1972 Spanish built R4s Heater hoses

[bigoldboy]

Hi again .
I want to check out the heater in the car because I think there is a leak but saying that I don't really need a heater because the car is in Spain .
Can I just remove the heater hoses from the water pump and block them off or would I need to make a hose loop from the water pump and back again ?
Regards

 

[benchseat]

I’d say solve the leak. The heater is a heat-exchanger and can thus act as an additional radiator to cool the engine if required (for example, irrespective of my own personal comfort, I have switched on the fan heater on a very hot day in a motorway tailback to reduce the chance of overheating). Also to remove the heater would reduce the total volume of water in the system and therefore reduce the degree to which it can act as a "buffer".

 

[bigoldboy]

I’d say solve the leak. The heater is a heat-exchanger and can thus act as an additional radiator to cool the engine if required (for example, irrespective of my own personal comfort, I have switched on the fan heater on a very hot day in a motorway tailback to reduce the chance of overheating). Also to remove the heater would reduce the total volume of water in the system and therefore reduce the degree to which it can act as a "buffer".

So are you saying regardless of the fact that some cars never have there heaters used because of the climate they live in that the motor is in danger of damage . I have had old cars with no heater and then the same car with a factory heater but I didn't know the motor was different . When the heater tap is off does that not mean that the flow of hot water is blocked from going through the heater radiator .

 

[mr-reno-139]

on a modern car turning the heater off merely closes a flap preventing the heat in matrix reaching cabin so the water continues to flow and able to add to volume of water in circulation
on a Renault 4 and most 60s 70s cars it is a simple tap completely or partial stopping flow of water round matrix
summary
blanking the pipes would make no difference to volume of water flowing around engine and radiator

 

[bigoldboy]

on a modern car turning the heater off merely closes a flap preventing the heat in matrix reaching cabin so the water continues to flow and able to add to volume of water in circulation
on a Renault 4 and most 60s 70s cars it is a simple tap completely or partial stopping flow of water round matrix
summary
blanking the pipes would make no difference to volume of water flowing around engine and radiator

Thank you for that it's sort of what I thought . Now I can get on with other jobs on the old motor .
Cheers