extracliphighlighted_20181021.jpg.090d401da49f063bb3dde58862801646.jpg

Unless the layout of the pedal box etc has changed, I can't see that the extra clip does a great deal.  Or is it an IVA requirement?

JV

 

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Thanks for the detail and support.

I measured the length of my metal spigot and it too is 85mm, although I did struggle to get an accurate measure of the cable after that.  So opted to move on with the build.   I'm happy I can go back to it another day.  Although it is good to hear that you didn't fit the rivet and that your cabling is similar.  May be its fine.

 

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