V8 and liquid cooled guys..., Want to install a heater??? Here's mine Options

[ruby914]

In order to get fast heat, I keep going back to the exhaust heat exchanger.
I picked up some perf sheet thinking I could attach it to the header x-tube and make a shroud for air to pass through.
Not sure where I am going with this yet???

[BajaXJ92]

In order to get fast heat, I keep going back to the exhaust heat exchanger.
I picked up some perf sheet thinking I could attach it to the header x-tube and make a shroud for air to pass through.
Not sure where I am going with this yet???

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[Bruce Hinds]

Even running the heat on high with the exchanger in the fresh air box while living in Colorado I never had a problem with the system holding up to the heat.

I used a simple "T" in each of the lines running under the car to the radiator the heater core, one in, one out. I also used a high flow thermostat. It has openings around the plunger that always allows some flow.

It is always easier for the car to draw water through both the radiator and the heat exchanger than it is to just draw through the radiator. Heat and defrost is always available through the dash controls.

[Brett W]

Why not find a way to retrofit the heater box and accumulator from a modern car under the dash. This would give you heat, defrost, AC, and the multi speed blower motor. I was looking over my new car and it looks like the dash area is similar in size to the dash area on my CRX.

[andys]

Why not find a way to retrofit the heater box and accumulator from a modern car under the dash. This would give you heat, defrost, AC, and the multi speed blower motor. I was looking over my new car and it looks like the dash area is similar in size to the dash area on my CRX.

It would be great to find something to rerofit from a small production car.

I bought an under dash AC evaporator with heat and defrost from HRA for my V8 conversion car, so all those things you mention are there. Plumbing in the ducting will be trick however.

Andys

[ruby914]

Even running the heat on high with the exchanger in the fresh air box while living in Colorado I never had a problem with the system holding up to the heat.
Heat and defrost is always available through the dash controls.

Bruce,
Just how hot and fast do you get heat?
Maybe compared to an air cooled 914.
I would think with one fan you have much less flow.
I am convinced there is no meltdown problem in your system.
What can't determine is how hot and fast this system would work with my WRX.
I was working on the front of my car the other day, with it running, and it seemed like 5 min before the fans turned on. Seems it takes a lot of time to heat coolant where I think the manifold would go over 300 deg very fast.

Brett,
This blower is like the ones in some westy vans. Thinking if it will heat a van...
I looked at a lot of mimi van heating systems. I saw one in maybe a Astro or Aerostar van that looked like the complete unit would fit under the passenger foot bolster. It also had a very small heat exchanger. Personally I don't want any more in the passenger compartment.

[Bruce Hinds]

"Ruby"
Just how hot and fast do you get heat? Maybe compared to an air cooled 914.
Part of the problem with the teener heat is that the blower in the engine bay has to run the warm air all they way from the back through the cold longs and by the time it gets to the distrubition boxes it's really not too warm. I'm not sure about your subie, but most water cooled engines take a hose off the manifold before the thermostat so it will have constant flow and not have to wait for the "stat" to open.

I would think with one fan you have much less flow.
With the heat exchanger right at in the airbox, you might have less flow, I don't remember how the heat controls boxes worked with head coming from the back, I have those capped, now the heat only travels a very short distance before coming out the defroster vents or under the dash.

I am convened there is no meltdown problem in your system.
What can't determine is how hot and fast this system would work with my WRX.
I was working on the front of my car the other day, with it running, and it seemed like 5 min before the fans turned on. Seems it takes a lot of time to heat coolant where I think the manifold would go over 300 deg very fast.
As I mentioned above,I'm not familiar with the WRX but on most of the water cooled engine heating systems water is available before it gets to the thermostat. The Chevy has a water cooled intake system and there is a place there that a water line will go to the heating system allowing water to flow regardless of whether the thermostat is open or not. This allows heat pretty quickly. I happen to have a thermostat the has by holes around the thermostat plunger that allows a constant flow which seems to help with the cooling with the long run hoses also. I hope all this helps.

[ruby914]

Don't get me wrong, I am not bashing the heat exchange in the fresh air box.
I think it is a great location, best if I can make it work for me.
So, I did some interesting test.

I did a little test of my FI 2.0 type IV 914 with a thermometer on my defrost duct on a 68 degree morning.
I turned the fresh air vent and fan all the way off with the other levers directed for full heat to the defrost ducts only.
68 degree at start up
80 after one min.
90 after 2
102 after 3
112 after 4 and
126 after 5

Next day with the 914 fresh air vent and fan on full with the other levers directed for full heat to the defrost ducts only.
64 Deg. at start up
62 after one min.
64 after 2
66 after 3
68 after 4 and
71 after 5
74 after 6
76 after 7
then I turned the fresh air fan off and the temp went up to 140 Deg in the next 2 minutes.

I makeshift, reinstalled the WRX 914, Kia heat exchanger set up and tested the air directly out of the EPS lined heat exchange box port with the 914 blower pushing the air. No air traveling through the cold longs yet.
I think it is also note worthy that I have 20' of 1.25 radiator hose = 2 extra gal of coolant.
This system is also hooked up to the OEM heater ports not tapped into the radiator hose.

64 Deg. @ start up
66 @ 1 min.
78 @ 2 min.
88 @ 3 min.
93 @ 4 min.
97 @ 5 min.
98 @ 6 min.
and 98 @ 7 min.

I did the same in my Toyota Tacoma
70 Deg. at start up
68 after one min.
70 after 2
76 after 3
86 after 4
94 after 5
100 after 6
104 after 7
110 after 8 min.

[Bruce Hinds]

Wish I could start my car to give you some readings, but it's not running. I would imagine it would be real close to what ever the operating temp of the engine is as temp drop would be at a minimum.

[ruby914]

Anyone else have a, running, heated, conversion and a thermometer?
I would like to know what others are getting out of different setups.
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[Mike Bellis]

Anyone else have a, running, heated, conversion and a thermometer?
I would like to know what others are getting out of different setups.
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I never did a thermometer on mine. I do know my heater works better with the rotary engine than with the V8. I had a hard time keeping the V8 engine hot. It would always cool down to 165F while driving. The rotary stays a constant 180F.

[Mike Bellis]

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For Chris N P

[partwerks]

Yup,
we made about 30 of these over the past few years,. I like to use a 94 Mustang core. thin and both tubes come out theend.
Mark
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Do these work good, for anyone that has used them?

[914Toy]

Sounds like an interesting project. I "wimped out" on such an installation by installing wiring for a plug-in removable seat warming cushion, along with a thick pair of socks and a nice warm pair of gloves.

[slowrodent]

I think this is a very thoughtful solution that you described here.
For my project, I bought an inexpensive "hot rod heater". I smoooshed it into the engine bay and will route the hot air via the existing heater tubes..... We'll see if it works (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[TC 914-8]

Wow, this is a cool thread that was dug up from a long time ago. It’s nice seeing all the old school guys charming in at the beginning of the thread. On my first 914 with the Ford V6, I did exactly the same thing, I found a Heat exchanger at a pick and pull and installed it but unfortunately, I never piped it into any of radiator waterlines. I’m sure it would have worked. My current 914 V8, I have no heat and I am still tempted to do something like this.
There are other sources of heat like an electric ceramic heat, but again then you have to reassign your electrical system, and it might put a tax on your alternator.

[East coaster]

More of the same for my Subaru conversion, but with a Mazda 626 heater core.