M35A2 Heater Options

[Bhussey]

I have been researching what the best option for heat is for my truck.

The climate where I live is very cold in winter, this past season we had 178 days below freezing and 38 of those were below zero degrees. Currently the truck is not what I would consider a daily driver. During the summer I plan to drive it two to three days a week potentially more during our hay season. My end goal is to make it reliable and ready to drive any time of the year regardless of temperature.

I have looked at things like:

• stock coolant heater
• Chinese diesel heater
• Wabasto heater
• Semi APU
• Military fuel fired heater
• Aftermarket coolant heater

What is everyone's experience? I am not afraid to spend money on this but I want it to work well and be warm enough on the extremely cold days. Currently I am leaning towards a diesel fired heater of some description but I am open to anything.

Thoughts?

 

[Mullaney]

I have been researching what the best option for heat is for my truck.

The climate where I live is very cold in winter, this past season we had 178 days below freezing and 38 of those were below zero degrees. Currently the truck is not what I would consider a daily driver. During the summer I plan to drive it two to three days a week potentially more during our hay season. My end goal is to make it reliable and ready to drive any time of the year regardless of temperature.

I have looked at things like:

• stock coolant heater
• Chinese diesel heater
• Wabasto heater
• Semi APU
• Military fuel fired heater
• Aftermarket coolant heater

What is everyone's experience? I am not afraid to spend money on this but I want it to work well and be warm enough on the extremely cold days. Currently I am leaning towards a diesel fired heater of some description but I am open to anything.

Thoughts?

.
Any heater that you decide on will be more capable if you spend a lot of time sealing holes in the firewall and adding insulation. Most of the time, folks are trying to cut down on the noise. What you need is to stop the drafts if there are any, then add something between the steel and you. MY OPINION is that a diesel fired heater will keep you warm until your tank is empty or you find a fuel station - whichever happens first.

Go Brandon!

 

[DaneGer21]

Same here, interested in hearing about options.

Living in Ohio, I need heat during winter HAHA

 

[tguinn]

I already had a stock heater box and a 2.5 ton heater diverter. I modified both to put under the dash with a variable speed blower switch, works good for me. Tim

 

[Bhussey]

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Any heater that you decide on will be more capable if you spend a lot of time sealing holes in the firewall and adding insulation. Most of the time, folks are trying to cut down on the noise. What you need is to stop the drafts if there are any, then add something between the steel and you. MY OPINION is that a diesel fired heater will keep you warm until your tank is empty or you find a fuel station - whichever happens first.

Go Brandon!

Makes a lot of sense, I plan to do a lot of work sealing up the cab. Mostly to keep the worst moisture out but insulation will be helpful.

Do you have any experience with the diesel heaters? If so which ones?

 

[Bhussey]

Same here, interested in hearing about options.

Living in Ohio, I need heat during winter HAHA

What temperatures do you see? Most of what I have read points toward the stock heater being decent. However that falls apart a little at my winter temperatures.

 

[davidb56]

I already had a stock heater box and a 2.5 ton heater diverter. I modified both to put under the dash with a variable speed blower switch, works good for me. Tim

this. and good wool clothing.

 

[rustystud]

For really cold climes, I would go with a good diesel fired heater. The military unit is good, but the Wabasto unit is better. They are on the fleet of buses I used to work on. Very dependable units.

 

[Mullaney]

For really cold climes, I would go with a good diesel fired heater. The military unit is good, but the Wabasto unit is better. They are on the fleet of buses I used to work on. Very dependable units.

.
Guessing the bus fleet with diesel heaters could keep their passengers warm - even if the drive motor were to fail? That seems like a pretty important thing when your primary business is transporting humans... Never really gave it any thought until now.

 

[ToddJK]

We've had a cold winter this year and my truck just has the standard coolant type of air forces heater. While this alone doesn't work that well, sealing off the cab and using weather stripping around the windows and the doors helped a lot. What also helped a lot was to allow the engine to maintain more heat as these regulate it's heat very well and too well in the winter. I installed an artic kit up front to block the radiator and that made a huge difference as far as keeping the engine closer to operating temp when it was frigid cold, but also some better heat inside the cab. I just zip ties my arctic kit on and it has had no issues staying on and when it's warmer, I can roll up the piece that covers the radiator or grill. My biggest issues was ice. With a couple ice storms we had, it took a long while for the truck to get warm enough and for the cab to get warm enough to melt the ice on the windshields, but some liquid de-icer helped that a lot and much quicker as well.

 

[Barrman]

The fuel fired heater will give you lots of heat NOW. The coolant filter works good once the engine is warmed up but that could take close to an hour or more at just idle.

 

[ToddJK]

The fuel fired heater will give you lots of heat NOW. The coolant filter works good once the engine is warmed up but that could take close to an hour or more at just idle.

You're right on that. On days it was in the single digits or even negative windshields, it took a half hour or so to get warm heat, longer for hot heat.

 

[Bhussey]

The fuel fired heater will give you lots of heat NOW. The coolant filter works good once the engine is warmed up but that could take close to an hour or more at just idle.

I really like the idea of the fuel fired heaters. It looks like the best combination will be the coolant heater in the cab under the dash and the fuel fired heater taking its place in the engine bay.

now... only to decide on which fuel fired heater!

 

[ToddJK]

I really like the idea of the fuel fired heaters. It looks like the best combination will be the coolant heater in the cab under the dash and the fuel fired heater taking its place in the engine bay.

now... only to decide on which fuel fired heater!

Which ever heater you decide to use, I suggest getting or making your own Arctic kit. These make a huge difference for the deuce in the winter. I won't drive in the winter without one, not since I got mine and realized how beneficial it was.

 

[Bhussey]

Which ever heater you decide to use, I suggest getting or making your own Arctic kit. These make a huge difference for the deuce in the winter. I won't drive in the winter without one, not since I got mine and realized how beneficial it was.

Are you referring to the grill cover and hood blanket? If so I made a temporary grill cover I used for a bit this winter. Without it the truck never felt like it got to operating temperature. My five ton didn't have the same issue but I used that significantly less.

 

[ToddJK]

Are you referring to the grill cover and hood blanket? If so I made a temporary grill cover I used for a bit this winter. Without it the truck never felt like it got to operating temperature. My five ton didn't have the same issue but I used that significantly less.

Yes sir. I notic d the military arctic cover has two layers with insulation in-between, so it helps a lot.

 

[Mullaney]

Which ever heater you decide to use, I suggest getting or making your own Arctic kit. These make a huge difference for the deuce in the winter. I won't drive in the winter without one, not since I got mine and realized how beneficial it was.

.
That is for sure! Even on an old 1980's Chevy pickup truck - a piece of cardboard to cover most (3/4's) of the radiator will make it happy in the cold weather if you can't find an Arctic Kit.

 

[LiqTenEXp]

I went diesel 5kw heater and the level of heat is more than enough for single digits °F. I always have it turned down lower than it can output.

 

[Mullaney]

I went diesel 5kw heater and the level of heat is more than enough for single digits °F. I always have it turned down lower than it can output.

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Got any more details or maybe a few more pictures?
Did you pick up the fuel line with a "T" or did you plumb it straight into the tank?

 

[Bhussey]

I went diesel 5kw heater and the level of heat is more than enough for single digits °F. I always have it turned down lower than it can output.

Looks Very nice! more pictures?