Replacement electrical heat available? Options

[campbellcj]

The early 911's had a Webasto gas heater optionally available. I had one for a while (never installed it in the car) but I sold it. I always thought it was a sketchy sounding concept, but I have never really heard of anybody being "blown up" by one of these devices.

[MarkV]

Here is the one (gasoline heater) I just took out of my car. It's made by dpi and I was told they were a dealer option. It looks the same as the AC units and looked pretty good in the car. I'm not sure what to do with it.

That is a A/C unit. It has an evaporator coil inside it & has condensate drain lines. Heaters don't have condensate drains. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif)

[Bruce Allert]

Since there is quite a bit of heat within the engine compartment why couldn't it be routed into the cab...? the blower & tubing is already there. Or have I missed something that could be harmful? I've never noticed any fumes smell when I open the lid after a drive. Could this work?
bruce

[914werke]

here again is a case of trying to outengineer the factory. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) As was stated earlier if you retain the & maintain the stock heat exchangers & piping there is plenty of heat. I bought a new set of SSI HE's and took all my piping to the local Perf. coating place he bead blasted and "Cerma-Chomed" all parts.
End result ...It gets TOO Hot. Evan with the valves closed the heat bleeds into the cabin.
No complaints in the Pac NW. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif)

[ss6]

Rich, I wish I had your problem!

The thread started with the question of heat for those who are running aftermarket headers, not stock pipes. I forked over the cash to buy the only header system (B&B) I could find that offered heat, and was sorely underwhelmed by the heat output, not to mention build quality in general. Been thinking about trying to design a better clamshell than what I got (it's that bad), but there isn't a lot of room down there to work with.

What intrigues me is the engine oil cooler is effectively a heater core that just pukes hot air all day (like some people I used to work with (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) ). Just doesn't seem to be a way to duct the output without serious ground clearance issues unless you relocate it somehow.

[Mark Henry]

What intrigues me is the engine oil cooler is effectively a heater core. Just doesn't seem to be a way to duct the output without serious ground clearance issues unless you relocate it somehow.

The clam shell does need to be tight and as long as possable, sorry to hear that your systems build quality is poor.

The only way to do a good clamshell job is to remove the engine/trans and use it as a jig.

The oil cooler method does have merit. Use a Mocal thermostat and plumb it into the cab. In the summer you could re-route it to the front.

It would only come on once the engine was at 180 degrees but it would help. To not use the thermostat you could risk blowing the cooler in the cab. If it's a /4 you might get it in front of the engine, then you could use the stock blower.

[ejm]

If you only need enough heat to take the edge off there are several companies that make seat heater kits like this that are fairly easy to install and lightweight.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Since there is quite a bit of heat within the engine compartment why couldn't it be routed into the cab...? the blower & tubing is already there.
Or have I missed something that could be harmful?  I've never noticed any fumes smell when I open the lid after a drive. Could this work?
bruce

Never a good idea. You want to pull the cleanest air you can. Also, the air in the compartment really isn't hot enough...
it would cool down too much to be useful by the time it was blown into the cabin.

[cnavarro]

Hey guys,

I posted some pictures of my gas heater setup from my squareback so you can get a rough idea of dimensions.

http://www.lnengineering.com/gasheat.htm

I have access to a few ba4s (from 411s and 412s) and a customer of mine just let me know he has an extra complete bn2 similar to the one I have in my square for sale. I'd be happy to help graft one in, if possible :-)

BTW guys, I know it's last minute, but there is a late lunch get together we're having in the chicagoland area today. Here's the scoop:

Location: UNOs Chicago Grill

Date: Sunday, November 2nd

Time: 2pm

Just another excuse to get together and have trouble.

Map and Directions
http://uno.know-where.com/pizzeria/cgi/site?0772

Have a good one!

Charles Navarro
LN Engineering
http://www.LNengineering.com
Aircooled Precision Perfomance

[redshift]

The early 911's had a Webasto gas heater optionally available. I had one for a while (never installed it in the car) but I sold it. I always thought it was a sketchy sounding concept, but I have never really heard of anybody being "blown up" by one of these devices.

Yet.


M

[redshift]

I've never noticed any fumes smell when I open the lid after a drive. Could this work?
bruce

We could move the engine up front, and just sit in the propwash.

You get 50% heat if you disco the tubes anyhow.


M

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

roundboy914,

I don't know about electric heaters, but here is the website for the only good guy in the U.S.
who sells and repairs VW auxiliary gas heaters. He gets consistently good reviews:
http://hometown.aol.com/arkmirvis/heaterman.html

Be advised, there is a guy in Colorado who has a very bad reputation.

I suggest a new or refurbished heater with everything, plus a 3- or 4-position dashboard
switch to have an "off" position and 2 or 3 fan settings. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

I've talked w/Ark several times on the phone. Very knowledgable German fellow. I'd recommend him for gas heater work/repair/purchases. I bought my 1281 FI tester from him as well.

[914Timo]

So, you are talking about Eberspacher gas heaters. I am surprised. I thought I am the only one here who have ever even thought about installing one in 914. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I have one late model Eberspacher gas heater I am going to install to my 914. I am going to put it where the battery used to be. My battery is now in the front trunk. I have test fit it, but didnt have time to do the final installation. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

See the link if you like to know more about them and how they look today.

LINK

I used to have old BN2 in my bug about 10 years ago. It was big and bulky compared to todays models.

My heater is small B1 -model. Look at the data HERE

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

How much was the new B1? I couldn't find a product price listing on the site.

[Mark Henry]

How much was the new B1? I couldn't find a product price listing on the site.

Toby, you better go get a clean pair of underwear!

Can't remember exactly but it's large.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/bootyshake.gif)

[davep]

In 89 I installed an "Instaheater" electric heater in a 914 for a customer. Never did hear how it worked though. I mounted it in place of the booster fan under the relay board, and ducted it into the tube in the drivers longitudinal. Getting heater hose that worked well was tough, and the reducer was custom made in a muffler shop.

I often thought of using the heat exchanger from a VW (turbo diesel?) that was placed between the oil filter and console. Then add a pump, heat exchanger and fan plus antifreeze to make a system. The problem is that the oil filter is dropped a few inches, but no more than an extended sump.

DaveP

[ArtechnikA]

I often thought of using the heat exchanger from a VW (turbo diesel?) that was placed between the oil filter and console.

standard GTI/GLI part, from '83 through i donno. at least through the Mk-II cars.
in those cars, it's the oil cooler, and if the filter plumbing is the same as 914/4's, could be part of a solution for people wanting alternatives to the front-mounted oil cooler...

[ss6]

FWIW, I need to amend my rant about poor heat from my B&B headers. They still suck, but not as bad as I first thought -

When I put in the 3.2, I kept its original heater blower motor and plumbed its output into the HE's. Was never impressed with the output, with or without the blower on. Well, the blower motor bit the dust (as they are known to do), and after a lot of fabrication that didn't work, I decided to hack the blower motor and the multiple-elbow piping that it came with. So now, the duct off the fan goes straight into a "Y" adapter, then hoses to the HE's, as few curves as possible. Now I've got good heat.

Moral of the story seems to be back pressure. The longer the ducting and the more bends in it, the less is going to come out the other end. The stock 3.2 setup had four 90 degree bends in it between fan and hoses. I cut that down to 1. For cold track days (with the windows open), I'm going to disconnect the ducts that come out of the longitudinals, let the heat flow directly into the cabin without all the dashboard plumbing, and throttle it with the console lever. YMMV.

[Hawktel]

What if you got 2 of these, to defrost the front window,

Road Pro Heater

And a pair of these, to keep you, and your passenger's arse warm

Toasty butt!

Would you fry your alternator? What if you added in the Lights, Radio, and Windshield wipers?

What if you put a better alternator in? In the Jeep world, you can upgrade to alternators that you can do it all from. One guy runs a compressor he can run airtools off of from his.

[ArtechnikA]

What if you put a better alternator in?

good luck finding very much more output with an alternator that fits in the stock location. if you fab some bracketry and use the AC compressor location, the sky's the limit.

actually, this may be one of the few good reasons to consider 911-style cooling shrouds; late-model 911's have enough electrical-generating capacity for an ocean liner (which a late-model 911 resembles in many respects :-) ...)

BTW - i checked the current rating on my Homedics heated seat insert - 1,6A.