Uprating the heater, in-line blower

[linearaudio]

Thought I'd just nip down and get a mini heater blower to give a bit more go. Devastated to find they've all been had locally, so the mind started wandering... I've got the fan unit from my old Citroen BX, lovely big squirrel cage thing. Now if I were to plumb it in-line with the big heater pick up pipe under the bonnet, would it work, or would I lose the effect due to the length of pipe on the pressure side? I'm thinking that I would remove the old fan so it doesn't obstruct the wafting. If it works it should be fairly quiet, being out of the passenger compartment!

[alainmoran]

One thing I usually do in the winter is hang that pipe behind the radiator, thay way you get a two-stage heating effect ;)

Another thing I've been known to do is to get a few plastic bags and stuff them up the inside of the hose to the outside world and just use the heater as a recirculating device .. which IIRC works very nicely

[wanderinstar]

One thing I have found is that the heater blows warmer (not hotter) when the car is moving, than it does when fan is switched on. With the fan on it, obviously blows faster but after about 30 secs it blows cooler.. I have the air inlet behind the rad.

This leads me to a couple of conclusions.
1. There is not enough hot water going through heater.
2. The heat exchanger is not big enough.

The heater has been backflushed. so that can be ruled out.

I have a few ideas to try.
Making a duct to fit behind radiator to connect air inlet pipe to. Full width of rad and about 6-8" deep. Sort of like a funnel, to collect as much hot air as possible.
Do away with heater valve and make a pipe to bolt onto head. Increasing water flow to heater. Fitting inline plug tap in inlet hose.
If all else fails, buy an uprated heater core.

Thoughts on the above??

[bmcecosse]

It circulates rather better through the heater if you have no bypass hose! If water flow is inadequate - you may have the early small impeller water pump ? You could fit the later large impeller pump. I doubt a larger heat excahnger would work - if not enough water flow at present - then still not enough with larger exchanger.

[Peetee]

In my expeience both the old round heaters and the newer oblong type can produce a really good amount of heat so I'm afraid to say that your system probably still needs a bit of maintenance to get it running properly. When you backflushed the system did you do it several times and under pressure? I stuck a hose on the heater inlet (each in turn 3 times) and allowed the pressure to build a little by blocking the other end with my finger. This DID shift an appreciable amount of gunk which normal flow had failed to move. I then used a cleaning solution (I forget which) and left this in the heater overnight. Three more flushes each way and it was coming out clear so I left it at that.

You should also check the condition of your heater valve. I have seen these very gunked up.

I have a convertible and find the heater is perfectly capable of keeping the car warm on even the low setting.

[StaffsMoggie]

Yes a good flushing out session will work wonders, its amazing how much rusty gunk comes out.

Another good idea is to fit a 92 degree thermostat in the engine, this does make quite an imrovement.

[Peetee]

Another good idea is to fit a 92 degree thermostat in the engine, this does make quite an imrovement.

So true. I'd forgotten I'd done that!

[plastic_orange]

In the severe winter of the early 80's I used 2 tins of deicer on the inside of the windscreen on a trip from Glasgow, plus the entire grille was blanked off - and intake pipe blanked off. Normally the heater worked fine, but the temperature outside was around -20. Only way myself and wife could keep warm was to wrap ourselves in sleeping bags.


Pete

[linearaudio]

In the severe winter of the early 80's I used 2 tins of deicer on the inside of the windscreen on a trip from Glasgow, plus the entire grille was blanked off - and intake pipe blanked off. Normally the heater worked fine, but the temperature outside was around -20. Only way myself and wife could keep warm was to wrap ourselves in sleeping bags. Pete

Those were the days- proper winters! 1984/85 first winter in our bungalow, all pipes froze solid, ran out of coal, ran out of chairs etc to chop up to feed the voracious appetite of the Rayburn. Decided to abandon ship and stay with in-laws, but car was frozen. Core plugs sticking out of engine on the end of blue ice "lollys" Only good thing was the excuse not to go to work!!

[wanderinstar]

Another good idea is to fit a 92 degree thermostat in the engine, this does make quite an imrovement.

Tried that last winter, that was in my frequent head gasket period. Put 88 back in and gasket lasted quite a bit longer.

[Onne]

I bet you need to keep your head as cool as possible with the LPG... it burns well

[alainmoran]

I bet you need to keep your head as cool as possible with the LPG... it burns well

Every time I see a tidbit like that I wish I had a wiki to put it into ... sigh :s

[StaffsMoggie]

Another good idea is to fit a 92 degree thermostat in the engine, this does make quite an imrovement.

Tried that last winter, that was in my frequent head gasket period. Put 88 back in and gasket lasted quite a bit longer.

Touch wood I havent had any problem since fitting the 92 degree stat but I do know that some people have done. Perhaps it depends on the individual engine?