After market heater

T

thowman

0
I have been looking at alternatives for heater/demister. I have found a few after market ones (presumably for kit cars) that I reckon would fit in the space where the current one lives.

However, I guess the problem would be the air intake - which for reasons of not wanting water to come in through the current grill, would need to come from a source lower than the heater. Would a good possibility be to mount an air scoop behind the chrome grill and run an air duct through the floor and up to the heater? Would this affect the cooling?

There is also the possiblility to include a air con system, if you can find a way to mount a compressor and radiator..... but that's a bit more expensive.

Any thoughts?

Andy
 
http://66.129.69.181/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3135&whichpage=5&SearchTerms=pc,fan

chasbaps is talking about a modern matrix with pc fans to blow ontot he screen

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You can get some much better systems that go straight in, and have all the controls and matrix enclosed. Something along the lines of:

http://www.s-v-c.co.uk/prod/xenos2_heater.html

Been measuring the space today - and it will fit easily.

Just wondering if fitting an air scoop behind the grill is going to affect the engine cooling much?

A
 
The more you block the hole with a scoop then the less air can get to the radiator, and that hole is too small as it is [xx(]

"you were only supposed to blow the bloody SLIDING doors off"
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It wouldn't be too much - either that or putting a seperate air intake through the front panel - but that will spoil the good looks
 
I wonder if there is enough room behind the grille but to the side of the opening. A discrete piece of mesh covering the new inlet and the whole area behind the grille painted black (as is should be)might look OK.
A Mini fresh air fitting would do the job - the ones that cause the flitch panel to rot out at the top:I

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Well, I am going to give it a try, give the terrible state of my airbox, and the complexity of forming one in fibreglass. After all, you don't acutally need to have the inlet in the airstream, but a fitting in the floor into the radiator tunnel should do the job, and the fan can pull air from that.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Panky

I wonder if there is enough room behind the grille but to the side of the opening. A discrete piece of mesh covering the new inlet and the whole area behind the grille painted black (as is should be)might look OK.
A Mini fresh air fitting would do the job - the ones that cause the flitch panel to rot out at the top:I

th_killin.jpg




I did it with a bit of mesh, turned out OK

Cheers
Jules

RatSport www.ratsport.co.uk
 
Hi Thowman,

What is wrong with the existing upper grille and heater box? It has a drain for water already... Surely it would be a matter of fitting a new heater core to the existing heater box and flap?

The lower grille opening could be used, however you would have to cut a fairly decent sized hole in your floor. As for disturbing the air flow - there is no direct channel through to the radiator from that lower grille. If you take your grille mesh off, all you can see is the bottom of the footwell and a chassis crossmember. I believe most of the air that goes through the radiator is drawn in from underneath the vehicle. Are there any aerodynamicists on the forum that could shed some light on this topic?
 
The problem is the existing heater box is absolutely cream crackered. It has completely rusted out from the inside - and I could spend hours attempting to repair it, but I think the easiest solution is to install an newer design and put the air take off from the floor into the new box.

As I will not need to put anything into the airflow as the fan should be powerful enough to do all that is needed (and I don't really need a ram effect) - it won't affect the cooling. Obviously, the reason for not using the existing air intake is that it will take in water as you drive along in the wet (the main reason why the original design is so flawed), whereas taking the air intake from the floor will not have this problem, and undoubtedly a modern 3-speed fan would be vastly superior and the heating will be more effective.

As I am not looking to achieve a stock van - I think it would be an easy improvement to do, not have the same problem in the future - and I have found a system that includes air con that can be installed in the existing heater void - as long as I can find a way of mounting the compressor to the engine - where there is not a lot of space.

Cheers

Andy
 
Andy,

Just had a thought. Would it be possible to have the compressor driven electrically? Maybe a dynamo wired so it works as a motor driving a belt which drives the comp'? That would make location a bit easier perhaps. Upgrade the alternator and battery maybe but that's never a bad idea anyway.

BAZROCKS.jpg
If I told you I was a pathological liar, would you believe me?
Peggy's got an MOT !!! (not a lie)
 
I guess the advantage with that system is that you could use it when the engine is not running and you are plugged into the mains?

Hmmm, food for thought
 
It would certainly save mounting it all on the engine. Must be room for the compressor and a dynamo up front somewhere.

BAZROCKS.jpg
If I told you I was a pathological liar, would you believe me?
Peggy's got an MOT !!! (not a lie)
 
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